As a book blogger, I’m excited to share some of the most fascinating books on modern African American history. These writings have recast the civil rights movement as an expansive freedom struggle with visionary goals that went beyond domestic legal battles and had global significance. Rather than assuming that this militancy was orchestrated by Martin Luther King Jr., contemporary historians have increasingly focused on the grassroots leaders who spearheaded local struggles for black advancement. They demonstrate that leaders of national civil rights groups had little control over the sustained protest campaigns that took place after World War II, and even King had difficulty keeping up with the tumultuous protests that occurred in Southern communities during the 1960s. If you’re interested in learning more about this important period in history, I highly recommend checking out these books!