Dianne Pinderhughes is Professor of Political Science and Afro-American Studies and Research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Well before the American Revolution, while still enslaved, African Americans were banding together in organizations for religious and educational purposes. As the country matured, these organizations continued to provide support to a beleaguered community. Dianne Pinderhughes describes this history and the role these groups – churches, sororities, and clubs – played in the civil rights revolution of the 20th century.