The Ticket to Freedom
The Ticket to Freedom
The NAACP and the Struggle for Black Political Integration
"Outstanding. . . . Great history and a great story."—St. Petersburg Times "A clear and thought-provoking assessment of the organization’s accomplishments during its first sixty years."—Louisiana History "An outstanding analysis of both the NAACP and the ongoing struggle for the right to vote."—American Historical Review "[Berg] directs this work to scholars and general readers in an effort to correct what he views as the underrating of the contributions of the NAACP to American racial equality. . . . Berg details the growth of the NAACP, its successes and failures, and the major figures who helped advance the NAACP, including W. E. B. Dubois, Thurgood Marshall, Moorfield Storey, Walter White, and Oswald Garrison Villard."—Booklist "The NAACP is regarded as an old-fashioned, conservative, and even “Uncle Tom' organization by some, . . . [Berg] argues that the association’s often conservative aims have to be seen in the context of particular moments in time and the nature of the leadership itself. "—American Studies "Berg’s narrative style is fluid and compelling, revealing a resourceful and dynamic organization which has done much to open up the electoral process to greater black participation."—AfroAmericanHeritage.com Focusing on the NAACP’s campaign for voting rights, Manfred Berg challenges the legalistic and bureaucratic image of the NAACP and reveals a resourceful, dynamic, and politically astute organization that did much to open up the electoral process to greater black participation.
Berg convincingly argues that the NAACP had an acute sense of political realism, and that its pursuit of political influence through the ballot paid off handsomely. Rebutting many of the common criticisms of the organization, he places the NAACP where it belongs—at the center of the struggle for black equality.’—Adam Fairclough, University of East Anglia‘This is a first-rate contribution to the study of civil rights in the United States. It is a thorough, clearly written, and meticulously researched analysis of the NAACP’s political activities from its inception through the civil rights movement.’—David Goldfield, University of North Carolina, Charlotte
Manfred Berg is executive director of the Center for U.S. Studies at the Leucorea Foundation of the Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Germany.
