In this classic work of sociology, Doug McAdam presents a political-process model that explains the rise and
decline of the black protest movement in the United States. Moving from theoretical concerns to empirical analysis,
he focuses on the crucial role of three institutions that foster protest: black churches, black colleges, and Southern
chapters of the NAACP. He concludes that political opportunities, a heightened sense of political efficacy, and
the development of these three institutions played a central role in shaping the civil rights movement. In his
new introduction, McAdam revisits the civil rights struggle in light of recent scholarship on social movement origins
and collective action.
"[A] first-rate analytical demonstration that the civil rights movement was the culmination of a long process
of building institutions in the black community."--Raymond Wolters, Journal of American History
"A fresh, rich, and dynamic model to explain the rise and decline of the black insurgency movement in the
United States."--James W. Lamare, Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science