Eldridge Cleaver
Politician
Writer, political activist, and Black Panther Party leader who wrote 'Soul on Ice' in 1968. His book, which he wrote while serving time in Folsom State Prison became a seminal work in African-American literature.
He got into quite a bit of trouble as a youngster, from petty crime to a felony drug charge.
During the 1980's he became both a Mormon and a conservative Republican.
He got married to Katherine Neal Cleaver in 1967; the couple had two children together before divorcing in 1987.
He was heavily inspired by the writings and life of Malcolm X.