DOC RELATES TO PROJECT MERRIMAC (MERRIMACK) - SITUATION INFORMATION REPORT

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00018056
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: February 6, 2020
• Case Number: F-2016-00496
• Publication Date: June 28, 1968

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SITUATION INFORMATION REPORT
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It has recently been ascertained that Kathleen (nee NEAL)
CLEAVER, wife of Eldridge CLEAVER, Minister of Information
of the militant black nationalist BLACK PANTHER PARTY, is the
daughter of Dr. Ernest NEAL, Deputy Director of AID Mission to
the Republic of the Philippines.
Ernest E. NEAL born 21 June 1911 in Tennessee, is an
FSS-1 appointed as Deputy Director for AID, Manila, Philippine
Islands on 13 September 1964. His daughter, Juette Kathleen (NEAL)
CLEAVER, AKA J. Kathleen CLEAVER and Kathleen CLEAVER,
address 850 Oak Street, San Francisco, California (1968), resigned
from the Peace Corps on 20 March 1965 to accept employment with
the Department of Commerce. Department of Commerce records
do not reflect this contemplated employment.
Kathleen CLEAVER is, herself, a black nationalist revolutionary
and is the National Captain of Women and the Communications
Secretary in the hierarchy of the Black Panther Party (BPP). The
Black Panther Party for Self Defense, now known merely as the
Black Panther Party, originated by Bobby SEALE (Chairman) and
Huey NEWTON (Minister of Defense) in October 1966 with headquarters
in Oakland, California, is believed by some to be a front for the
Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and to be nearly
synonymous with the Revolutionary Action Movement (RAM). There
are, in fact, a number of BPP organizations, loosely knit as a group
but each formed at a different time by a different organization and
each operating somewhat independently with divergent activities
reflecting views of the immediate leadership of each. All are
militant, non-white parties or branches based on principles of
"black power" and "black nationalism." Whereas the BPP of
Alabama (BPPA), an outgrowth of the Lowndes Country Freedom.
Organization (LCFO), seems (May 1967) to continue to be primarily
concerned with Negro political unity, the New York City and California
groups have shown strong dispositions toward revolutionary activity.
The Oakland headquarters seems to be the naVonal headquarters and
base for the so-called National Central Committee. The BPP has
been actively supported by other Negro nationalist groups and
nominally supported by diverse organizations which appear to use
BBP's revolutionary aims to further their own causes. A number
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of the leading activists appear to be members of several of the
organizations much in the nature of interlocking corporation
directorates.
The following organizations have supported BPP in varying
degrees:
The Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee
(SNCC); The Revolutionary Action Movement (RAM);
The Nation of Islam (NOI); The Muslim Mosque,
Incorporated; Yoruba Temple; The 'Organization
of Afro-American Unity; Afro-Americans Against
the War in Vietnam; The Congress of Racial Equality
(CORE); The Students for a Democratic Society (SDS);
The Progressive Labor Party (FL?); The W. E. B.
DuBois Clubs; The Young Socialist Alliance (Y5A);
and The Socialist Workers Party (SW?).
In February 1968, the BPP effected an overt merger of sorts
with SNCC and at that time announced the election of the following
SNCC leaders to posts in the BPP: Stokely CARMICHAEL as Prime
Minister; James FORMAN as Minister of Foreign Affairs, since also
cited as Minister of Black Religion; and H. Rap BROWN as Minister
of Black Justice.
Many members of the BPP hierarchy, as well as the rank
and file, have police records for an assortment of violations.
Huey P. NEWTON is presently incarcerated in a California jail on
charges of murder, assault with a deadly weapon and kidnapping in
connection with the killing of an Oakland policeman and the wounding
of another. Trial is now set for 8 July 1968.
Eldridge CLEAVER, paroled in 1966 after serving eight years
on a 5 count 1958 conviction (two for assault with intent to commit
murder and three for ADW), was arrested on 6 April 1967 along
with seven other BPP members and charged with assault with intent
to commit murder after an altercation with Oakland police during
which CLEAVER was wounded and BPP member, Bobby HUTTON,
was killed. During his year and a half of freedom on parole, CLEAVER
has been an author and a staff writer for RAMPARTS magazine.
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MCA i.11JVX -amp. vn Ice", a collection of letters and essays on a
variety of subjects including sex and the civil rights movement,
was written in prison and has reached near best seller status.
After this April incident, CLEAVER's parole was revoked.
While back in prison and facing trial on this newest charge, he was
presented as a candidate for the President of the U.S.A. nomination
on the Peace and Freedom Party ticket whose national convention is
in August. After much agitation in his behalf by all sorts of black
militant and leftist organizations and individuals, CLEAVER was
released on bail and is currently active in making speeches and
personal appearances.
His wife, Kathleen, has been Very active and very vocal in
her efforts to secure "justice" for Huey P. NEWTON and for CLEAVER,
and has made many appearances and speeches in their behalf as
well as in support of other black militant activities. She has been
in the company of Stokely CARMICHAEL and other revolutionaries
on a number of occasions.
SOURCE: Government reports and assorted news media publications
AUTHENTICATION: Believed reliable