10 Mind-Blowing Facts You Didn't Know About Black Panther

There's a common misconception when it comes to who coined the name “Black Panther”. Was the creation of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby based on the self-defence group of the same name? Did the party start after being inspired by the Marvel superhero?

The answer is more tricky than you think. While Marvel's Black Panther debuted months after Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale founded the BPP in 1966, the animal itself was used one year earlier in 1965, as the symbol for the Lowndes County Freedom Organization, a democratic party in Alabama. The party hoped to increase the number of black voters in their area, and choose the black panther as its symbol because of its beauty, strength, and dignity.

After seeing a New York Times article with the LCFO's black panther on the cover, Stan Lee suggested changing failed concept character Coal Tiger's name to Black Panther. When the Black Panther Party most know of was created in 1966, they adopted the animal as its mascot. To avoid any confusion the creators of the Wakandan king decided to rename T'Challa "Black Leopard" - albeit temporarily.