Bobby Seale cofounded The Black Panthers (along with Huey Newton) and was the national chairman of the party.

After finishing his duty in the Air Force Seale started attending college in Oakland. It was there that he heard Malcolm X speak which galvanized him to take action. The Black Panther Party was founded in 1966.

Seale was indicted in Chicago for conspiracy to incite a riot at the 1968 Democatic National Convention. If you ever see Bobby Seale speak he tells a hilarious story about being bound and gagged by order of the presiding judge. Seale was denied the right to choose his lawyer and tried to protest in the courtroom. Despite the conditions that should have lead to a mistrial he was sentenced to four years in prison.

After his release from prison Bobby Seale ran for mayor in Oakland and came in second which is pretty amazing for someone recently released from prison. Since then, he has written several books including Seize the Time which is a short history of the Black Panther Party and a cookbook of his barbeque recipes.