Cooperating with the Enemy

In modern American politics, perhaps no two groups have been considered so opposed to one another in terms of philosophy and priorities as much as the Reagan Administration and civil rights leaders. And yet both were far more engaged with one another than either the public understood at the time or the current historical narrative suggests. Cooperating with the Enemy: Civil Rights Leaders and the Reagan Administration will be the first book to explore this dynamic relationship and its outcomes. While it varied depending on the context, both groups spent a considerable amount of time behind-the-scenes seeking to work with one another despite their often conflicting priorities and political views. The degree of dialogue, outreach, and influence between the two groups was also more mutually beneficial than has been acknowledged. All of this is not to say that the feats came easy or without struggle. Nor is it to suggest that both sides were always victorious. This book will argue that despite the limits, there are valuable lessons that we can learn from this complex relationship between groups that often appeared to be enemies from the inside and the outside. In these times of hyper-partisanship and political divide, there is a great need to find lessons on the importance of effectively communicating and cooperating to create positive social change. If civil rights leaders and the Reagan Administration were able to find ways to make it happen perhaps there is hope more of us today can, too.