Operation Breadbasket : An Untold Story of Civil Rights in Chicago, 1966–1971

This is the first full history of Operation Breadbasket, the interfaith economic justice program that transformed into Jesse Jackson’s Operation PUSH (now the Rainbow PUSH Coalition). Begun by Martin Luther King Jr. during the 1966 Chicago Freedom Movement, Breadbasket was directed by Jackson. Author Martin L. Deppe was one of Breadbasket’s founding pastors. He digs deeply into the program’s past to update the meager narrative about Breadbasket, add details to King’s and Jackson’s roles, and tell Breadbasket’s little-known story. Under the motto “Your Ministers Fight for Jobs and Rights,” the program put bread on the tables of the city’s African American families in the form of steady jobs. Deppe details how Breadbasket used the power of the pulpit to persuade businesses that sought black dollars to also employ a fair share of blacks. Though they favored negotiations, Breadbasket pastors also organized effective boycotts, as they did after one manager declared that he was “not about to let Negro preachers tell him what to do.” Over six years, Breadbasket’s efforts netted forty-five hundred jobs and sharply increased commerce involving black-owned businesses. Economic gains on Chicago’s South Side amounted to $57.5 million annually by 1971. Deppe traces Breadbasket’s history from its early “Don’t Buy” campaigns through a string of achievements related to black employment and black-owned products, services, and businesses. To the emerging call for black power, Bread­basket offered a program that actually empowered the black community, helping it engage the mainstream economic powers on an equal footing. Deppe recounts plans for Breadbasket’s national expansion; its sponsored business expos; and the Saturday Breadbasket gatherings, a hugely popular black-pride forum. Deppe shows how the program evolved in response to growing pains, changing alliances, and the King assassination. Breadbasket’s rich history, as told here, offers a still-viable model for attaining economic justice today. Operation Breadbasket Is A Narrative Of The Southern Christian Leadership Conference's Operation Breadbasket, 1966-1971, An Economic Empowerment Project That Martin Luther King Jr Brought To Chicago As Part Of The Chicago Freedom Movement. Rev. Martin L. Deppe Was A Founding And Active Member Of Breadbasket's Steering Committee Throughout The Life Of This Program. Using The Power Of The Pulpit To Galvanize Consumer Support Including Occasional Economic Withdrawal (don't Buy) Efforts, The Participating Ministers, The Project Negotiated For A Fair Share Of Jobs In The African American Community Of Chicago, And In Time Added Products And Services Originating From That Community. By The End Of Six Years, Breadbasket's Fifteen Covenants With Milk, Soft Drink, Chain Store And Other Consumer-oriented Industries, Brought Approximately $57 Million Dollars Of New Income Into The Black Community Annually. The Program Ended When The Project's National Director, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Resigned In December 1971, And Essentially Took The Program Out Of Sclc Into His Own Operation Push, Later Rainbow Push. This Book Is Both A History Of Operation Breadbasket, And A Memoir Of Life In It As Written By One Of Breadbasket's Most Active Participants. Deppe Uses His Extensive Files--steering Committee Minutes, Memoranda, Brochures, Letters, Sermonic Material, Chicago Defender Archives, Colleagues' Files--along With Extensive New Research, Including Interviews With Several Surviving Participants.--provided By Publisher. The Team -- Early Campaigns -- Evolving Campaigns -- Expansion -- Interruption -- Breaking The Chains -- The Hunger Campaign -- Proliferation -- Internal Issues -- Decline And Transformation -- Afterword -- Operation Breadbasket Chronology -- Operation Breadbasket Organizational Charts -- Appendixes -- Operation Breadbasket Steering Committee -- Breadbasket Business Division -- Covenant Between Sclc Operation Breadbasket And The Chicago Unit, Great A&p Tea Company. Martin L. Deppe ; Foreword By James R. Ralph, Jr. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 219-249) And Index.

This is the first full history of Operation Breadbasket, the interfaith economic justice program that transformed into Jesse Jackson's Operation PUSH (now the Rainbow PUSH Coalition). Begun by Martin Luther King Jr. during the 1966 Chicago Freedom Movement, Breadbasket was directed by Jackson. Author Martin L. Deppe was one of Breadbasket's founding pastors. He digs deeply into the program's past to update the meager narrative about Breadbasket, add details to King's and Jackson's roles, and tell Breadbasket's little-known story.

Under the motto "Your Ministers Fight for Jobs and Rights," the program put bread on the tables of the city's African American families in the form of steady jobs. Deppe details how Breadbasket used the power of the pulpit to persuade businesses that sought black dollars to also employ a fair share of blacks. Though they favored negotiations, Breadbasket pastors also organized effective boycotts, as they did after one manager declared that he was "not about to let Negro preachers tell him what to do." Over six years, Breadbasket's efforts netted forty-five hundred jobs and sharply increased commerce involving black-owned businesses. Economic gains on Chicago's South Side amounted to $57.5 million annually by 1971.

Deppe traces Breadbasket's history from its early "Don't Buy" campaigns through a string of achievements related to black employment and black-owned products, services, and businesses. To the emerging call for black power, Bread­basket offered a program that actually empowered the black community, helping it engage the mainstream economic powers on an equal footing. Deppe recounts plans for Breadbasket's national expansion; its sponsored business expos; and the Saturday Breadbasket gatherings, a hugely popular black-pride forum. Deppe shows how the program evolved in response to growing pains, changing alliances, and the King assassination. Breadbasket's rich history, as told here, offers a still-viable model for attaining economic justice today.

"Operation Breadbasket is a narrative of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference's Operation Breadbasket, 1966-1971, an economic empowerment project that Martin Luther King Jr brought to Chicago as part of the Chicago Freedom Movement. Rev. Martin L. Deppe was a founding and active member of Breadbasket's steering committee throughout the life of this program. Using the power of the pulpit to galvanize consumer support including occasional economic withdrawal ("Don't Buy") efforts, the participating ministers, the project negotiated for a fair share of jobs in the African American community of Chicago, and in time added products and services originating from that community. By the end of six years, Breadbasket's fifteen "covenants" with milk, soft drink, chain store and other consumer-oriented industries, brought approximately $57 million dollars of new income into the black community annually. The program ended when the project's national director, Rev. Jesse Jackson, resigned in December 1971, and essentially took the program out of SCLC into his own Operation PUSH, later Rainbow PUSH. This book is both a history of Operation Breadbasket, and a memoir of life in it as written by one of Breadbasket's most active participants. Deppe uses his extensive files ... steering committee minutes, memoranda, brochures, letters, sermonic material, Chicago Defender archives, colleagues' files ... along with extensive new research, including interviews with several surviving participants." ... Provided by publisher