The Detroit Rebellion As A Social Movement Analysis

Although the Detroit rebellion in 1967 brought to light many adverse societal conditions facing African American families, I do not believe these acts qualified this rebellion as a social movement. According to Blau and Abramovitz (2014, pg. 200) a modern social movement includes not only collective action among individuals challenging prevailing social norms, but also the presence of formal organization, funding, access to the political process, a degree of longevity and resulting in ongoing long-lived tension . I would argue that the 1967 Detroit rebellion had some aspects of the above mentioned social movement definition, such as, a number of people responding collectively to challenge current negative norms towards African American families as well as great unresolved historical tension between the African American and White

communities.

Report of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders (1968, pg. 8) indicated that “Disorder did not erupt as a result of a single triggering incident. Instead, it was generated out of an increasingly disturbed social atmosphere…” However, with that being said, the 1967 rebellion was missing a few key factors to qualify it as a social movement, such as, formal organization, funding to support its efforts, political access, longevity and frankly there were no identified “asks” or stated outcomes in regards to this social uprising. It appears that an incident occurred and a social outcry of the mistreatment of African American individuals started because the community had finally had enough. Report of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders (1968, pg. 8) also found no evidence that the incidents were planned or directed by any organization, further confirming that this does not meet social movement

criteria.
As far as the topic of continuing to provide free birth control as a public health policy, there are currently no social movements in process. However, that’s not to say that there has never been a social movement in regards to birth control. The original birth control social movement occurred from 1914-1945 as a means to provide contraception to women in a society who saw these methods as obscene. (Birth Control in the United States, 2017) Many efforts, pioneered by Margaret Sanger including, creating a newsletter discussing birth control, opening two birth control clinics (one of which was shut down immediately and cost her time in jail) and incorporating birth control into medical school curriculums occurred during this social movement. (Birth Control in the United States, 2017). This movement resulted in societal views of birth control shifting from obscene to regarding the option as a public health issue. As for the current day policy in question of free birth control, I believe that there isn’t a social movement as of yet due to the fact that individuals are still able to obtain birth control without cost. If policy changes that would affect access to birth control based on cost implications, then the start of a social movement may form, but because there is no immediate ramifications as of yet the social outcry, leading to collective action has not yet occurred.
I believe social movements are a successful means to accomplishing social change in social policy, especially concerning low income individuals, because of the opportunity the social movement provides for those with less individual influence. Blau and Abramovitz (2014, pg. 221) discuss the class conflict within our society and state, “Social movements appear when subordinate groups decide that authorities have appropriated an unfair share of societal status, privilege, wealth or power.” I’m not alluding that social movements only work for those without privilege or status, but stating that social movements provide an avenue to express dissatisfaction and mistreatment of societal norms by those who would have not had the opportunity to do so otherwise. I do believe social movements take time, effort, sacrifice and longstanding commitment, but overall move the needle towards equality and truly impact societal changes for the better.