African American Activism and Political Engagement: An Encyclopedia of Empowerment (PB) (2026)

Winner, 2024 RUSA Outstanding Reference Award

An indispensable resource for understanding trends and issues in African-American political organizing; the history of Black Liberation movements in the United States; and the fortitude, determination, reliance, beauty, and influence of Black culture and community.

The book begins with a suite of seven long-form essays on various aspects of Black political involvement and empowerment, including the importance of Black women in early labor organizing; campaigns defending Black voting rights against suppression and disenfranchisement; the Black Lives Matter movement; and the contributions and legacy of the nation's first Black president, Barack Obama.

The encyclopedia itself contains approximately 200 authoritative entries on a wide assortment of topics related to African-American political activism and empowerment, including biographical profiles of key leaders and activists, political issues and topics of particular interest to African-American voters and lawmakers, important laws and court cases, influential organizations, and pivotal events in American culture that have influenced the trajectory of Black participation in the nation's political life.