Eldridge Cleaver

Eldridge Cleaver writes a fierce and suggestive social commentary of his time. In his essay ‘From Soul on Ice,’ Cleaver illustrates the strange phenomenon of black oppression, under the light of the Brown v. Board of Education decision. It seems even After the desegregation of schools in America, Cleaver writes, “no wonder that many ‘innocent people,’ the manipulated and the stimulated, some of whom were game for a reasonable amount of mystery and even adventure, had their minds scrambled. These observers were not equipped to either feel or know that a radical break, a revolutionary leap out of their sight, had taken place in the secret parts of this nation's soul.” He likens the game-changing decision of desegregation to a sort of salvation for America which white americans are too brainwashed to even recognize. Similarly to other writers of the movement, Cleaver references musicians and other writers and artists of the African American community to illustrate his messages. He beautifully likens desegregation and steps taken towards equality to the countries salvation.