Healing as Liberation: The Black Panther Party, Acupuncture, and the Birth of the NADA Protocol

During Black History Month, conversations often center on civil rights, voting rights, and political leadership. Less frequently discussed—but equally important—is the role of healthcare access and community-based healing in the struggle for liberation. One powerful example of this intersection is the relationship between the Black Panther Party, acupuncture, and the development of what is now known as the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) protocol.

This history reminds us that healing has long been understood as a form of resistance, dignity, and empowerment.

Community Health as a Radical Act

In the late 1960s and 1970s, the Black Panther Party recognized that health inequity was a form of structural violence. In response, they established free community clinics called "People's Free Medical Clinics" (PFMCs) in 13 cities across the United States, offering services such as medical screenings, education, and preventive care—often in neighborhoods that had been systematically underserved.

These clinics were not simply charitable efforts; they were intentional acts of self-determination. The Panthers believed communities deserved access to healthcare that was affordable, culturally relevant, and focused on real-world needs, including pain, addiction, trauma, and stress.

It was within this context that acupuncture entered the picture.

How Acupuncture Became a Tool for Community Healing

Acupuncture gained traction in Panther-affiliated clinics largely through exposure to Chinese medicine practitioners and activists who saw its potential as a low-cost, non-pharmaceutical therapy. Acupuncture was used to support individuals dealing with pain, withdrawal symptoms, anxiety, and nervous system dysregulation, issues that were widespread in communities impacted by poverty, incarceration, and systemic trauma.

Rather than being framed as “alternative” medicine, acupuncture was valued for its practical outcomes:

• Reducing physical pain

• Supporting emotional regulation

• Easing symptoms of substance withdrawal

• Restoring a sense of agency over one’s health

This use of acupuncture aligned seamlessly with the Panthers’ emphasis on self-sufficiency and community care.

The Birth of the NADA Protocol

Out of this environment emerged one of the most widely used acupuncture protocols in the world: the NADA protocol.

Developed in the 1970s at Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx—a hospital serving predominantly Black and Brown communities—the NADA protocol was shaped by physicians, acupuncturists, and community advocates seeking effective, accessible tools for addiction recovery and mental health support.

The protocol consists of five specific acupuncture points on the ear, designed to support:

• Stress reduction

• Emotional regulation

• Detoxification support

• Improved sleep

• Nervous system balance

What made the NADA protocol revolutionary was not just its effectiveness, but its accessibility. It could be delivered in group settings, required minimal equipment, and emphasized consistency over complexity—making it ideal for community clinics, recovery programs, shelters, and correctional facilities.

Today, the NADA protocol is used globally in settings ranging from substance use treatment programs to disaster relief efforts.

Why This History Matters Today

The integration of acupuncture into Black Panther–affiliated clinics and the development of the NADA protocol challenge common misconceptions about traditional and holistic medicine. These practices were not adopted as trends or luxuries—they were embraced because they worked.

This history also reframes acupuncture as:

• A public health tool, not just a private wellness service

• A modality rooted in collective care, not individual indulgence

• A practice aligned with health equity and access, not exclusivity

At Rooted in Natural Health, this lineage informs how we approach care today: honoring traditional medicine as both clinically valuable and socially meaningful.

Honoring Black History Through Healing

Black History Month is not only about remembering the past—it is about recognizing the systems, knowledge, and practices that continue to shape health and wellness today.

The legacy of the Black Panther Party and the creation of the NADA protocol remind us that healing has always been part of liberation, and that communities have long sought, and created solutions when conventional systems fell short.

As interest in acupuncture and integrative medicine continues to grow, it is essential to acknowledge the historical roots that helped bring these practices into broader awareness—roots grounded in justice, accessibility, and community care.