The Dexter Avenue King Memorial Church played an important role in the Civil Rights movement-it was the backbone of the Montgomery bus boycott, which served as a model for other grassroots demonstrations and which also propelled Martin Luther King, Jr. into the national spotlight.
Roberson chronicles five generations in the life of this congregation. He uses it as a lens through which to explore how the church functioned as a formative social, cultural, and political institution within a racially fractured and continually shifting cultural and civil landscape. Roberson highlights some of the prominent figures associated with the church, such as Martin Luther King, Jr., as well as some of the less prominent figures--for example the many women whose organizational efforts sustained the church.

1 Called to Freedom, 1865-1905 2 Workers that Needeth not be Ashamed, 1905-1916 3 Waiting for a New Day, 1916-1948 4 A Prophet Hath Been among Them, 1948-1954 5 The Substance of Things Hoped For, 1954-1960 6 Still a Plentiful Harvest, 1960-1977 Conclusion: Fighting the Good Fight

Houston Bryan Roberson is Associate Professor of History at The University of the South. He is the co-editor of Teaching the American Civil Rights Movement (Routledge, 2002).