October 2016 marks the 50th anniversary of The Black Panther Party. The celebration started on October 20, when several of the original members of the Panthers came to Oakland to recognize their achievements and their struggles over the years. Oakland has been their home for 50 years, and for four days there were speeches, panels and musical performances to commemorate their legacy. The Oakland Museum of California hosted a photo exhibit along with live music and memorabilia displays from the Black Panther Party.

HipHopTV, in conjunction with Steelo Entertainment, produced the Ultimate Tribute to the Black Panther Party, with a rally and concert at Frank Ogawa Plaza on October 22. The concert was hosted by Gina Madrid and Saturu “James Mott” Ned of the Black Panther Party and the stage performances included ones by Money B & Young Hump of Digital Underground, Nouveau, X-Clan, Dru Down and many more local hip hop artists.

Music credit: “Sexy,” courtesy royalty free music from Bensound.com