Nichter Publishes Article on Civil Rights Movement
Sociology professor Matt Nichter recently published an article in Critical Historical Studies, a journal produced by the University of Chicago Press.
By Office of Marketing
June 01, 2023
In his article, “From the Ashes of the Old: The Old Left and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, 1957-1965,” sociology professor Matt Nichter examines how the socialist milieu of the 1930s and ’40s shaped the African American civil rights movement of the ’50s and ’60s. With the goal of redeeming the “soul of America” through nonviolent resistance, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was established in 1957 under the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. to coordinate the action of local protest groups throughout the South.
Nichter explains how during the Jim Crow era, supporters of segregation insisted that Black protesters were being manipulated by communists as part of an elaborate conspiracy to destroy America. Although these were absurd accusations, they led many civil rights activists to hide or downplay their connections to the socialist movement.
Nichter shows that several notable figures in SCLC were indeed socialists, including Dr. King himself. The article also presents new findings on the early activism of Rev. Joseph Lowery, Rev. C.T. Vivian, and many other seminal civil rights leaders.
In courses like Black Lives Matter and The Civil Rights Movement and Black Freedom Struggle, Nichter highlights the diversity and complexity of past social movements and encourages his students to think about the roles they might play in current and future anti-racist movements.
- Categories:
- Sociology |
- Faculty |
- Highlights
Recent Stories
December 19, 2025
Magic Makers
Every ride, show, and spark of wonder at Disney, Universal, and SeaWorld begins with a great idea, and often, a Rollins graduate. From engineers and marketers to product developers and producers, our alumni are defining what’s next for the theme-park entertainment industry that fuels Central Florida and delights the world.
December 19, 2025
Bradshaw ’18 ’20MBA ’24DBA Earns Award from PRSA Orlando
Assistant Dean of the Hamilton Holt School Doragnes Bradshaw ’18 ’20MBA ’24DBA earned PRSA Orlando’s President’s Award for Distinguished Service.
December 19, 2025
What I’ve Learned: Gaileon Thompson ’01 ’03MBA
How Gaileon Thompson ’01 ’03MBA built a leadership career in finance—starting with a second chance at Rollins.