This new edition, available in paperback for the first time, has been revised specifically with classroom use in mind. The introductory chapters tell of the outrage and outcry caused by the slave trade and slavery, and the transformation of this dissatisfaction into a social movement. Chapters 4 through 8 present information designed to substantiate the fact that there has been significant positive change in the resources of black Americans over time. Chapter 9 discusses two important elements that have been instrumental in initiating and accelerating the rate of gain to black Americans: a new pride in blackness and the decline of colonialism. Chapter 10 analyzes the relevance of Marxism, which has continually utilized the grievances of black Americans for the specific interest of a general proletarian rise to power in the society. The final chapter assesses the meaning of a distinctively black agenda for change in the wider society.