Belinda Robnett-Olsen, sociology professor, has received a grant from the Russell Sage Foundation to analyze and chronicle the history of black political organizations in the U.S. from 1970-present. Using archival materials from the NAACP and Southern Christian Leadership Conference and news reports from the Los Angeles Times, New York Times and African-American newspapers, she will detail how organizations have restructured and refocused in the 40 years following the peak of the civil rights movement. Findings will contribute to her book on how political organizations regroup to stay relevant in the wake of social movement success.
 
Funding for this research begins in September and will run through June 2014.