(Black Panther Party) THE BLACK PANTHER BLACK COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE, VOL. 2, NO. 15-17, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1968. San Francisco, CA: The Black Panther Party Ministry of Information, December 7, 1968. FIRST EDITION. Elephant folio - 17-1/2" x 11-3/8". 16 pp. The Black Panther Black Community News Service was a weekly newspaper published by the Black Panther Party between 1967-1980. Each issue featured a range of articles and op-eds on the activities of the party, black power, police brutality, communism, party leadership, etc. The back of most issues featured revolutionary artwork by the graphic artist and Black Panther Minister of Culture, Emory Douglas. The front page of this issue features a large photographic image of Eldridge Cleaver, the recently released from prison Black Panther Minister of Information, under the heading "Eldridge Cleaver's Free! DAMN PIGS AND PRISON." The centerfold article is titled "24 Hour Vigils for Eldridge Cleaver: Panthers-Black Community Stood Ready for Freedom or War...;" additional articles include: "Pocket Lawyer of Legal First Aid," a 14-point legal rights/list of what to do and what not to do if stopped or arrested by the police; this item was meant to be cut out and carried by "brothers and sisters" and "October 1966 Black Panther Party Platform and Program," a ten-point program stating "What We Want" and "What We Believe." The back page artwork by Emory Douglas is titled "A Black Revolutionary Xmas" and features a Black family with the father asking his son, "son, what do you want for Christmas?" The boy replies "a machine gun, a shot gun, a box of hand grenades, a box of dynamite and a box of matches;" this is all surrounded by revolutionary slogans, e.g., "Off the Pigs!" and "Burn, Baby, Burn!;" the paper is lightly age-tanned and folded as issued, with minor spotting to the lower margins on a few pages, but with none of the wear and tear that is the norm for these newspapers. The condition of the newspaper is VERY GOOD +. RARE # 001170