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Finding Aid to the Eldridge Cleaver Papers, 1963-1988
BANC MSS 91/213 c
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Table of contents
Description
The Eldridge Cleaver papers document Cleaver's lifetime as an activist and writer. Dating from 1963-1988, the papers consist
of correspondence, writings, including manuscripts for his works
Soul on Ice and
Soul on Fire, and papers from his affiliation with the Black Panther Party as Minister of Information and as head of the International
Section during his exile. Also included are files of the Eldridge Cleaver Crusades, the Eldridge Cleaver Defense Committee,
and Cleaver for Congress. The bulk of the collection consists of legal files pertaining to the shootout with the Oakland Police
Department on April 6, 1968.
Background
Leroy Eldridge Cleaver rose to prominence in the late 1960s as a leading African American intellectual and political revolutionary.
As minister of information for the Black Panther Party during tumultuous years of social upheaval, Cleaver became a symbol
of rebellion, freedom, and eloquence for those seeking political and social change. His 1968 best-selling book of essays,
Soul on Ice, served as a guidebook for radicals in the New Left, student, and civil rights movements.
Extent
Number of containers: 32 cartons, 7 boxes, 1 volume, 1 oversize folder, 2 oversize boxes
Linear feet: Circa 42
Restrictions
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Head
of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, 94270-6000. Consent is given on behalf of The
Bancroft Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright
owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner. See: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html.
Availability
Collection is open for research, with the following exceptions: Letters from Kathleen Cleaver restricted until 2025. Some
materials require conservation before use.