Grassroots Activism: What is it?

Grassroots Activism: What is it?

By Brian K. Leonard - April 26, 2023

The term [grassroots] has been used in various instances for activists today. But what is the definition of Grassroots activism? Grassroots activism is not new, and it has meant different things at different points throughout history. This is largely due to references to the term grassroots in the political circles of the early 1900’s. While grassroots movements historically have often been associated with political rights, since the modern Civil Rights Movement in the U. S., grassroots has become synonymous with fighting for civil rights and social justice on behalf or racial minorities, African Americans or other racial or ethnic groups. In particular various campaigns of the Civil Rights Movement may be characterized as “grassroots.” For instance, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., wrote about the influence of mass marching on the Civil Rights Movement, and the method of nonviolence: “[w]hat lobbying and imploring could not do in legislative halls, marching feet accomplished a thousand miles away.[ King, Dr. Martin, L., Where do we go from Here? Chaos or Community? (Beacon Press, 1968) p. 18.]”

As Dr. King’s quote suggests, grassroots activism involves mass action primarily by those that are outside of the political or social establishment or institution that seeks to make change to the institution or system. In addition, grassroots activism can refer to change being implemented at the community or local level. However, merely getting started at the local or community level does not prohibit a grassroots movement from spreading nationally or creating a larger impact. The modern Civil Rights Movement is a perfect example of this idea. By the same token, a national movement can also be characterized as grass roots.

Today, the term generally refers to activists in their community, outside of the structures of power, attempting to change their circumstances or conditions from the bottom-up rather than from the top-down. As history indicates, grassroots activism, can be a very useful starting place or launching point for an activist to get started. This is because it allows an activist to really connect with the people, issue, or cause that they are fighting for. Thus, it is important for an activists or activists-to-be to learn about and from grassroots activism.

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