{"id":94684,"date":"2026-01-23T15:14:19","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T15:14:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/94684\/"},"modified":"2026-01-23T15:14:19","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T15:14:19","slug":"philadelphia-chapter-of-black-panther-party-invites-public-to-event-after-their-legitimacy-is-questioned","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/94684\/","title":{"rendered":"Philadelphia chapter of Black Panther Party invites public to event after their legitimacy is questioned"},"content":{"rendered":"

After the legitimacy of individuals claiming to be members of a Black Panther Party for Self Defense chapter in Philadelphia was called into question<\/a> following their headline-making appearance at a recent anti-ICE protest, the group is now offering proof of who they say they are.<\/p>\n

Paul Birdsong<\/a>, chairman of the local chapter, announced in an Instagram video that the group plans to meet with the public on Saturday, Jan. 31, at noon at 2123 North Gratz Street in Philadelphia. The gathering is intended for anyone who wants to learn more about the group and the \u201creal\u201d and \u201coriginal\u201d elders who he claims are guiding them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to invite everyone out \u2026 to meet with myself and the reputable, notable Black Panther Party elders, original Black Panthers from the 60s,\u201d Birdsong said in the video uploaded to Instagram<\/a>, flanked by members dressed in black. \u201cThey will be there to sit down with us, talk with us, and learn with us and grow with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added that the event would also serve as an opportunity \u201cto authenticate us,\u201d and to show the public \u201cwho we are getting tutelage, lessons, guidance, understanding and truth from.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI invite everyone who has any questions pertaining to our authenticity or our validity to come,\u201d he continued. \u201cThere will be plenty of food, plenty of refreshments. There will be a peaceful time, and there will be notable, original Black Panther Party elders there for you to talk to, ask questions, and get to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

The address Birdsong provided \u2014 2123 North Gratz Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19121 \u2014 also appears to be associated with the Madeira Family Center, according to Yelp and various GPS platforms.<\/p>\n

\"PaulPaul Birdsong stands between two other members of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense in Philadelphia. (Photo credit: Paul Birdsong Instagram) <\/p>\n

The video, posted with limited comments enabled, arrives just days after a woman claiming to be Huey P. Newton\u2019s niece, Myesha Newton, publicly denounced Birdsong and his chapter<\/a> after footage surfaced of the group patrolling the anti-ICE demonstration in the City of Brotherly Love.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy name is Myesha Newton,\u201d she said in a video posted online. \u201cMy father\u2019s name was Walter Newton. He was the brother of Huey Percy Newton, who started the Black Panther Party in Oakland, California. I got birth certificate paperwork and a whole bunch of Newtons \u2026 listen, this goes out to the Black Panther Party, the New United Black Panther Party, whoever\u2019s out there protesting with these Somalians, I\u2019m about to get a cease and desist order against you, and I\u2019m about to sue you. You are not going to defame my uncle\u2019s name like that. We\u2019re not doing that. See you in court, b\u2014.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her video prompted someone claiming to be Newton\u2019s biological son, Rico Dukes, to come forward and vouch for the Philly group.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had been watching him for a few months, and then I finally called him to give him my blessings and standing how the Panthers stood in 1966,\u201d Dukes said in a Facebook video<\/a> shared on Jan. 18th. \u201cIt\u2019s many elders from the 1966 Panther Party that vouch for his chapter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether the late political activist had any biological children remains a mystery.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

In his latest post, Birdsong also directly addressed those connected to the original Black Panther Party who have voiced concerns.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to thank everybody who has been diligent and vigilant to protect the Black Panther Party legacy,\u201d he said. \u201cI commend you guys. I commend you guys protecting the legacy. I commend you guys standing up for the legacy. And I\u2019m actually grateful that you are.\u201d<\/p>\n

Birdsong framed the public meeting as the best way to evaluate his chapter.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the best way to protect the legacy, going forward, pertaining to us, is to come to the event,\u201d he said. \u201cBring whoever else you want to the event.\u201d<\/p>\n

He went on to extend a personal invitation to Newton.<\/p>\n

\u201cHuey Newton\u2019s niece, I\u2019m cordially inviting you to the event,\u201d he said. \u201cFred Hampton Jr., I\u2019m cordially inviting you to the event. General Mike Payne, I\u2019m cordially inviting you to the event, where you will be met with peace and revolutionary love.\u201d<\/p>\n

He closed by restating the location and declaring, \u201cAll power to the people.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the meantime, his chapter has continued its various community outreach throughout Philly and even in neighboring cities such as Baltimore. <\/p>\n

Shortly after footage from the protest began circulating online, Birdsong addressed what he said were misconceptions and misinformation forming about the group and its politics.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Black Panther Party is not a Black nationalist organization,\u201d he said. \u201cThe New Black Panther Party might be. I\u2019m not sure. The Revolutionary Black Panther Party might be. Any of these variations of Black Panther parties might be. But the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense \u2014 the one Huey Newton started with Bobby Seale \u2014 is an internationalist organization that stands as allies with oppressed people, no matter what their ethnic background is, no matter what their cultural background is.\u201d<\/p>\n

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