Fanning the flames of racial discord - The national press and the Black Panther Party

The Black Panther Party and the news media engaged in a dialogic relationsh ip that shaped public representations of black nationalism and black radica lism. During the first two years of the group's existence, the national eli te press paid limited attention to the group. When they did cover the contr oversies surrounding the Panthers, the stories fit into narrow frames that underscored national ideologies about race and social protest. The coverage of the Black Panthers registered mainstream America's fears and disdain fo r their politics and style. Over time, these frames shifted to include a de sire to elevate these radicals to celebrity status. This racially coded new s reporting illustrates the problems of the 1960s' press in covering the co mplexities of America's racial crisis.