2Pac's Dad Billy Garland on Joining Black Panthers, FBI Causing East vs West Panther Beef (Part 2)

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Billy Garland, 2Pac's father, shed light on his experiences with the Black Panther Party and the clandestine operations that fueled divisions within the movement. Initially, Garland was not a leader but later ascended to a prominent position in the New Jersey chapter. During his tenure, the Panthers were actively involved in community welfare initiatives, from health clinics to feeding programs, aiding thousands of children daily. Despite many legal activities, external pressures led to unavoidable illegalities.

Central to Garland's narrative was the role of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, who branded the Panthers as a significant threat, initiating aggressive FBI actions under COINTELPRO. Hoover's tactics went beyond surveillance; they incited tensions between the East and West coast Panther factions through fabricated communications, echoing the East vs. West rap rivalries that later embroiled his son, 2Pac. As Garland recounted, these internal divisions had tragic consequences, leading to loss and betrayal within Panther ranks, casting a long shadow on American civil rights history.