"A strong and well-informed set of reviews of efforts and achievements of African Americans and their political allies across the broadest spectrum of arenas of government."--Rufus P. Browning, San Francisco State University"Useful for undergraduate courses in black politics and American politics."--Jennifer L. Hochschild, Princeton UniversityThese essays offer a current and comprehensive analysis of black politics and its impact at the national level on the American political system. Whether analyzing the Supreme Court, interest groups, public policy, the Congressional Black Caucus, or political attitudes and behavior, these essays demonstrate that African Americans participate in national politics in a substantial way, and that they have done so in a manner consistent with pluralist theory. However, they have been less active in executive policy making, and this trend is also explored and analyzed.ContentsINTRODUCTIONBlack Politics in the United States, by Huey L. Perry and Wayne ParentA Theoretical Analysis of National Black Politics in the United States, by Huey L. PerryBLACK POLITICAL ATTITUDES, BEHAVIOR, AND PARTICIPATIONBlack Political Attitudes and Behavior in the 1990s, by Wayne Parent and Paul SteklerJesse Jackson's Campaigns for the Presidency: A Comparison of the 1984 and 1988 Democratic Primaries, by Mfanya Donald TrymanBLACKS AND NATIONAL INSTITUTIONSBlacks and Presidential Politics, by Henry B. SirgoBlacks and the National Executive Branch, by Huey L. Perry, Tracey Ambeau, and Frederick McBrideThe Evolving Congressional Black Caucus: The Reagan-Bush Years, by Richard Champagne and Leroy N. RieselbachThe Supreme Court, African Americans, and Public Policy: Changes and Transformations, by Michael W. CombsBLACKS AND NATIONAL PUBLIC POLICYBlack Interest Groups and the 1982 Extension of the Voting Rights Act, by Dianne M. PinderhughesBudgets, Taxes, and Politics: Options for African-American Politics, by Lenneal J. Henderson, Jr.SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONSThe State of Black Politics in the United States and Implications for the Future, by Huey L. Perry and Wayne ParentHuey L. Perry is dean of the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs and professor of political science at Southern University, Baton Rouge.Wayne Parent is associate professor of political science at Louisiana State University."

Foreword by: Rufus P. Browning