Black beret from Black Power Era

Black berets like this were among the most recognizable features of the Black Panther Party uniform. The beret has long symbolized militant nonconformity and political struggle, worn by groups such as the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War, members of the Rainbow Coalition, and, perhaps most iconically, by the Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara. Black Panther Party co-founders Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale adopted the beret after seeing it worn by French Resistance fighters during World War II, representing their commitment to Black self-defense.

Often worn by people of all genders atop full afros, the combination of beret and hairstyle challenged Eurocentric beauty standards that have marginalized people of African descent in the United States. The owner of this specific mass-manufactured beret chose to adorn it with various DIY patches featuring notable Panther symbols, demonstrating how the Panthers’ visual iconography was spread through fashion and self-expression. Dated to the 1970s, the beret features a "Free Angela Davis" message and was most likely worn during the resistance campaign following her 18-month-long political imprisonment from 1970 to 1972.

This is a black beret with a round patch attached to the right side. The patch has a black background with red border. In the center of the patch is a smaller circle with a green background. In the circle is a graphic of two hands clasping, outlined in red. Around the outside of the center circle is red, stitched text that reads [BLACK - CULTURE - PRIDE]. Attached to the top of the beret is a large red, round patch with a central, stitched graphic of a raised fist. The patch is bordered in black with a small black circle within. Above the fist between the two circles is green, stitched text that reads [FREE ANGELA DAVIS]. Within the ...