community-organizing
The grassroots efforts to empower everyday people to enact social change, as exemplified by Jackie Kendall's work.
2 chapters across 1 book
The Great Divide (1988)Studs Terkel
The chapter traces the evolution of American cultural and political attitudes from the 1960s through the 1980s, focusing on the experiences of working-class individuals navigating racial segregation, civil rights, and economic challenges. It highlights the shift from anti-war protest to patriotic pride, the limitations of civil rights in addressing systemic economic inequality, and the rise of grassroots organizing as a response to growing social and economic divides. Personal narratives illustrate the intersection of race, class, and political awakening amid changing social landscapes.
The chapter chronicles the persistent racial and class struggles faced by Black Americans from the hopeful 1963 March on Washington through the regressive political climate of the Reagan era, highlighting both overt and covert racism experienced in liberal environments. It details grassroots community organizing against environmental injustice, including direct confrontations with political leaders and corporate entities to protect neighborhoods from toxic landfills. The narrative also contrasts intergenerational activism with the rise of white supremacist ideologies, illustrating the complex social and political tensions within communities.