9625597 This Doctoral Dissertation Improvement research examines the impacts of social movements on political and social change through a study of the Mississippi civil rights movement. Research on the civil rights movement has focused primarily on the period up to the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 which is often regarded as the final chapter in the southern civil rights movement. Many important struggles took place after 1965 at the local level as movements tried to shape electoral politics, increase access and improve the quality of public schools and secure public resources like Headstart and Community Action Programs. This research employs two research strategies to examine the trajectory and impact of the local civil rights movements in Mississippi after the Voting Rights Act of 1965. First, quantitative county-level data will be used to examine the movement's impact on electoral politics, primary and secondary educational institutions and social services. Second, an intensive examination of three communities will be conducted through archival research and informant interviews. This will be used to further elaborate and develop the quantitative analysis. The research will increase our understanding of the role of social movements in political and social change and the outcomes of such movements.
