Kathleen Cleaver facts for kids
Kathleen Neal Cleaver (born May 13, 1945) is an American law professor and activist. She is well-known for her work with the Black Power movement and the Black Panther Party.
Quick facts for kids
Kathleen Cleaver
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Cleaver in 1998
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Kathleen Neal
May 13, 1945 Dallas, Texas, U.S.
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| Occupation | Academic |
| Political party | Black Panther Party |
| Movement | Black Power Movement |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 2 |
Contents
Early Life and Activism
Kathleen Neal was born in Dallas, Texas, on May 13, 1945. Her parents were both college graduates and activists. Her father, Ernest Eugene Neal, was a sociology professor. Her mother, Pearl Juette Johnson, had a master's degree in mathematics.
When Kathleen was three, her family moved to Alabama. Later, her father joined the Foreign Service. This meant the family lived in different countries like India, Liberia, and the Philippines. Living in India helped Kathleen learn about different ideas, including socialism and nationalism.
After returning to the United States, Kathleen attended George School, a Quaker boarding school. She graduated with honors in 1963. She then went to Oberlin College and later Barnard College.
In 1966, Kathleen left college to work for the New York office of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). She joined SNCC after a friend was killed. At this time, the civil rights movement was changing. It shifted from focusing on "Freedom Now" to "Black Power."
Joining the Black Panther Party
Kathleen helped organize a student conference in Nashville, Tennessee. There, she met Eldridge Cleaver, who was a leader in the Black Panther Party. He was the party's Minister of Information.
In November 1967, Kathleen moved to San Francisco to join the Black Panther Party. She and Eldridge married soon after. Kathleen became the Communications Secretary for the party. This was a very important role. She was the first woman to be part of the party's main decision-making group.
As Communications Secretary, Kathleen organized protests and created flyers. She also held press conferences and spoke at rallies and on TV. She used what she learned from SNCC to help the Black Panther Party. Even though many women were in the Black Panthers, Kathleen was one of the few who held a top leadership position. She helped lead the national effort to free Huey Newton, a co-founder of the party.
The Black Panther Party faced many challenges. Kathleen found it hard to deal with the difficulties her colleagues faced. In 1968, she ran for a political office in California. She was a candidate for the Peace and Freedom party.
Because of their work with the Black Panther Party, Kathleen and Eldridge Cleaver were often watched by the police. Their home was raided in 1968. Later that year, Eldridge Cleaver was involved in an incident with police officers. He then left the country and lived in Cuba and Algeria.
During her time with the Black Panther Party, Kathleen also helped her community. She helped feed people and provided medical care to families. She also helped families visit loved ones in prison. She even helped organize special gatherings for women who had been part of the Black Panther Party.
Life in Exile
In 1969, Kathleen joined Eldridge in Algeria. Their first son, Maceo, was born there. A year later, in 1970, their daughter Joju Younghi Cleaver was born while the family was in North Korea.
Eldridge and Huey Newton had different ideas about the Black Panther Party's future. Newton wanted to focus on community programs. Cleaver preferred a more direct approach. This led to a split in the party in 1971. The Cleavers formed a new group called the Revolutionary People's Communication Network.
Kathleen and the children moved back to New York to promote the new organization. The Algerian government became unhappy with Eldridge. He had to leave Algeria secretly and met Kathleen in Paris in 1973. Kathleen returned to the United States later that year to help Eldridge come back.
In 1974, the French government allowed the Cleavers to live in France, and the family was reunited. However, after only a year, they moved back to the United States. Eldridge faced legal issues from the 1968 incident. His legal situation was finally resolved in 1980. During this time, Eldridge's political views began to change.
Later Life and Career
Kathleen Cleaver left Eldridge in 1981. She went back to university and received a full scholarship from Yale University. She graduated with high honors in 1984 with a degree in history. In 1987, she and Eldridge Cleaver divorced.
Kathleen decided she wanted to become a lawyer after watching the Watergate Hearings in the 1970s. She continued her education at Yale Law School and earned her law degree in 1989.
After law school, she worked for a law firm. She also held many other jobs, including working as a law clerk for a judge. She taught at several universities, including Emory University and Yale University.
In 2005, Kathleen Cleaver became a Fletcher Foundation Fellow. She has worked as a Senior Research Associate at Yale Law School. She is currently a senior lecturer at Emory University School of Law.
Besides her teaching career, Kathleen Cleaver works on many campaigns. She supports freedom for people like Mumia Abu-Jamal and Geronimo Pratt. She has also written a memoir called Memories of Love and War. Her writings have appeared in many newspapers and magazines. She has also contributed essays to books about civil rights and the Black Panther Party. Kathleen continues to meet with other former members of the Black Panther Party to discuss important issues.
See also
- The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution
Images for kids
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Kathleen Cleaver delivering a speech in Ruby Diamond Auditorium at Florida State University, November 1971
