Overview

“An illuminating study of a complex, memorable historical figure.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review  A remarkable biography that examines the notorious Black revolutionary meticulously within the context of his changing times  Charismatic, brilliant, and courageous, Eldridge Cleaver built a base of power and influence that struck fear deep in the heart of White America. It was therefore shocking to many left-wing radicals when Cleaver turned his back on Black revolution, the Nation of Islam, and communism in 1975.  How can we make sense of Cleaver's precipitous decline from a position as one of America's most vibrant Black writers and activists? And how do his contradictory identities as criminal, party leader, international diplomat, Christian conservative, and Republican politician reveal that he was more than just a traitor to the advancement of civil rights?   Author Justin Gifford obtained exclusive access to declassified files from the French police, the American embassy, and the FBI, as well as Kathleen Cleaver’s archive, to answer these questions about a man far more compelling and complex than anyone has given him credit for.   In a country defined by its extreme political positions on the right and left, Cleaver embodied both ideologies in pursuit of his conflicting ideals.    

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9781613739112

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Reviews

An illuminating study of a complex, memorable historical figure. --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"“Eldridge Cleaver was respected and feared by his enemies as well as his allies. Justin Gifford unpacks the mythology and the mayhem to reveal Leroy Eldridge Cleaver the man. Love him or loathe him, you won’t be able to put this book down.” —Ricky Vincent, author of Party Music “A spectacularly well-researched and gripping account of a highly charismatic and deeply flawed figure, the historical moments when he was center stage, and his precipitous fall.” —Jeffery Haas, author of The Assassination of Fred Hampton  “Justin Gifford expertly contextualizes the most explosive and transformative decades in American history as he illuminates how the various facets of Eldridge Cleaver.” —Karin L. Stanford, coauthor with Wayne Pharr of Nine Lives of a Black Panther ​ ""An illuminating study of a complex, memorable historical figure."" —Kirkus Reviews, starred review   “A sad story but a deeply American one, and Gifford tells it powerfully.” —The San Francisco Chronicle "

Justin Gifford expertly contextualizes the most explosive and transformative decades in American history as he illuminates how the various facets of Eldridge Cleaver's life and leanings were shaped by the systemic injustice he sought to conquer. --Karin L. Stanford, coauthor with Wayne Pharr of Nine Lives of a Black Panther: A Story of Survival As the fire-breathing Minister of Information for the Black Panther Party at its zenith, Eldridge Cleaver was respected and feared by his enemies as well as his allies. He was a force of nature, a living myth of a man who relished in being the white man's worst nightmare. Justin Gifford unpacks the mythology and the mayhem to reveal Leroy Eldridge Cleaver the man. Love him or loathe him, you won't be able to put this book down. --Ricky Vincent, author of Party Music: The Inside Story of the Black Panthers' Band and How Black Power Transformed Soul Music An illuminating study of a complex, memorable historical figure. --Kirkus Reviews, starred review A spectacularly well-researched and gripping account of a highly charismatic and deeply flawed figure, the historical moments when he was center stage, and his precipitous fall. No punches pulled. The telling jumps off the page. --Jeffery Haas, author of The Assassination of Fred Hampton: How the FBI and the Chicago Police Murdered a Black Panther

Author Information

Justin Gifford is an associate professor of English literature at the University of Nevada, Reno, and the author of Street Poison: The Biography of Iceberg Slim and Pimping Fictions: African American Crime Literature and the Untold Story of Black Pulp Publishing.

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