Seeds of change: the untold story of ACORN, America's most controversial antipoverty community organizing group

"There is more value on a single page of Seeds of Change than in a year's worth of Rush Limbaugh screeds combined with a lifetime of Sarah Palin sneers at community organizers." —Todd Gitlin Seeds of Change goes beyond the headlines of the last Presidential campaign to describe what really happened in ACORN's massive voter registration drives, why it triggered an unrelenting attack by Fox News and the Republican Party, and how it confronted its internal divisions and scandals. Based on Atlas's own eyewitness original reporting, as the only journalist to have access to ACORN's staff and board meetings, this book documents the critical transition from founder Wade Rathke, a white New Orleans radical to Bertha Lewis, a Brooklyn African American activist. The story begins in the 1970s, when a small group of young men and women, led by a charismatic college dropout, began a quest to help the powerless help themselves. In a tale full of unusual characters and dramatic conflicts, the book follows the ups and downs of ACORN's organizers and members as they confront big corporations and unresponsive government officials in Albuquerque, Brooklyn, Chicago, Detroit, Little Rock, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and the Twin Cities. The author follows the course of local and national campaigns to organize unions, fight the subprime mortgage crisis, promote living wages for working people, struggle for affordable housing and against gentrification, and help Hurricane Katrina's survivors return to New Orleans. The book dispels the conservative myth that we can only help the poor through private soup kitchens and charity and the liberal myth that the solution rests simply with more government services. Seeds of Change , not only provides a gripping look at ACORN's four decades of effective organizing, but also offers a hopeful analysis of the potential for a revival of real American democracy. An offering of The Progressive Book Club. From The Publisher: Seeds Of Change Goes Beyond The Headlines Of The Last Presidential Campaign To Describe What Really Happened In Acorn's Massive Voter Registration Drives, Why It Triggered An Unrelenting Attack By Fox News And The Republican Party, And How It Confronted Its Internal Divisions And Scandals. Based On Atlas's Own Eyewitness Original Reporting, As The Only Journalist To Have Access To Acorn's Staff And Board Meetings, This Book Documents The Critical Transition From Founder Wade Rathke, A White New Orleans Radical To Bertha Lewis, A Brooklyn African American Activist. The Story Begins In The 1970s, When A Small Group Of Young Men And Women, Led By A Charismatic College Dropout, Began A Quest To Help The Powerless Help Themselves. In A Tale Full Of Unusual Characters And Dramatic Conflicts, The Book Follows The Ups And Downs Of Acorn's Organizers And Members As They Confront Big Corporations And Unresponsive Government Officials In Albuquerque, Brooklyn, Chicago, Detroit, Little Rock, New Orleans, Philadelphia, And The Twin Cities. The Author Follows The Course Of Local And National Campaigns To Organize Unions, Fight The Subprime Mortgage Crisis, Promote Living Wages For Working People, Struggle For Affordable Housing And Against Gentrification, And Help Hurricane Katrina's Survivors Return To New Orleans. The Book Dispels The Conservative Myth That We Can Only Help The Poor Through Private Soup Kitchens And Charity And The Liberal Myth That The Solution Rests Simply With More Government Services. Seeds Of Change, Not Only Provides A Gripping Look At Acorn's Four Decades Of Effective Organizing, But Also Offers A Hopeful Analysis Of The Potential For A Revival Of Real American Democracy. List Of Illustrations -- Preface -- Introduction -- 1: Wade Rathke And The Roots Of Acorn -- 2: Stepping Onto A Larger Stage -- 3: Acorn's Model T -- 4: Innovation Of Electoral Politics -- 5: Organizing A Union In The Hood -- 6: Partnering With The Enemy -- 7: Urban Homesteading -- 8: Political Ground Shifts --9: New York: A New Model -- 10: Living Wage -- 11: Never Borrow Money Needlessly: Acorn And The Subprime Crisis -- 12: Acorn's Family Party -- 13: Atlantic Yards, The Nets, And The Battle Of Brooklyn -- 14: Then, Overnight, It Is Washed Away -- 15: Rich Gumbo -- 16: Right To Vote -- 17: Growing Pains -- 18: Prostitute And The Assault -- Epilogue: Progressive Social Movement -- Appendix A: Finding And Developing Leaders -- Appendix B: Running Voter-registration Campaigns -- Acknowledgments -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index. John Atlas. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 307-323) And Index. "There is more value on a single page of Seeds of Changethan in a year's worth of Rush Limbaugh screeds combined with alifetime of Sarah Palin sneers at community organizers." --ToddGitlin Seeds of Change goes beyond the headlines of thelast Presidential campaign to describe what really happened inACORN's massive voter registration drives, why it triggered anunrelenting attack by Fox News and the Republican Party, and how itconfronted its internal divisions and scandals. Based on Atlas'sown eyewitness original reporting, as the only journalist to haveaccess to ACORN's staff and board meetings, this book documents thecritical transition from founder Wade Rathke, a white New Orleansradical to Bertha Lewis, a Brooklyn African American activist. Thestory begins in the 1970s, when a small group of young men andwomen, led by a charismatic college dropout, began a quest to helpthe powerless help themselves. In a tale full of unusual charactersand dramatic conflicts, the book follows the ups and downs ofACORN's organizers and members as they confront big corporationsand unresponsive government officials in Albuquerque, Brooklyn,Chicago, Detroit, Little Rock, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and theTwin Cities. The author follows the course of local and nationalcampaigns to organize unions, fight the subprime mortgage crisis,promote living wages for working people, struggle for affordablehousing and against gentrification, and help Hurricane Katrina'ssurvivors return to New Orleans. The book dispels the conservativemyth that we can only help the poor through private soup kitchensand charity and the liberal myth that the solution rests simplywith more government services. Seeds of Change, not onlyprovides a gripping look at ACORN's four decades of effectiveorganizing, but also offers a hopeful analysis of the potential fora revival of real American democracy.

An offering of The Progressive Book Club.