Final answer:
The Black Panther Party differed from SNCC by combining their anti-racist struggle with anti-capitalism, endorsing armed self-defense against police brutality, and conducting community social programs. SNCC began with nonviolent tactics but later evolved toward Black nationalism, though less tied to Marxist ideology than the Panthers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Black Panther Party's approach to the civil rights movement was markedly different from that of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). The SNCC, initially focused on nonviolent protests and voter registration drives, took on a philosophy of nonviolent resistance inspired by the work of figures like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. However, over time, internal disagreements and the influence of the emerging Black Power movement led to a shift towards a more militant stance within SNCC.
By contrast, the Black Panthers were founded on principles that combined anti-racism with anti-capitalism. They believed in self-defense against police brutality and were influenced by Marxist teachings. Their community-based initiatives, such as free breakfast programs and medical clinics, aimed at providing immediate material support to the Black community. Moreover, the Black Panthers were more open to the use of force and carried firearms for self-defense, a clear departure from SNCC's earlier nonviolent methods.
Both groups evolved over the 1960s and 70s, with the SNCC eventually embracing a form of Black nationalism similar to the Panthers, which differed from their initial nonviolent roots. Nevertheless, the Black Panthers always maintained a more revolutionary and confrontational approach to achieving civil rights, combining their fight against racism with a broader struggle against capitalist exploitation, while SNCC's transition into Black Power was later and less tied to Marxism.