Pacific School of Religion’s Assistant Professor of Theology, Race and Social Justice, Dr. Joshua S. Bartholomew, will present at the Black Panther Party 60th Anniversary Conference in Oakland, California, October 15–18, 2026. His presentation, “The Black Panthers, Black Theology, and Economic Liberation from the Margins,” will take place Friday, October 16, from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m.
Drawing from his book, Black Theology and the Black Panthers (2023), Bartholomew will explore the connections between Black theology, the Black Panther Party, and economic self-determination. The presentation will also preview his forthcoming work on Chairman Fred Hampton.
The lecture will focus on the Black Panther Party’s survival programs, including the Free Breakfast for Children Program, free health clinics, liberation schools, food distribution, cooperative housing, and legal aid. Many of these programs were run largely by Black women between 1968 and 1971, providing community-based models of mutual aid and economic self-determination.
Bartholomew’s work highlights a frequently underrecognized dimension of the Party’s legacy: its vision for economic liberation. The presentation will consider how this history can inform contemporary conversations about Black theology, Black religion, the Black church, and movements for racial and economic justice.
The conference marks 60 years since Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale founded the Black Panther Party in Oakland in 1966. Through its community survival programs and political organizing, the Party helped shape ongoing conversations about community care, collective power, and liberation.
Bartholomew’s presentation is part of the Black Panther Party 60th Anniversary Conference and is an in-person event. Those interested in attending his presentation must register for the conference. For conference details and registration information, visit the Black Panther Party 60th Anniversary Conference website.
