Jacar Union

He/him

Education: Bachelor of Science in American ethnic studies (December 2015)

McNair Project: Unconstitutional Government Endeavors and its Effect on the Disbandment Of the Radical White Panther Party (2013)

Mentor: Cheryl Ragar, Ph.D.

This research looks at how unconstitutional government endeavors effected the dismantlement of the radical White Panther Party. The WPP sought cultural revolution by radicalizing youths through the sounds of rock n' roll, spearheaded by the band MC5. The WPP fully supported other radical organizations, like the Black Panther Party, Students for a Democratic Society and the Weather Underground Organization, and they influenced many individuals. Because of this, President Nixon and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover "ordered that actions be taken to monitor, disrupt, and damage the WPP" (Hale). The Party was subject to illegal wiretapping, infiltration, raids, harassment, multiple arrests, etc. These government efforts were too much for the WPP, and the group eventually collapsed completely.