Kathleen Cleaver

## Young Life

Kathleen Cleaver was born in Dallas Texas, but she grew up all around the world. Her parents were both very influential activists that traveled around the world to educate people. Her father worked to desegregate places like Texas, while her mom worked to desegregate education at the college level. Cleaver often went with her father to places like India and the Philippines and listened to him teach. While she traveled abroad she saw people of color in positions of power. This was a strong factor that played into getting Cleaver to where she is now. Seeing people of color in high positions taught Cleaver at a young age that black people are just as worthy of power as white people. India was especially influential in Cleaver's young life. Their government was full of dark skinned people. Being from a small town in America, that was something Kathleen had never really seen. Seeing those people of color really influenced Cleaver to be who she is today. Cleaver also saw a lot of protests when she lived in Danville, Virginia. At these protests there was a lot of police brutality. Seeing people who looked like her be abused by white policemen just because they looked different left Kathleen with a big realization. She, and everyone who had her skin color, were different from those with white skin. Later in her life Kathleen Cleaver attended a Quaker Boarding school that had just been desegregated. Seeing herself and other black people interact with white people really influenced Kathleen. Although she was one of a few black students at the school, interacting with white students gave her a new perspective on how she should live her life. Cleaver was always very opinionated. She was also an avid learner. After she learned about advocates of non-violent peaceful change, she decided she wanted to know more. She met with a man who explained to her what non-violence was, and how it could be used to create change. Cleaver was instantly hooked. At one point she saw some young girls laughing and singing as they were getting arrested. At first she was confused as to why they were happy about getting arrested, but after a while she realized they were proud to get arrested while supporting something they cared deeply about. This really pushed Cleaver over the edge. She decided she wanted to learn everything she could about Non-violence. Later on that year, after she had already learned all there was to know about non-violence, Kathleen decided to get up in front of her school to inform them of the ways of non-violence and how they should respect the black lives in their community. It did not end well. Many of the teachers and students were upset by her thinking, but Kathleen knew she was right. This was a big push to get Cleaver where she is now.

## Education and Career

Kathleen Cleaver started her education at a desegregated Quaker school in Philadelphia where she was introduced to the differences between black and white people. She got to see firsthand how she, and her black peers, were treated differently than their white counterparts. She graduated with honors in 1963. After high school Cleaver attended Oberlin College, but she later transferred to Barnard College. After trying out two different colleges Cleaver found out school really wasn't her thing. Kathleen decided to leave college for a secretarial job with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. Later on in her life Cleaver went back to school. In 1981 she attended the prestigious Yale with a full ride scholarship. She graduated in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. She continued her education and got her J.D. degree in hopes of becoming a lawyer. After she graduated she got a job at the law firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore.

## The Black Panther Party

Kathleen Cleaver is most well known for her work in the Black Panther party. Cleaver started her journey with the panthers when she moved to San Francisco in 1967 to join. A month and a half later she married the black panther's leader Eldridge Cleaver. Kathleen became the Communications Secretary for the party and worked on the majority of the advertising. Cleaver was the first woman to join the Black Panther Party, but just a few years after she joined over two thirds of the panthers were women. Even with the majority being women Cleaver was one of the only ones to hold a senior position. Many of the FBI's attacks on the Black Panthers were very hard on Kathleen. Seeing her friends and family as they were murdered really took a toll on her life. Many of the women in the party felt the same way. Eventually they set up a support group of sorts where they could meet when they were feeling down. Because she was a part of the Black Panthers, Cleaver's house was often invaded. in 1968 her house was raided before a Panther rally by the San Francisco Tactical Squad. Later that year Kathleen was injured at the ambush of Oakland police officers.

## Links and Resources

* Resource 1
* Resource 2