Veteran activist Bobby Seale, co‑founder of the Black Panther Party, is preparing two major publishing projects as he nears his 90th birthday. In a statement released Tuesday by Blackstone Publishing, Seale said the reissue of his 1970 jailhouse memoir Seize the Time and a new memoir titled I, Bobby are intended to correct misunderstandings about the movement and his own role.
Re‑issuing a historic account
Seize the Time will be released in February 2027 with a fresh introduction by actor‑comedian D.L. Hughley. The book, which fell out of print in recent years, will also be offered in e‑book and audio formats for the first time, making the original narrative more accessible to a new generation of readers.
New memoir to complete the story
Seale’s upcoming memoir, I, Bobby, is slated for publication toward the end of 2027. According to Blackstone, the book will revisit the internal fractures, government persecution, and enduring legacy of the Black Panther Party, allowing Seale to “set the record straight on his life once and for all.” He emphasized that each misrepresentation of his story, in his view, buries a piece of the movement’s history.
Background on the Black Panther Party
The Black Panther Party, founded in 1966 by Seale and Huey P. Newton, was labeled by former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover as the nation’s “greatest threat to internal security.” The organization peaked in the late 1960s before declining in the 1970s amid internal divisions, violent confrontations, and extensive FBI infiltration. Newton formally disbanded the Panthers in the early 1980s, years after Seale had already stepped away from the group.
Since leaving the Panthers, Seale has taught Black studies at Temple University, mentored young activists, and authored several books, including the 2016 collaboration with photographer Stephen Shames, Power to the People: The World of the Black Panthers.
Why the new releases matter
Seale’s decision to reissue his original memoir and publish a new one reflects a broader effort among former activists to preserve primary accounts of the civil‑rights era. By providing both the original narrative and a contemporary reflection, he hopes to offer readers a more complete understanding of the movement’s goals, challenges, and lasting impact.
For readers interested in the history of social movements, civil‑rights activism, or the personal journey of a pivotal figure, the upcoming releases promise valuable insight directly from one of the era’s most prominent leaders.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
