Date of Graduation
8-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in History (PhD)
Degree Level
Graduate
Department
History
Advisor/Mentor
White, Calvin Jr.
Committee Member
Banton, Caree A.
Second Committee Member
Whayne, Jeannie M.
Keywords
African American; Civil rights; Nonviolence; Northern Ireland
Abstract
In the wake of the civil rights movement, many activists abroad looked to the US as an example of nonviolent action and moral leadership against oppression, even as the US used ideas of nonviolent action from other international movements. One such civil rights movement occurred in Northern Ireland during the 1960s and 1970s and can be used as a lens for understanding the international influence of the African American freedom struggle. As activists abroad looked to the nonviolent tactics of the US civil rights movement as an inspiration and example, a transatlantic connection emerged between the Catholic minority community in Northern Ireland and African Americans. Northern Irish activists drew parallels between their struggle and that of African Americans, adopting protest methods like marches and sit-ins to challenge institutional discrimination. African American activists and organizations like the NAACP expressed solidarity, traveling to Northern Ireland to meet with civil rights leaders. This exchange highlights the resonance and reach of Black activism, as marginalized groups adapted protest strategies across borders. Utilizing multi-archival research and oral histories, this project explores how nonviolent action traveled between the US and Northern Ireland. It reveals divisions within both movements, as well as the power of transnational solidarity in the pursuit of civil rights. Ultimately, it illuminates the international dimensions of the African American freedom struggle and its role in inspiring peaceful resistance against oppression worldwide.
Citation
Cooke, J. (2024). The Spread And Interpretation Of Nonviolent Ideas From America To Northern Ireland During The Civil Rights Era. Graduate Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/5436
