Interviews with African American Women Engaged in Local Indiana Politics: A Grassroots of American Civic Democracy

“These Indiana voices are also American voices who speak with power and cogency. These voices need to be heard and studied for the triumph of the human spirit.”
-Dr. Leonard A. Slade,
Professor of Africana Studies,
University at Albany

“Dr. Kriese’s research is important, timely, relevant, and intriguing; filling a gap in the existing literature on this subject. He has successfully pursued this vein of research over several years and this manuscript is the culmination of his endeavors and efforts.”
-Dr. Ross Alexander,
Dean, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Indiana University

“The emphasis on African American women, specifically, is much needed and the importance of this group has not been fully illuminated. This book does that and does it in an important style, the undercurrent of the importance of grass roots efforts in politics is an additional benefit.”
-Dr. Randall E. Osborne,
Professor of Psychology,
Texas State University

Foreword by J. David Gillespie
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1 – Why Me and My Plans to Proceed
-The Status of African-American Women in the United States and Democratic Engagement
-Why the Focus on African-American Women?
-How I Collected Interviews for My Book
-Where I Developed Material for My Study on African-American Women
-Summary
Chapter 2 – Democracy from the Bottom Up: Foundations for Civic Participation in the United States
-The Landscape of Democratic Civic Engagement
-The Demographic Makeup of African-America Women in Indiana
-So That Their “Voices” Be Heard
Chapter 3- African-American Women’s Activity in Indiana 1965 to Present: Source
-Beyond the Civic Rights Movement
-What Resources Are Available and Why These Resources Are Not Adequate
-Where Are These Resources and Why They Are Not In the Social Sciences
Chapter 4 – Mountains to Cross, Rivers to Ford: Race and Gender Realities in Indiana
-From Territorial Status to Statehood
-The Constitution of 1816
-The Black Laws of 1851
-The Constitution of 1851
-Politics and Policy in the Later Years of the Nineteenth Century
-The Klan and the Politics of Race in the Twentieth Century in Indiana
-From the 1930’s to the Present
-Summing up
Chapter 5 – Education
-Main Goal is to Spotlight African-American Women’s Voices
-Voices Heard
Chapter 6- Religious Issues
-Many Experiences of Religious Practices
-Many Voices on Religion
Chapter 7-Justice
-Justice: Sacred and Secular
-Diverse Voices on Justice
Chapter 8-Family
-Family is the Flexible “Glue” for African-American Women
-Voices on Family
Chapter 9- Race and Gender
-The Elephants in the Room: Race and Gender
-Voices on Race and Gender
Chapter 10 – Politics and Civic Engagement
-Politics Defined Many Ways by African-American Women
-Voices on Politics
Chapter 11- Neighborhood
-Neighborhood Connectedness Critical for African-American Women
-Voices on Neighborhoods
Chapter 12 – What African-American Women’s Voices Say To Us About Democratic Civic Engagement in Indiana
-Law as Written and Law as Practiced
-Multiple Voices Make Up the Choir
-Education
-Religion
-Justice
-Family
-Race and Gender
-Politics and Civic Engagement
-Neighborhoods
-Community
-Call and Response of Public Service
-Multi-tasking and Sense of Self and Other
-Loyalty to Primary Group
-Not Racist but Not Passive
-Non-Traditional but Steadfast in Action and Belief
-Justice as Fundamental Regardless of Reciprocal Actions -True Mix of Grassroots Democracy and Civic Engagement Because It is Right: Political In Greek and Roman Sense: Civitas As Civic Engagement
-Rooted but Not Tangled
-Gender Important for Sense of Self
-DuBois’ “Twoness” May Actually Be “Threeness”
-Basic Neighborhood Experience Allows For Stable Response to Other Neighborhoods Encountered In Life
-Religion Central for Different Reasons
-My Voice
Bibliography / References
Index

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