Black Panther Party Museum

As Founding Director and Head Curator, Dr. Xavier Buck established the Black Panther Party Museum in downtown Oakland as the first institution in the world dedicated exclusively to preserving and interpreting the history of the Black Panther Party. Under his direction, the Museum has become a national hub for community-rooted public history and contemporary conversations about liberation.

Dr. Buck guides the Museum’s curatorial vision, exhibition development, public programming, and visitor experience. He curated Survival Pending Revolution, a flagship exhibition that explores the Party’s political philosophy, community programs, and enduring relevance. He also curated and oversees the Dr. Huey P. Newton Research Room—a learning environment that blends scholarly inquiry with grassroots knowledge and centers revolutionary thought and praxis.

In addition to curating exhibitions, Dr. Buck leads a robust slate of programming, including community conversations, educational workshops, guided museum tours, and citywide historical walking tours that contextualize Oakland’s role in the global movement for Black liberation.

His leadership emphasizes historical accuracy, accessibility, and community accountability. Through collaboration with Panther veterans, scholars, educators, artists, and cultural workers, Dr. Buck ensures that the Museum is both intellectually rigorous and grounded in the lived experiences of those who shaped the movement.

Today, the Black Panther Party Museum stands as a cultural and intellectual anchor visited by people from around the world. As the Museum prepares for the 60th anniversary of the Black Panther Party in October 2026, Dr. Buck continues to expand its exhibitions, partnerships, and national presence—building an institution that honors the Party’s legacy while inspiring new generations to think critically, organize collectively, and imagine liberated futures.

Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation

Under the leadership of Executive Director Dr. Xavier Buck, the Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation has entered a new era of growth, visibility, and historical preservation. Dr. Buck has overseen landmark achievements—including the installation of Dr. Huey P. Newton Way and the unveiling of the Dr. Huey P. Newton Memorial Statue—turning Oakland’s landscape into a living testimony of the Black Panther Party’s legacy.

He also launched the Black Panther Party Museum, the first institution of its kind, establishing a permanent home for exhibitions, research, youth-centered programming, and community-based learning. To deepen educational access, Dr. Buck convened a team of curriculum developers to produce a comprehensive grades 3–12 Black Panther Party curriculum, and guided the creation of a groundbreaking virtual reality experience that brings the Party’s history into immersive digital space.

Committed to collaboration and accountability, Dr. Buck established the Black Panther Party Advisory Committee, ensuring that the Foundation’s work is shaped by veterans, scholars, and community leaders. Having just celebrated its 30th anniversary, the Foundation is now preparing for the 60th anniversary of the Black Panther Party in October 2026, advancing initiatives that connect historical memory with contemporary movements, broaden national partnerships, and inspire new generations to imagine a more liberated future.

To learn more about the Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation, please visit our website.