May Day / Weekend Gathering to Show Solidarity for Panther Prisoners of War. [Black Panther Party], ca 1970. 8 1/2 x 11 in. printed flyer (creasing, toning). Flyer announces a weekend of events and rallies put on to show support for the "New Haven 9" and the "Panther 21." Events include workshops, "Teach-In's," dances, speeches, and more. Speakers include Artie Seale, Ralph Abernathy, "Big Man," Abbie Hoffman, and others. Verso includes detailed information about the prisoners and the multi-faceted purpose of May Day. In part: "The AmeriKKKan government has one plan for the Black Panther Party--attempting to smash--but has different tactics. In Chicago and L.A. the pigs carried out vigilante style raids. In New York and New Haven the more smooth eastern liberals like Lindsey hide behind the black robes of the racist courts in their attempt to hold our Black warriors as prisoners of war."

US Out of Vietnam Now — No Negotiations! No Loosening of Rent Control! Free the Panther 21! [New York]: [Students for a Democratic Society], ca 1969. 8 1/2 x 14 in. printed flyer (creasing). Flyer announces a demonstration to take place on 15 April at City Hall Park, in response to the arrest and indictment of the Panther 21. In part: "We in SDS believe that the way to fight these vicious attacks on black people is allying with our fellow black and Puerto Rican students in fighting our common oppression. This means throwing R.O.T.C., which trains scab officers for duty in Vietnam, Harlem and the Brooklyn G.P.O, out of Fordham and City College...It means demonstrating against the 'Great Friend of the People'-Mayor Linsay-who is head of the city administration which is framing the Panther 21..."

On 2 April 1969, 21 members of the Black Panther Party were arrested for conspiracy to coordinate bombing and rifle attacks on public spaces in New York City. Those arrested included Afeni Shakur, Lumumba Shakur, Ali Bey Hassan, Michael Tabor, Dhoruba al-Mujahid bin Wahad, Jamal Joseph, Abayama Katara, Baba Odinga, Joan Bird, Robert Collier, Sundiata Acoli, Lonnie Epps, Curtis Powell, Kuwasi Balagoon, Richard Harris, Lee Berry, Lee Roper, Kwando Kinshasa (William King), and Thomas Berry.

The resulting trial was the longest and most expensive in New York history up to that point, lasting 8 months. The defendants were finally acquitted of all charges on 12 May 1971.