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Economic protest : the most effective yet underutilized strategy in the modern civil rights...

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Economic protest : the most effective yet underutilized strategy in the modern civil rights movement

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Identifier	Thesis 2136
Author	Hainsley, Novelette A., 1971-
Title	Economic protest : the most effective yet underutilized strategy in the modern civil rights movement
Publisher	Central Connecticut State University
Date of Publication	2011
Resource Type	Master's Thesis
Abstract	Economic protest is one of the most powerful tools to exact change within a capitalist society. Those benefiting from the status quo will not willingly concede to sharing economic, political or social prestige. Those agitating for their share of their country's resources will have to implement protests that would negatively impact the finances of producers to gain equality. The modern civil rights movement (1954-1965) of African Americans was a period of increased agitation for civil rights and (to a lesser extent), human rights. Various strategies were implemented by African Americans to end de jure segregation and discrimination in the South. Civil rights organizations, numerous leaders and communities created and carried out these strategies as they agitated for change. Many of the strategies implemented, centered on the nonviolent civil disobedience creed of the movement. So protesters would simply refuse to comply with unjust segregation laws and not react violently when arrested or attacked. Various tactics were utilized in ending de jure segregation. These included, writing petitions, litigations, demonstrations, picketing, marches, sit-ins, and boycotts. All these campaigns and action culminated in the passage of federal legislation to end many aspects of segregation and discrimination. The success of the movement can be attributed to the various actions taken by civil rights proponents however; the economic boycott is the most viable of these protests. The main aim of this thesis is to illuminate the impact the economic protest had on the modern civil rights movement of African Americans. This study theorizes that the economic protest, mainly the boycott was one of the most effective tools utilized by African Americans to win concessions in their fight to end de jure segregation and gain equal job opportunity in the South. This strategy was effective because producers within a capitalist economy like the United States would go to great lengths to maximize their profits. The African American community had enormous economic clout. Concessions for civil and human rights were won mainly when proponents of civil and human rights organized African Americans to take action that negatively impacted the economic outcome of businesses participating in segregation. The owners of these businesses were then forced to concede to the demand for civil and human rights. These business owners would also put pressure on government officials to create legislation to positively impact civil and human rights because of the negative financial impact of the economic boycott. This study also theorizes that since the economic protest was so instrumental in ending de jure segregation and in achieving human rights prospects like job opportunities for African Americans, this strategy should have been fully utilized to fight de facto segregation and win concessions in northern and western cities. Various primary documents, mainly newspaper reports and eye witness accounts were used in this study to demonstrate that even though various forms of protests were organized during the modem civil rights movement, the most effective form of protest was the economic boycott. The study examines the streetcar boycotts of the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, the Montgomerybus boycott (1955-1956), and the student led sit-in campaigns and boycotts (1960), in Greensboro, Nashville and Atlanta. This study gives detail of the effect and result of these economic protests. Studied are the creation, implementation, and sustentation of these campaigns. Where the African American community would first threaten to implement the economic protest, execute the protest and find ways to maintain it under duress. During the economic protest, it becomes evident that the businesses targeted suffered tremendous loss of revenue. These business owners would then meet with the protesters in an effort to end the boycott. They would concede to the demands of the protesters so that they would end the boycott and in so doing, end the business owners' economic loss. The loss of revenue was the main reason why proponents of segregation would concede to playing a part in ending this practice. Not only did business owners and managers in the protests examined, work to end segregation, they also acquiesced to the demand of protesters for human rights for African Americans. Protesters did not only want an end to segregation but they also wanted equal job opportunities for blacks, and businesses negatively affected by economic boycotts agreed to employ African Americans in their establishments, giving them job opportunities previously withheld.
Notes	Thesis advisor: Felton Best.; "... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts in History."; M.A.,Central Connecticut State University,2011; Includes bibliographical references (leaves 182-191).
Subject	Civil rights movements--Economic aspects--United States. African Americans--Civil rights--History--20th century. Montgomery Bus Boycott, Montgomery, Ala., 1955-1956. Civil rights demonstrations--United States.
Department	Department of History
Advisor	Best, Felton O., (Felton O'Neal)
Type	Text
Digital Format	application/pdf
Software	System requirements: PC and World Wide Web browser.
Language	eng
OCLC number	747436139
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Economic protest : the most effective yet underutilized strategy in the modern civil rights movement

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