"A Fascinating Parallel": African American Responses to the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Movement

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This paper examines African American responses to the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Movement from 1968 to the mid-1970s. While scholars have documented how American civil rights activism inspired movements abroad, little attention has been paid to how African Americans themselves viewed these international adaptations. Through analysis of press coverage, organizational papers, and transnational activism, this research demonstrates that African Americans viewed Northern Ireland's struggle as part of a similar movement despite racial differences. The paper reveals these attitudes, illuminating internal divisions within the American civil rights movement while raising questions about cross-racial solidarity.