Polite Protest: The Political Economy of Race in Indianapolis, 1920-1970

This history of the black community of Indianapolis in the 20th century focuses on methods of political action—protracted negotiations, interracial coalitions, petition, and legal challenge—employed to secure their civil rights. These methods of "polite protest" set Indianapolis apart from many Northern cities. Richard B. Pierce looks at how the black community worked to alter the political and social culture of Indianapolis. As local leaders became concerned with the city's image, black le...