An Introduction to Southern Legislative Coalitions

Abstract

Introduces this investigation of legislative coalitions in AK, FL, GA, MI, & TX over the last two decades of the 20th century, analyzing the political culture of each of these states separately & in a final combined analysis with the remaining southern states: AL, LA, NC, SC, TN, & VA. The overall goal is to determine whether the "descriptive representation" of African Americans in state assemblies & local governments during this period correlated with actual "substantive representation" of African American interests. Previous studies of representation in the US Congress & state legislatures is reviewed, & the design of the current research is outlined. Analysis includes (1) the growth of African-American representation in each legislative chamber, 1980-2000; (2) committee leadership (chairpersonships) for each state in 2000; & (3) roll-call voting on key policy issues of concern to African Americans. K. Hyatt Stewart