The Grand Rapids Civil Rights Movement From 1954-1969: A Sociological Study

Although advancements have been achieved over the past 30 years, many experts would argue that the problems that plague the African-American community have not changed much. The American Civil Rights Movement has been credited with improving the quality of life of under-represented minorities. The purpose of this study is to examine whether or not the Civil Rights Movement helped to improve the status of the African-American community in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A thorough analysis of the local newspaper, the Grand Rapids Press, from 1954-1969, supplies the empirical data utilized as the foundation of this research. The local data was applied to Doug McAdam’s political process model and this study focuses on political opportunities, indigenous organizational strength, cognitive liberation, and support from liberal external groups. The interplay of these factors helps to evaluate the Civil Rights Movement’s success in Grand Rapids. The research determined that the local African-American community was unable to utilize the opportunities due to internal conflict and the political hegemony’s refusal to acknowledge the existence of such a movement