About this item

The figure who embodied the militant and controversial spirit of the Black Panther Party more than anyone was Eldridge Cleaver. Charismatic, brilliant, and courageous, 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. While Cleaver seemed sincerely disillusioned with radicalism, his erratic behavior over the next two decades revealed something that had been a latent part of his psyche all along - his narcissistic megalomania. His influence declined significantly through the 1980s until he found himself back on the streets committing petty crimes. By the time he died, in 1998, he was largely viewed as a turncoat who had betrayed the cause of black freedom.



About the Author

Justin Gifford

Dr. Justin Gifford is an associate professor of English Literature at the University of Nevada, Reno. His teaching and research focus on American literature, and he is a specialist in African American archives and popular fiction. He is the acclaimed author of multiple books, including "Revolution or Death: The Life of Eldridge Cleaver," "Pimping Fictions: African American Crime Literature and the Untold Story of Black Publishing," and "Street Poison: The Biography of Iceberg Slim," which was named one of Amazon.com's best 100 books of the year.



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