Happy Birthday Kathleen Cleaver

“People have been murdered for less than what the Black Panthers did, so the question was for us: 'Do you want to live on your knees or die on your feet?'” - Kathleen Cleaver

(Kathleen Cleaver)

Kathleen Cleaver was born as Kathleen Neal on May 13th, 1945 in Dallas, Texas, USA. Her family moved around the world to countries such as India, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Philippines.

(Neal in her early 20’s)

In 1963 Neal graduated with high honors from George school. She then attended Oberlin college and barnard college. In 1966 she got a job with the Student nonviolent coordinating committee.

(Neal in 1966)

While in Nashville, TN she met Black Panther member Eldridge Cleaver. In 1967 she moved to San Francisco, CA and joined the Black Panther Party.

(Neal in 1967)

She married Eldridge Cleaver the same year.

(Kathleen Cleaver (Left) and Eldridge Cleaver (Right) with their 1st born)

She organized the campaign to free Huey Newton from jail.

(Cleaver in 1967)

In 1968 she ran for California's 18th state assembly district, also as a candidate of the Peace and Freedom party. The Cleaver’s house was raided by police in 1968. In 1969 the Cleavers moved to Algeria in exile.

(Kathleen Cleaver and Eldridge Cleaver in Algeria)

The Cleavers formed a new organization called the Revolutionary People’s Communication Network in 1971. They then moved to New York City, NY. In 1976 Kathleen went to work on the Eldridge Cleaver Defense Fund and he was freed on bail. In 1981 she went back to school and received a scholarship from Yale University. She graduated in 1983. In 2005 Cleaver was selected an inaugural Fletcher Foundation Fellow.

(Cleaver in 2005)

She then worked as a Senior Research Associate at the Yale Law School, and a Senior Lecturer in the African American Studies department at Yale University.

(Cleaver in 2016)

Today she turns 72 years old and we would all like to say happy birthday Kathleen Cleaver.

Books by Kathleen Cleaver

• Memories of Love and War (1998)

Videos of Kathleen Cleaver

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUna84ztulU  “Kathleen Cleaver on Natural African Hair”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVuFLPcyZwI  “Kathleen Cleaver interview”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1L3aQFGhQo  “Bobby Seale and Kathleen Cleaver Press Conference on Murder of Bobby Hutton (1968)”