Forty-seven years after the Black Panthers first roamed the Earth (or at least most major U.S. cities), author Joshua Bloom presents his book Black Against Empire: The History and Politics of the Black Panther Party (University of California Press, $34.95) in a reading at Eso Won Books. Billed as the “first comprehensive overview and analysis of the history and politics of the Black Panther Party,” it was written after a dozen years of interviews and extensive study of all aspects of the revolutionary organization. It's the story of community college activists Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale, who took up arms on behalf of the African-American citizenry of Oakland while simultaneously shining a constant light on police brutality. The Panthers would go on to confront the U.S. power structure with a global network of 68 cities with party offices. Newton was assassinated in 1989; Seale now sells barbecue. If you ever needed a book to remind you of how things were, back when they were all about how things could be, this is it. Eso Won Books, 4327 Degnan Blvd., Leimert Park; Wed., Feb. 20, 7 p.m.; free. (323) 290-1048, esowonbookstore.com.

Wed., Feb. 20, 7 p.m., 2013

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.