Give Me That Old Time Religion Called Protests: Social Movements in Today's Black Church

• In Event: 463 - Section on Collective Behavior and Social Movements Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 16. Race, Ethnicity, and Resistance

Abstract

During the Civil Rights Movements of the 1950's and 1960's, the African American Church was the physical center of the movement providing resources, venues, and leadership. In lieu of the recent protests surrounding the killings of Mike Brown in Ferguson, MO, and Eric Garner, in Staten Island, NY, organizations have rallied to march, boycott, and stage sit-ins in cities all across America. My research seeks to understand how the African American church is responding and organizing to be a part of the new social movement that is occurring across America. I will observe and interview 3-5 churches in urban areas in North Carolina to identify patterns, shifts, and attitudes toward the church's role in social justice issues.

Author

• Danielle Melvin Koonce, East Carolina University