1970 - Black Panther Party Establishes Free Medical Clinics

By May 19, 1970, the Black Panther Party’s network of free medical clinics had expanded significantly across cities like Oakland, Chicago, and Boston. These clinics, launched as part of the Panthers’ Ten-Point Program, offered urgent care, sickle cell testing, and community health education—services often denied to Black communities. With a radical view that healthcare is a human right, the Black Panthers\’ clinics addressed systemic neglect and exposed public health disparities. May 19 is symbolic for reflecting the revolutionary ethos of the Party and its alignment with the legacy of Malcolm X. These health programs were among the most impactful community initiatives in the BPP’s history and laid the foundation for future grassroots health justice movements. Honoring this expansion highlights how Black-led organizations provided practical, lifesaving solutions in the face of state abandonment.