Revolution or Death, Justin Gifford
Revolution or Death, Justin Gifford
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Revolution or Death

Author: Justin Gifford

Narrator: Corey Allen

Unabridged: 13 hr 1 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Recorded Books

Published: 10/20/2020


Synopsis

In the 1960s, no Black political group stood for grassroots insurgency more than the Black Panther Party.

And the figure who embodied their militant and controversial spirit 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—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.

How can we make sense of Cleaver’s precipitous decline from his 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? In Revolution or Death, acclaimed biographer Justin Gifford answers these questions and many more by providing, for the first time, the life story of one of the most notorious Black revolutionaries in history. He explores the audacious dreams and spiritual transformations of the eccentric radical and
places him squarely within the context of his changing times. Gifford was granted exclusive access to declassified files from the French police, the American embassy, and the FBI, as well as Kathleen Cleaver’s private archive, and he explored previously unseen documents from archives around the world. He draws from a massive body of materials to reassemble the story of a man far more compelling and complex than most have 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. His inability to resolve these competing desires ultimately destroyed him.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Steven

AN ASTOUNDINGLY DETAILED BIOGRAPHY, WRITTEN WITH THE FAMILY’S INPUT Author and professor of Literature Justin Gifford wrote in the Preface to this 2020 book, “At the height of his fame, Cleaver led the Black Panther Party as a revolutionary activist, calling for the destruction of the United States g......more

really well written & informative on his perspective in relation to the overall issues in society during his life......more

Goodreads review by Alison

I thought this author did an exceptional job researching and retelling the extremely complicated life of Eldridge Cleaver in a way that is incredibly honest and respectful. His final page was masterful in discussing why this man’s deeply troubled and problematic life is so important to understand, i......more