Date of Award

1993

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

First Advisor

Michael Castro

Second Advisor

Michael Kramer

Third Advisor

Hal Zimmerman

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to study the influence of race in the process for election and selection of candidates for city wide offices in St. Louis and Kansas City.

The data for this analysis includes census statistics and election results in the cities of St. Louis and Kansas City. In addition, I have examined campaign finance reports, official government reports and manuals, writings of experts in the field of race and politics and other research sources documented in my citations, tables, illustrations and bibliography, as well as interviews with African-Americans holding public offices and local experts in the field.

Analysis of these materials has led the writer to conclude that racial polarization in politics is extreme in the major urban areas of Missouri and hampers African-American access to public office. However, despite the high level of polarization, it is the author's view that political leadership can take advantage of that polarization to form effective biracial coalitions which result in election of African-Americans to political office. Such elections give white voters a greater exposure to black public office holders, reducing racial animosity and distrust, thus minimizing and softening the polarization of the races and allowing voters to vote for candidates based on the content of their character rather than on the color of their skin.

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