Black Panther Woman: The Political and Spiritual Life of Ericka Huggins by Mary Frances Phillips is a powerful and inspiring biography that delves into the life and legacy of Ericka Huggins, a key figure in the Black Panther Party and an influential activist whose work spans the realms of political resistance, social justice, and spiritual healing. Through meticulous research and intimate storytelling, Phillips paints a rich portrait of Huggins, highlighting her roles as a mother, educator, and spiritual leader, as well as her significant contributions to the Black Power movement.

The book takes readers through Huggins’ formative years, her involvement in the Black Panther Party during its most turbulent and impactful years, and her personal journey of resilience in the face of adversity, including her experiences with political imprisonment. Phillips does an excellent job of capturing the intersectionality of Huggins’ activism, showing how she navigated the challenges of being a Black woman in a revolutionary organization and how her political work was intertwined with her spiritual and personal healing.

One of the standout elements of Black Panther Woman is its exploration of the spiritual side of Huggins’ activism. The book highlights her deep commitment to holistic well-being and the ways in which she used her spirituality to cope with trauma, find peace, and continue her work for justice. It also underscores how Huggins’ approach to activism was not only about fighting against oppression but also about creating spaces for healing and community-building.

Black Panther Woman is an essential read for anyone interested in the history of the Black Panther Party, the civil rights movement, or the intersection of politics and spirituality. Phillips’ compassionate and thorough portrayal of Ericka Huggins provides a much-needed account of a revolutionary woman whose legacy continues to inspire those fighting for justice and equality today.

This is a unique biography of Ericka Huggins who was a member of the Black Panther Party. She spent time in prison, was a mother, a widow, and many more things. This book pulls from sources that have not been touched before and therefor provides new insight to this fascinating woman.

Mary Frances Phillips’s Black Panther Woman is an informative, inspiring, and deeply moving exploration of Ericka Huggins’s political and spiritual journey. By centering Huggins’s story, Phillips expands our understanding of the Black Panther Party and the enduring power of care as a revolutionary act. Whether you’re a historian, an activist, or simply someone looking to understand the complexities of resistance, this book is a must-read.

This was an enlightening look into the life of Ericka Huggins. I loved how the author elevated community and self-care.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC digital copy. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

Unfortunately, I allowed the book to be archived before I could download it.

After reading the extremely long introduction to Mary Frances Phillips’ Black Panther Woman: The Political and Spiritual Life of Ericka Huggins, one gets the sense Phillips’ new work is a dense and sterile academic exercise about Huggins, a valued member of the Black Panther party; the theoretical concepts surrounding Black feminism; and how the Civil Rights movement was not only led by powerful Black men but also determined Black women who believed in the cause. As Phillips writes, her work “delves into the embodiment of Ericka’s political and spiritual ethics, which shaped her journey of social change from childhood to her release from prison in 1971” (6) and is “a story that contextualizes the white supremacist violence as an offshoot of patriarchy” (7). But, if one was to read on, and then attempt to read the introduction again, one would recognize Phillips’ subject is not the general concepts and theories, but the specific person herself. Phillips’ subject is Erika Huggins and how Huggins is a surviving representative of the movement as well as a stalwart mother and icon of spiritual wellness.

Read the rest of the review at: https://greatbutunknownperformances.wordpress.com/2024/12/30/black-panther-woman-the-political-and-spiritual-life-of-ericka-huggins-by-mary-frances-phillips/.

Mary Frances Phillips tells the story of Ericka Huggins through her childhood, joining the Black Panther Party, her incarceration, release, and her job as a teacher. Throughout her journey, she kept grounded through meditation and yoga. She dealt with sexual, psychological, and physical abuse while in the justice system but with the help of other strong women they protected each other throughout. Before imprisonment, she suffered the loss of her husband through murders, she was pregnant with older daughter Mai when she was arrested with Bobby Seale. She missed out on her daughter's first two years of life. Outside of school, she was an administrator at the Oakland Community School. She was instrumental in implementing the Individualized Educational Program and the 504 program. Ericka Huggins has demonstrated strength through adversity and this book is inspirational to women going through dark times and how they can overcome spiritually and physically through yoga.

