Black Liberation Army and the Program of Armed Struggle
If one were to examine African American history, one would be surprised to find a long history of clandestine, militant, and armed struggle. Slave rebellions, urban "guerilla" activities in the 1960s, and rural defense leagues, were all part of a tapestry of black militancy. An icon of black armed struggle, the Black Liberation Army was a linchpin in understanding the development of the “armed rebellion” phenomenon in the late 1960s through early 1980s. Composed largely of former Black Panthers (BPP), the organization's program was one of "armed struggle" and its stated goal was to "take up arms for the liberation and self-determination of black people in the United States." The BLA carried out a series of bombings, robberies (what participants termed "expropriations"), and prison breaks.