Kathleen Neal Cleaver, born in Dallas, Texas, on May 13, 1945, is an American law professor and activist. She is recognized for her involvement with the Black Power movement and the Black Panther Party. Her parents, both activists and University of Michigan graduates, instilled a foundation in social engagement. Her father, Ernest Eugene Neal, was a sociology professor, and her mother, Pearl Juette Johnson, held a master's degree in mathematics.