Black Churches and Local Politics Clergy Influence, Organizational Partnerships, and Civic Empowerment

by Smith, Drew R.; Harris, Fredrick C.; Alex-Assensoh, Yvette M.; Brown, Ronald E.; Chandler, Mittie Olion; Hartfield, Carolyn; Harris, Fredrick C.; Jennings, James; Owens, Michael Leo; Pollard, Alton B.; Smith, R Drew; Taylor, Clarence; Tucker-Worgs, Tamely

• ISBN13: 9780742545212
• ISBN10: 0742545210
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-06-30
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Summary

This edited collection on black churches and urban politics uses case studies of ten cities to examine the strategies and tactics of activists, black clergy, and congregations. These case studies illustrate how black activist clergy and congregations negotiate the political terrains of their respective cities. The cases show that the political culture of a city--whether that culture is shaped by machine politics, a legacy of political protest, racial and ethnic factionalism, or a city whose power resides in the mayor's office rather than the city council chamber--can influence the tactics of activist clergy and congregations.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. vii
Introduction: Black Churches, Activist Traditions, and Urban Political Contexts	p. ix
Personal Influence, Coalitions, and Pressure Groups
Black Churches, Black Empowerment, and Atlanta's Civil Rights Legacy	p. 3
Black Clergy and Models of Civil Rights Activism in Miami	p. 23
Bennett W. Smith Sr. and Ministerial Influence on Political Life in Buffalo	p. 43
Black Ministers and the Politics of Personal Influence in Columbus	p. 57
Black Faith-Based Coalitions in Boston: Civic Advantages and Challenges	p. 79
Black Churches and Electoral Politics
Black Churches and Electoral Engagement in the Nation's Capital	p. 99
Black Churches and Machine Politics in Chicago	p. 117
Black Clergy Electoral Involvement in Cleveland	p. 137
Black Churches and the Formation of Political Action Committees in Detroit	p. 151
Party Politics and Black Church Political Organization in Queens, New York	p. 171
Epilogue
Black Clergy and the Governmental Sector during George W. Bush's Presidency	p. 187
Index	p. 201
About the Contributors	p. 217
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