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: 9780742545229
• ISBN10: 0742545229
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-06-22
• 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	vii
Introduction: Black Churches, Activist Traditions, and Urban Political Contexts	ix
Fredrick C. Harris
Part I: Personal Influence, Coalitions, and Pressure Groups
1 Black Churches, Black Empowerment, and Atlanta's Civil Rights Legacy	3	(20)
Alton B. Pollard III
2 Black Clergy and Models of Civil Rights Activism in Miami	23	(20)
Clarence Taylor
3 Bennett W. Smith Sr. and Ministerial Influence on Political Life in Buffalo	43	(14)
Sherri Leronda Wallace
4 Black Ministers and the Politics of Personal Influence in Columbus	57	(22)
Yvette Alex Assensoh
5 Black Faith-Based Coalitions in Boston: Civic Advantages and Challenges	79	(20)
James Jennings
Part II: Black Churches and Electoral Politics
6 Black Churches and Electoral Engagement in the Nation's Capital	99	(18)
Ronald Walters and Tamelyn Tucker-Worgs
7 Black Churches and Machine Politics in Chicago	117	(20)
Fredrick C. Harris
8 Black Clergy Electoral Involvement in Cleveland	137	(14)
Mittie Olion Chandler
9 Black Churches and the Formation of Political Action Committees in Detroit	151	(20)
Ronald E. Brown and Carolyn Hartfield
10 Party Politics and Black Church Political Organization in Queens, New York	171	(16)
Michael Leo Owens
Part III: Epilogue
11 Black Clergy and the Governmental Sector during George W. Bush's Presidency	187	(14)
R. Drew Smith
Index	201	(16)
About the Contributors	217