Thank you Netgalley and NYU Press for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

An incredible must read for anyone! Being an activist and being a woman lead to an intersection of beliefs that helped propel the Black Panthers Party. This was powerful!

Very well written book about Ericka Huggins.. This book showcases the many hats this vibrant woman wore. Very eye opening as far as all this marvel dealt with and kept her diginity.. Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return of my honest opinion. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on my review.

I am still trying to figure out how to review this one properly. I am a masters student whose focus is on black liberation movements so I have been waiting a long time for this one. I really enjoyed Phillips work and this is definitely a work that I can cite. There is usually not much discussion on the women of the black panther party. So this exploration is something that is needed in the academic field of study.

Thank you to the publisher and the author-- Mary Frances Phillips for an ARC copy of this book.
I have read works by other members of the Black Panther Party, however this is the first time I read anything by Mary Francie Phillips. She was a poet, target of COINTELPRO, political prisoner, activist, and respected member of the Black Panther Party.
I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Mary's views of politics, gender, and the importance of spirituality as it relates to the Black community can serve as a template for today's activist.

This is a must read; I would read this over and over.

This biography of Ericka Huggins, Black Panther Party member, wife, widow, mother, activist, queer, spiritual wellness practitioner and guide, and prison survivor is the story of a truly dedicated, empowering, "bad-ass" woman. From growing up with an abusive father, to living through Jim Crow, widowhood, and solitary confinement in prison we are introduced to a woman who was a true survivor.

During her imprisonment and later throughout her life, Ericka turned to meditation, yoga, writing, and a multitude of other spiritual wellness practices that saved her and the numerous fellow prisoners she helped. Ericka believed in "community" within both the prison population and the Black Panther Party as keys to survival as she lived to empowers others through healing practices.

As I was reading this I was once again appalled by the behaviors of white politicians, prison officers, and society in general towards the Black population. I am a white, retired teacher and counselor and still see too much of this same behavior being "swept under the rug" or blatantly dismissed by the general population as well as those who have been labeled as our political leaders. The world needs more women like Ericka Huggins. I could easily see this book as the subject of an entire college level class in Black Studies, Women's History, the Civil Rights Movement, and so many other areas.

✊🏽 Black Panther Woman. The Political and Spiritual Life of Ericka Huggins by Mary Frances Phillips ✊🏽

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

Ericka Huggins was more than a revolutionary; she was a force—a mother, educator, poet, activist, and spiritual guide who redefined what it meant to resist oppression. In Black Panther Woman, Mary Frances Phillips delivers a powerful and necessary biography that brings Huggins’s life and legacy into vivid focus, exploring her unparalleled contributions to the Black Panther Party, the Black Power movement, and the fight for justice.

This book isn’t just about politics; it’s about resilience. Phillips paints a compelling portrait of Huggins as a woman who endured unimaginable hardship—including her unjust imprisonment during the infamous COINTELPRO plot—yet found strength in spiritual practices that helped her survive and thrive. Through Phillips’s meticulous research, we see how Huggins’s commitment to self-care and community care became revolutionary acts, influencing the Black Panther Party’s approach to activism and the broader struggle for Black liberation.

What makes this biography so groundbreaking is its shift away from the traditionally male-centric narratives of the Black Panther Party. Phillips centers Huggins as a queer Black woman whose work at the intersections of gender, motherhood, spirituality, and political resistance was as radical as it was vital. The book draws on an impressive array of archival sources—letters, photographs, FBI records, oral histories—to provide a deeply nuanced understanding of her life, struggles, and triumphs.

Huggins’s story is a reminder that revolution isn’t just about confrontation; it’s also about care. It’s about fostering the inner strength to endure oppression while building communities that can sustain themselves against the forces of injustice. In Phillips’s hands, Huggins’s spiritual and political journey becomes a blueprint for contemporary activists seeking to balance the weight of resistance with the necessity of self-preservation.

