Lee Sharrock interviews Stephen Shames–photographer and documenter of the Black Panther Party–about his inaugural gallery exhibition in London, at Amar Gallery. The exhibition features iconic images of civil rights leaders and activists including Martin Luther King Jr, Bobby Seale, Huey Newton, Maya Angelou and Angela Davis. Many of the featured images are on public display for the first time in Europe. Shames created a unique photographic archive of Black Panther images which is the largest in the world. His images capture the revolutionary ethos of the movement whilst accessing its humanity and compassion.
Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale founded the legendary Black Panther Party in Oakland, California in 1966, at a time when the Civil Rights movement was making an impression in America with its bold vision for social change and the empowerment of African Americans. During the height of the movement–from 1967 to 1973–Shames, a student at the University of California, had unprecedented access to the organization and captured the Black Panthers with his camera.
Stephen Shames’ images are in the permanent collections of over 40 international museums and collections, including: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Museum of Modern Art, New York; Museum of Fine Arts Boston; International Center of Photography, New York; National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.; Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas, Austin, Texas; Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego; University of California’s Bancroft Library, Berkeley; San Jose Museum of Art; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco; the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York; and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, DC.
Read Lee Sharrock’s interview with Stephen Shames below.
What initially drew you to document the Black Panther Party and the broader civil rights movement, and how did those early experiences shape your perspective as a photographer?
I read about the civil rights movement while in high school. It was in the news. Their courage inspired me. These were young people like me who were risking their lives to create justice. When I got to University, I saw the Black Panthers were continuing the struggle to end racism and I decided to photograph them. The Panthers taught me how to photograph a world, a community that was not my own as an insider. That shaped my nearly six decades as a photo-journalist– to be a traveller not a tourist–to get inside the communities I am photographing.
This is the first time your civil rights images are being exhibited in London. What do you hope a UK audience takes away from seeing figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Huey Newton, and Angela Davis through your lens?
Martin Luther King Jr., Huey Newton, Bobby Seale, Angela Davis, and the rank-and-file Panthers are heroes. I hope my photographs show the legacy of the Black Panthers and that their heroism and programs will inspire people to protect democracy.
At a time when racism and inequality continue to rise globally, how do you see the relevance of these images evolving for today’s audiences, particularly younger generations?
The 10 Point platform of the Black Panthers and their 60 programs are still relevant today.
Did you feel an emotional weight of being present during such historic—and often dangerous—moments? How did you maintain your role as a documentarian amidst the tension?
At the time I was young and did not think about the historic moments or the danger. We were making a Revolution, trying to defeat racism and create a better world. I wanted to be the artist of the Revolution and document what was going on. I was living in the moment.
Many of the people you photographed—like Maya Angelou and Bobby Seale—were not only leaders but also friends. How did those personal relationships influence your ability to capture intimate, powerful moments?
My relationships with Bobby Seale and other leaders and the trust that developed from our friendship gave me access to the private, intimate moments that you see in the exhibition.
What kind of photographic equipment were you using during the late 1960s and early 70s, and how did the limitations—or freedoms—of that technology influence your style?
My cameras were Leica and Canon film cameras. I am not a tech person. I just photograph what I see. I try to capture the emption. The change from film to digital has not affected my approach. The only difference is with digital you can immediately see if you got it. With film, you had to wait. But the approach is no different for me.
There’s a remarkable sense of immediacy in your photographs. How did you position yourself in protests or community events to capture the energy without disrupting the scene?
When I am photographing, I live in the moment. I am there 100%. I am part of it and yet also an observer, recording what I see and feel. Athletes talk about being “in the zone”. Nothing distracts them. Good photographers are also “in the zone”, totally immersed in the scene they are photographing.
Your photos often balance rawness with composition. Were you ever consciously composing a shot, or was it instinctual based on years of experience and being embedded in the movement?
You have to act instinctively. If you think about a photo, then the moment is gone. Studio photographers can compose a shot, but street shooters have to go with the flow and trust their instincts.
Did you work closely with the Amar Gallery founder on the curation of images to include?
Yes. Amar came to Brooklyn and we looked at the photographs and selected the images for the exhibit together. Amar designed the exhibit. I was not involved in the design and sequencing of the exhibit. I trusted Amar and he did a fantastic job.
Were there certain themes or visual narratives you wanted to highlight in the London exhibition for this moment in time?
I wanted people to see the humanity of the Black Panthers, to see them as people like you and me – ordinary people – who rose to the occasion to become heroes. I want people to understand that they are like you and me and if they could do incredible things, so can we. It is up to us to stop this slide into fascism and to create a better, more just world for our children and their children.
Black Panthers & Revolution Stephen Shames
29th May to 6th July, 2025 Amar Gallery
