Essence Magazine
May, 2005
Elaine Brown
When Huey Newton handed her the reigns to the Black Panther Party in 1974, Elaine Brown became the first and only woman to lead the organization. Where is she now? Brown, 62, has penned two books and seen her autobiography, A Taste of Power, optioned for the big screen, and is a hot commodity on the lecture circuit. But these accomplishments offer her little comfort. "Our people are languishing in the same condition as when King was killed," Brown says. "I've wondered, What else can I do besides writing books and giving lectures?" She found her answer in Brunswick, Georgia, a poor, predominantly Black town, with one of the fastest-growing ports in the United States. Brown recently left her Atlanta home and moved there. Her plan? To run for mayor in November. "Brunswick has this incredible potential for wealth, and yet you see this poor Black population. My dream is to use this as a model for how we can begin to talk about the redistribution of wealth," she says.
by Dave Steinfeld, Nicole Saunders
COPYRIGHT 2005 Essence Communications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group