ABSTRACT
This chapter continues the examination of the US racial/ethnic history by looking at minority group activism to demand equality through a sociological lens. A sociological approach to social movements includes distinguishing social movements from episodes of collective behavior and understanding the social, cultural, and historical conditions that facilitate activism. Key social movement organizations, strategies and tactics of the post–World War II minority protest movements, including the civil rights movement, American Indian mobilization, Chicano activism, and Asian American activism are introduced, including an exploration of the significant roles women and college students played in all of these movements. Finally, this chapter covers current activism, including the Black Lives Matter movement, Native American protests at Standing Rock, and the Say Her Name movement.
