Elbert “Big Man” Howard

The Black Panther Party

Big Man (far right), Black Panther demonstration, Oakland CA, July 1968. Photo courtesy of Pirkle Jones

Elbert "Big Man" Howard is one of the original founding members of the Black Panther Party. Big Man was a Black Panther from 1966 to 1974. During that time he served as Deputy Minister of Information and was a member of the Central Committee and the International Solidarity Committee. Many remember him as the first editor of the BPP newspaper and Party spokesperson.

A Revolutionary Weighs His Life - Read the Press Democrat article written by Stephen D. Gross. Download a copy of the article.

Big Man following a lecture and Q and A session at John Muir School in Berkeley, CA, December 21st, 2012
Photo taken by Carole Hyams-Howard

Architects, Activists and Avengers:
The Black Panther Party 1968
Photographs by Pirkle Jones and Ruth-Marion Baruch
(Exhibition runs from Sept 1 - Nov 5, 2012)
Big Man will appear at the opening:
Saturday, September 8, 2012, starts at 5pm (runs until 7pm)
The Hannah Gallery (Hours: Thurs-Sat l-5pm, M-W by appt only)
170 Donahue St (next to Best Buy), Marin City, CA 94965
Download the flyer

New writing "My Comrade, Richard Aoki" by Big Man on the writings page.

April 7th at 1pm: "Let Us Not Forget"
Event Honoring the Fallen and Political Prisoners
West Oakland Library
180 Adeline St (corner of 18th St and Adeline)
Oakland, CA
Please check the website at: www.itsabouttimebpp.com for more information or call 916-455-0908.

As some of you may already know, Big Man has been working with a group of folks on the development of a new local (Santa Rosa & Western Sonoma County) radio project, KWTF Radio, 88.1FM.
KWTF is now online with streaming, and plans to launch a full power broadcast station by Jan 2013. Stop by www.kwtf.net and check out the live stream.
In the upper right-hand corner there is a picture of a speaker and the words: Now Playing Live Stream

Big Man has released a DVD with videos of his "Legacy of the Black Panther Party" and "Martin Luther King JR Birthday Commemoration Speech". Purchase here.

Big Man's speech commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday is available for download as a pdf. It is also available on DVD here.

Big Man will be speaking at the Santa Rosa JC on Wednesday, Feb 8th at 2PM. The street address is 1501 Mendocino Ave. in Santa Rosa. It will be in the Student Activities Center, Bertolini Student Center, Santa Rosa Campus, Room 4608. View the flyer.

Big Man will be interviewed by Pat Thurston on KGO Newstalk 810AM on your radio dial this Saturday, Jan 21st, starting shortly after 10:00AM.
Listen live on KGOAM810.com.

"Ex-Panther Leader: King was 'Moral Center'
Read the article by Julie Johnson published January 15th in the Press Democrat

Read the article regarding Big Man's upcoming keynote speech.
(Written by Chris Smith and featured in the January 1st, 2012 Press Democrat.)


Big Man will be the keynote speaker at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Annual Birthday Celebration on Sunday, January 15th at the Santa Rosa High School Auditorium. Click here for the fullsize flier.



Big Man is featured on the cover of the North Bay Bohemian. Read the article online or download a copy.

Two new articles have been posted to the writings page. One by Big Man, Grove Street College, and one by Billy X Jennings, 45th yr Celebration in Oakland 2011.

Big Man has a vision for a new museum in Oakland CA to celebrate the rich and diverse community and its history. Read more about Big Man's dream for the West Oakland African American Heritage Museum and Research Center.


read a review of this exhibit...

Read Big Man's review of 'Showdown in Desire: The Black Panthers take a stand in New Orleans', by Orissa Arend. The review appeared in SF Bay View.

 
Big Man, BPP 40th Reunion, Oakland, 2006
photo copyright 2006 Jerry Whiting