Thank you to Mary Frances Phillips, NYU Press, and NetGalley for this profoundly moving and thought-provoking biography. Black Panther Woman is not only a tribute to Ericka Huggins but also a vital contribution to the ongoing discourse around activism, wellness, and liberation. If you’re looking for a book that will inspire, educate, and challenge you, this is it.

Great read. It is always a pleasure to read about women especially black women. Thank you for sharing with us what resistance, resiliency, and being an activist looks like. Erica Huggins helped lay the ground work and continues to build on what it looks like to fight for justice for the marginalized.

This is an important biography of one of the Black Panther Party's women leaders, Ericka Huggins. Author Phillips has captured Huggins's methods of resistance, action, and prison care as only someone who has spent considerable time with their subject can. While the narrative is sometimes short on analysis and cultural context, I can forgive this because it is, after all, meant to inspire and help general readers learn about Huggins and the concept of self-care and community care in the BPP. Phillips chronicles Huggins's development and life as a young activist, parent, widow, writer, and political prisoner. Phillips writes candidly about Huggins's sexuality, her spirituality, and what she accomplished for the BPP and Black women in general. A perfect choice for a book club or reading group, and an essential text for understanding the BPP and race and politics in the US.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged and it only took a few days to read. I think this is going to be a good book club option for several clubs. I plan recommending to my book friends and I look forward to reading more by this author.

The black panthers and all the programs that they afford the community has always intrigued me. I love this book and can’t wait to read more from this author.

The phrase "bad-ass woman" is redundant, though I will say, this series on the BP women is next level!
Personally, I would have preferred a bit more sub-text and personal stories. I assume the authors and editors have kept these books intentionally fact-based and a tad boring because of prevalent biases towards women, black women, etc.
This biography weaves a powerful story of Huggins' life incorporating relevant details from her personal and professional life as leader of the BP as well as significant events happening around the world and the larger context.

The first biography of Ericka Huggins, a queer Black woman who brought spiritual self-care practices to the Black Panther Party.

In this groundbreaking biography, Mary Frances Phillips immerses readers in the life and legacy of Ericka Huggins, a revered Black Panther Party member, as well as a mother, widow, educator, poet, and former political prisoner. In 1969, the police arrested Ericka Huggins along with Bobby Seale and fellow Black Panther Party members, who were accused of murdering Alex Rackley. This marked the beginning of her ordeal, as she became the subject of political persecution and a well-planned FBI COINTELPRO plot.

Drawing on never-before-seen archival sources, including prison records, unpublished letters, photographs, FBI records, and oral histories, Phillips foregrounds the paramount role of self-care and community care in Huggins’s political journey, shedding light on Ericka’s use of spiritual wellness practices she developed during her incarceration. In prison, Huggins was able to survive the repression and terror she faced while navigating motherhood through her unwavering commitment to spiritual practices. In showcasing this history, Phillips reveals the significance of spiritual wellness in the Black Panther Party and Black Power movement.

Transcending the traditional male-centric study of the Black Panther Party, Black Panther Woman offers an innovative analysis of Black political life at the intersections of gender, motherhood, and mass incarceration. This book serves as an invaluable toolkit for contemporary activists, underscoring the power of radical acts of care as well as vital strategies to thrive in the world.

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This narrative was crafted about the right individual, by the right individual, at the perfect moment. In an era marked by "joyful warriors" and gendered oppression, Huggins, through Phillips, presents a praxis from which Black women, femmes, and nonbinary individuals across all races and creeds can draw insight. The chapter on the "Sister Love" Collective particularly resonated with me, highlighting the mutual aid and philanthropy they extended to one another during incarceration. I would suggest this book to those interested in American history, the American penal system, feminism, womanism, spiritual practices, Black philanthropy, and the Black Panther Party. This scholarship offers valuable lessons on transitioning from merely surviving to truly thriving.

This was such an impactful read, I didn't realize how many missing stories and opinions we have yet to see from the Black Panthers. This group was so multifaceted and getting even a glimpse into what this was like felt surreal.