Beyond The Panthers: Ericka Huggins' Legacy Of Care And Mutual Aid

Ericka Huggins was a leader within the Black Panther Party who was arrested and imprisoned. Her case ended in a mistrial and all charges were dismissed. Dr. Joshua Crutchfield, a professor of history and the director of the African American Studies minor at A-State, wrote an essay on Huggins’ abolitionist legacy. He says abolition isn’t a new concept; however, it did reenter mainstream conversations during the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. Huggins' experience being incarcerated helped develop how she thought about abolition, leading her to put emphasis on mutual aid and the act caring for others.