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Eldridge Cleaver

(1935-1998)

Co-founder and Minister of Information for the Black Panther Party (BPP), Senior editor of Ramparts leftist magazine, editor of the Black Panther newspaper, and US presidential candidate for the Peace and Freedom Party in 1968, Eldridge Cleaver was a dedicated social activist. He advocated Black Power, the idea that Blacks must organize politically in order to confront white society from a position of strength. As a teenager, he was jailed frequently and at the age of 22, he was convicted of assault.

When imprisoned, Cleaver was influenced by politically conscious Muslim prisoners and read the works of many revolutionary thinkers. This inspired him to write his own passionate essays on race and revolution. The works were later included in his book, Soul On Ice, which was published in 1968.

When Cleaver was released from parole in 1966 he joined the BPP and became their Minister of Information. BPP member, Lil' Bobby Hutton and Eldridge Cleaver were assaulted by police in 1968. Hutton's death was one of many assassinations conducted under the COINTELPRO Program. Eldridge and his wife Kathleen Cleaver, who was also a BPP leader, fled the country to Algeria where they set up the International section of the Black Panther Party.

For more information:

An Eldridge Cleaver Bio-Chronology

Eldridge Cleaver Interview