Eldridge Cleaver’s set of three journal notebooks from circa 1985-1987, containing over 160 pages of sundry handwritten notes and musings by the influential writer and political activist. These notebooks illustrate Cleaver’s life and views in the 1980s, a mindset far removed from his days as a Black Panther revolutionary of the 1960s. Among the various subjects found therein, Cleaver tries developing ideas for a screenplay, makes notes about books he wants to read, lists the names of people he plans to contact, and begins a daily diary, starting with the date he received divorce papers from his wife of 20 years. Cleaver also takes up the causes of Clare Morrison, an elderly widow who lost her house to hostile tenants, and Elmer ‘Geronimo’ Pratt, who was falsely imprisoned since 1972 for a murder he did not commit. The notebooks are as follows:
Circa 1987 hardcover notebook, 8 x 9.75, 300 pages (64 with Cleaver’s handwriting), the first page filled out in black felt tip by Cleaver with his ownership signature, “Eldridge Cleaver,” and contact information. Partial separation of rear cover from spine. Cleaver used this book as a partial diary, starting entries on March 13, 1987, with the last dated entry occurring on July 3, 1987. Highlighted dates and quotes include:
- March 13, 1987: “I received divorce papers from Kathleen today. / Huey Newton was locked up on his gun conviction case. / I have the flu.”
- March 15, 1987: “Everything starts from a little point, from a tiny seed. The seed, in fact, is a very highly organized mechanism containing a life-force and a potential we can't begin to comprehend. One thing that strikes me: These things—seeds—are themselves composed of even tinier units that themselves are a recapitulation of a previous stage of development and complexity—intricate complexity. It is God's technology. Since we seem to have to go deeper and deeper to get to the source, is it not logical to infer that at the lowest level of breakdown of matter we should discover the source of it all? Would it then not make more sense for us to look inward for God, instead of looking out into the sky. Jesus said, The Kingdom of God lies within."
- May 19, 1987: “See how the mighty are brought low, / From their pulpits, from their / High political perches. / We sing forth in the name of / Crispus Attucks / Who's blood was shed for Our Freedom."
- "We did not achieve authentic Political Power. We achieved puppet power delegated to the Black Bourgeoisie by the White Power Structure."
Circa 1985 leather-bound hardcover notebook, 7.5 x 10, 166 pages (38 with Cleaver’s handwriting), label to inside front cover annotated in another hand; some damage to spine edge and wear to cover corners; a few pages removed. Highlighted sections and quotes include:
- Chapter and section titles for his article ‘The Crisis of the Black Bourgeoisie,’ which includes “3. W. E. B. DuBois on the Black Bourgeoisie,” “The Hypocracy / 1. The Reagan Revolution The Upheaval of the Black Masses (I), 2. Letter to Jesse Jackson The Counter-revolution of the Black Bourgeoisie,” “4. South Africa Malcolm & Elijah,” and “5. Legalize Drugs The Scope of Study.”
- “Are we to suffer forever under the yokes of oppression? Must we be doomed to listen to news about bankers & politicians."
- “Saturday, Dec. 14, 1985 / Yesterday I made my first 'Legal Worker' visit to Sgt. Pratt. Took file and chart of military insignia for Pratt to indicate his citations. Quite an impressive array. Sgt. Pratt is a great, classic American Hero. We must leaflet every high school, college, in America, California First. Rescuer. Liberate Sgt. Pratt.” Elmer ‘Geronimo’ Pratt (1947-2011) was a Vietnam War veteran, who had received two Bronze Stars, a Silver Star, and two Purple Hearts, and reached the rank of sergeant. He also served as Deputy Minister of Defense for the local Black Panther Party in Los Angeles in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was convicted in 1972 for the 1968 murder of Carolina Olsen. He was freed in 1997 when his conviction was vacated because the prosecution had concealed evidence of his innocence.
- “Nov. 16, 1985 / George Lucas / Skywalker Ranch – near Nicasio / Lucasfilm / Foster—Bastard / Seldin—Bastard.”
- List of “Tactics,” or “Tasks,” which read: “Leaflet High Schools & Colleges,” “Black Studies Dept.,” “Elected Black Officials,” “Veteran Organizations,” “California Politicians,” “Duekmejian & Bradley,” “Sylvester Stallone / Jim Brown,” “Mr. T, Richard Pryor,” and Earth Wind & Fire.”
Leather-bound notebook, 6 x 9, 148 pages (59 with Cleaver’s handwriting), some damage to front cover, and general toning to interior. The notebook includes notes for a film script and various other subjects, to-do lists, possible speaking engagements, author names and book titles, and contact information for various people. Highlighted quotes include:
- “Ancient Founders Who fought with Rich Land Owners. Cops. Old now. But they have a magic touch. Everybody venerates them. Only a few left.”
- “I go down to the café wherein many lesbians are arrayed, scruffy lame ducks deficient in sperm and lacking that lustre derived therefrom.”
- “When Fargo confronts Danny Woods, he says I've been doing some research on you. I think I've found the solution to your problem. He sends for this crew of Charlie Driscoll and a White Woman. Local Duty Neill, survivor of the last crew.”
- “A woman Jewelry Vendor intervenes. Backs the Punks up and makes money for Danny. She's not interested in sex. Brags that she prefers to masterbate than fuck any man she knows. When she hears that Danny hasn't had any pussy for ten years, she invites him to dinner. He fucks her for a week without coming up for air."
According to an included signed Statement of Ownership from 2002, Cleaver left these books in the house of Clare Morrison on Ashby Avenue in Berkeley, California. He had championed Morrison's attempt to retrieve her house from hostile tenants after a two-year stay in a nursing home, and she let him live there rent-free after she regained the property in 1989 but had to return to a nursing home. She died in May 1990 and her family evicted Cleaver because of evidence of drug abuse. These volumes were salvaged in the spring of 1991 from three dumpsters of Cleaver's belongings removed from the property after Cleaver repeatedly failed to retrieve them. In overall fine condition.
