Huey P. Newton changed the face of African-American political activism in the late 1960s. Departing from the tactics of the nonviolent civil rights movement, Newton created a bold confrontational style for the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense. The Panthers, as they were commonly known, fought for social justice, opposed police brutality and racism, yet also waged gun battles with local and federal law enforcement. During their height between 1967-1972, the Panthers had chapters in major U.S. cities and a membership estimated between two and five thousand. They frequently captured headlines, with Newton, as co-founder, often the focal point. His ideas, swagger, and eloquence brought him acclaim even as his ongoing legal problems brought notoriety. Repeated arrests, murder trials, and even flight abroad from the law took their toll, as did a secret federal effort to destroy his organization.

Huey Percy Newton was born on February 17, 1942, in Monroe...