Oakland honors Black Panther co-founder Bobby Seale with a day and a street

He’s long been a legendary national figure and recently, Bobby Seale was memorialized by Oakland, the birthplace of the Black Panther Party he co-founded.  

That changed last week, when a crowd that included Seale and his family, as well as city, state and federal officials gathered for the renaming of the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Way and 57th Street as Bobby Seale Way.  The location has significance for Seale, who once lived in the North Oakland neighborhood and then set up the Black Panther Party’s first office there.

The ceremony occurred on Oct. 22, Seale’s 89th birthday, which the City Council designated Bobby Seale Day.

“We still have things to do,” Seale said in remarks at the ceremony. “Our constitution, democratic civil human rights, is still at stake.”

He talked about working with his father to build homes as an early example of his work to uplift communities.

“I’m lucky to have my family and people to lean on from a young kid,” Seale said. “It was something to grow up and have all those skills as a kid.” 

Lifelong Oakland resident Leslie Sparks, who was among the 200 or so people who came out for the ceremony, said she was overjoyed to see the Bobby Seale Way sign in her neighborhood. 

“It’s been a long time coming for our legendary leader to get his flowers while he’s here,”  she said. 

Seale co-founded the Black Panther Party in Oakland in 1966 with Huey P. Newton to bring more political power to the Black community. They started a children’s food program in the city, held voter registration drives and advocated for Black representation in city government.

Oakland rapper Mistah F.A.B. hosted the celebration, which included Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon, and State Sen. Jesse Arreguín.. 

“Bobby Seale and the Black Panther Party were visionaries, and they knew what serving the people meant,” Lee said. “They understood that we were connected to the rest of the world.”

Seale’s activism has inspired countless residents to get involved in their communities and support Black resilience efforts, Lee said, adding that he was one of her mentors. 

In the 1960s, Seale worked at the North Oakland Neighborhood Anti-Poverty Center, teaching youth about the history of Black community-led action. That’s where he met and Newton, and Bobby Hutton, the Black Panthers’ first official recruit. 

The renaming of a street in his honor stemmed from a city resolution by Councilmembers Zac Unger, Ken Houston, and Carroll Fife.

“He has dedicated his life to advancing social justice, racial equality, and community self-determination,” Unger said. “We are proud to memorialize his legacy through renaming this street, so that we do not forget the change he has made.”

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