Feeling No Ways Tired

Abstract

A considerable amount of the literature on African American activism has been focused on the mainstream political participation and the civil rights and Black Power movements. Subsequent research in this era has primarily focused on the church and post–civil war reconstruction efforts. Few contemporary studies have assessed activist efforts among African Americans and the factors that may influence their involvement. The current study investigates what factors are related to activism among African American church members. To better understand the factors that influence activism, 187 African American church members from two Midwestern cities were sampled. Employing Pearson correlations and hierarchical regression analysis revealed that racial centrality, psychological empowerment, and activism each significantly influence activist behavior among African Americans. Given the zeitgeist of the times (i.e., Ferguson, Eric Garner, and the Black Lives Matter movement), further research is needed to understand what factors may encourage African Americans to become involved and effectuate change in their respective communities.