A Taste of Power : A Black Woman's Story
by Elaine Brown
ISBN: 0385471076
Price: 16.95

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Publisher/ Date: Anchor / 01-1994
Format: Paperback

Synopsis: BROWN'S A TASTE OF POWER : A BLACK WOMAN'S STORY
Some people may not be aware of who Elaine Brown is. Those people are not familiar with the Civil Rights Movement, which happened several decades ago. Elaine Brown was one of the major figures in the Black Panthers Party. Unlike some organizations, the Black Panther Party had many leaders, but few women in power. In A Taste of Power : A Black Woman's Story, Elaine Brown chronicles her early life, and her stint a member of and female leader of the Black Panther Party.

Those who joined the Black Panther Party, such as Brown, were average members of the African American community who espoused to liberate the Black community, and therefore, make the world a better place for all Blacks.

So, why did Elaine Brown become a member and the first female leader of the Black Panther Party? Brown grew up in Philadelphia in a poor section of town. In her autobiographical book, she tells of how powerless she felt. Brown was the illegitimate daughter of a dentist Her mother was working class.

Brown's mother worked hard to give her daughter the means to overcome her physical surroundings. Brown's school associates were white and they had money. Brown did not, therefore she desired and attempted to blend in with them. Brown's mother, Dorothy, worked hard to ensure that her daughter had piano lessons and took ballet as well.

Dorothy even bought a second-hand piano for her daughter. Brown became impassioned while in predominately White schools. She wanted to master many literary classics as well as the Latin language. She delighted in the time she was able to spend at school with the Whites and hated the long summers in her neighborhood of Blacks. Brown was able to complete her grade and high school education and go on to college.

Elaine Brown lived in two worlds: the White world of pedagogy, and the Black world of summers. She tried to fit into both worlds. This was done by conforming in each. In the Black world, she learned to use their colloquialisms. She mastered their sassy manner of speaking. In the White world, she manifested a passion for learning. In fact, Elaine Brown was one of the top students in her graduating class.

Elaine Brown did not have a father figure. This may be the reason that she became attracted to men that were powerful. Included among those men was Huey Newton, a significant member of the Black Panther Party. After attending college, Brown turned to politics and also the Black Panther Party. Just as other members of the Black community felt the party was struggling for them, the Black race, so did Elaine Brown.

She felt a certain feeling of simpatico with the Black Panther Party. Brown had a somewhat different agenda, however, and while the other members of the Party were becoming increasingly militant, Brown was pushing for social welfare for the Black community. Brown saw a need for medical assistance and food banks for Blacks, as well as schools.

Elaine Brown fought for her beliefs, as did the radicals and not so radicals of the 1960s and 1970s. Just as many Black women have before and after her, Elaine Brown fought


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