Final answer:
The statement is true. The Black Panthers, founded in 1966, brought attention to racial and economic inequalities and adopted a militant approach, including armed patrols, to fight against racism and capitalism. Their influence was multifaceted, combining community services with strong advocacy for civil rights and self-defense.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that The Black Panthers brought attention to the inequalities that still existed between blacks and whites and called for radical action to be taken is true. Founded by Bobby Seale and Huey Newton in 1966, the Black Panther Party sought to address various forms of inequality and oppression faced by African Americans. They emphasized issues such as police brutality, economic injustice, and racial discrimination, and their approaches included community programs as well as armed patrols to monitor police activity and protect their neighborhoods.
The group's ideology was influenced by a range of factors, including Marxist teachings and the belief that capitalism, as experienced by African Americans, was closely tied to racial oppression. The Panthers' revolutionary politics and promotion of the Second Amendment rights to bear arms were driven by the need to protect African American communities and to advocate for substantial societal changes. This was during a time of significant racial tension in America with movements and figures like Malcolm X calling for a different approach from Martin Luther King Jr.'s nonviolent civil rights activism.
Despite providing social services such as free breakfast programs and health clinics, the Panthers' militant stance and encounters with police led to confrontations, creating a complex legacy that includes both praise for their social initiatives and criticism for their more violent acts.