In 1969, a young Black Panther named Pete O'Neal was arrested for transporting a gun across state lines. O'Neal fled the country, and has lived in Tanzania since. He is one of the last American exiles from an era when activists considered themselves at war with the US government.

O'Neal is torn between two worlds. In his adopted country, he has applied the non-violent elements of the Black Panther movement. He serves the African American community by sponsoring an international exchange program between underprivileged American teenagers and Tanzanian youths, and coordinates study-abroad programs for several US universities, bringing college students to Tanzania to work alongside local youth teaching English, computer skills, and HIV/AIDS awareness.

Despite O’Neal’s long legal battle with the US for vindication, he still considers himself very much American, struggling to feel connected to his adopted country and homesick for southern barbecue, jazz, and his 83-year-old mother, who comes to visit for what may be their last reunion. A Panther in Africa sheds new light on the ‘60s by showing how one man reinterprets his revolutionary history and applies his life lessons in a new country.

A co-production of ITVS & P.O.V. with additional funding provided by The New York State Council on the Arts, The Jerome Foundation, and The Brooklyn Arts Council.

"Pete and Charlotte seem to have a busy, productive and fulfilling life in a beautiful setting among people who love them. But Peter remains an American in spirit and as such, misses home. He continues to fight his conviction. Will he ever be able to return to the United States? Recommended."
‒Susanne Boatright, Library, Blue River Community College, Kansas City, Missouri for Educational Media Reviews Online

"O'Neal's searing honesty makes Panther in Africa a rewarding documentary offering a unique perspective on race and national loyalties."
‒Julie E. Washington, Cleveland Plain Dealer

“An elegant documentary. . . A Panther in Africa is a tale of personal redemption, of the rabble-rouser who once wanted to turn society upside-down but now considers it a triumph to open the mind of a visitor or two. It’s a film about a man who lost his chance at the American dream, only to find other dreams out there worth pursuing.”
‒Aaron Barnhart, Kansas City Star

“By the end, you’ll feel you’re on intimate terms with the charming [Pete] O’Neal, the embattled country of Tanzania and the pain of political exile." ‒Susan Stewart, TV Guide

"Former Black Panther Pete O’Neal offers some pointed reflections on the state of racism in the United States, as viewed from a self-imposed 30-year exile.”
‒Jean Tang The Boston Globe

“A strong offering on P.O.V.”
‒Roger Catlin, Hartford Courant

“Panther captures what it means to never return home; it also frames well the war here which led to the arrest, death or flight of African freedom fighters.”
‒Wanda Sabir, San Francisco Bay View

Cine Golden Eagle, 2004
Winner Audience Award, Best Documentary, St. Louis International Film Festival, 2004
Official Selection Feature Film Competition, SilverDocs/AFI Film Festival, 2004
Official Selection, AFI Film Festival, 2004
Official Selection, Margaret Mead Film Festival, 2004
Official Selection, Wisconsin Film Festival. 2004
Official Selection, Cleveland Film Festival, 2004