What is it about?
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference depended on donations. Prior to 1963 these were small scale. This article explains how fund-raising changed at that point building on the huge publicity associated with the Birmingham demonstration, but stressing that it was not automatic. SCLC had to work to raise money.
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Why is it important?
The task of fund-raising in social movements is under-explored. SCLC experimented with important formats like direct mail, local rallies, and benefit events. It used these to capitalize on high profile media coverage in 1963. The money raised transformed the organization enabling it to hire staff and do more things.
Perspectives
The article is based on a quantitative examination of the financial records of the SCLC which are most complete for 1963. It illustrates that charismatic leadership is not enough on its own. It can help other work.
Emeritus Professor Peter John Ling
University of Nottingham
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Backing Dr King: the financial transformation of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1963, The Sixties, December 2012, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.1080/17541328.2012.721585.
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