by Brian Dooley (Author)
Ties between political activists in black America and Ireland span several centuries, from the days of the days of the slave trade to the close links between Frederick Douglass and Daniel O'Connell, and between Marcus Garvey and Eamon de Valera. This timely study traces those historic associations and examples how the struggle for black civil rights in America helped shape the campaign against discrimination in Northern Ireland. Brian Dooley focuses on the connections that were made in the 1960s as civil rights protesters in Northern Ireland drew inspiration for their struggle from the civil rights campaigns in the American South. He examines how Irish protesters forged links with the radical Black Panther Party and how the tactics of non-violent marches and sit-ins were adopted . This is a fascinating study which demonstrates how protesters in Northern Ireland - then and now - openly acknowledge the extent to which their battles against discrimination have been influenced by the American struggle for civil rights.
Author Biography
Brian Dooley is Director of Communications for Public Citizen, a non-profit advocacy organization in Washington DC, and is author of a critical study of Robert Kennedy, published by Keele University Press in 1995. He has worked for the BBC in Africa and for Amnesty International in London, and writes for the British press on US and Irish affairs.