PAF112

Research Paper
Civic Engagement, Identity and Mobilization of
American Descendants of Slavery
(ADOS)

Thomas Caldwell
Introduction

When we were given the theme for our research paper I wanted to look
into something that was going to challenge my viewpoints. I initially looked into
researching the group the “Proud Boys” but as I started looking into them I had to
travel to websites that were too deep and right wing for my comfort. So I decided
to pivot to a topic that I had interest in, but very little knowledge about. I turned to
the group American Descendants of Slavery or ADOS. I chose the ADOS group
because through their recent engagement efforts, they have had an increase in
mobilization and their identity is becoming more prominent to the public eye. In
our course we named three factors that helped to better understand an
organization: their identity, their ability and strategies to mobilize, and their
method of supporting the american democracy.

Identity

The American Descendants of Slavery are a group that was officially

formed in late 2016 by founders Yvette Carnell and Antonio Moore. The duo
started out as podcast hosts that spoke out against the wage gap that has
existed between white and black Americans since the 1960s. The following
began picking up steam when the social media hashtag #ADOS reignited
conversations around what America owed the segment of the population that the
country was built on. While the group was founded in 2016 some of the principles
they champion have been around since the early 1900s with activists such as
Marcus Garvey and Malcome X toting similar requests of black empowerment
and self worth. The basic identity of ADOS is black Americans who are looking
for reparations for all black Americans that are descendants of chattel slaves in
the United States. Another part of their identity uncovers the fact that many black
Americans do not know their ancestory as it equates to Africa and instead only
as far back as the slavery period of North American history. The
acknowledgment of this fact has created a following of what the article “The
Tortured logic of #ADOS” calls “Black Nationalists” or Black Americans who are
anti-immigrant.

Mobilization

The manner in which ADOS has begun to mobilize is similar to what some
other groups today are doing but also different and unique in its own way. The
ADOS movement is relatively new considering it was only founded four years
ago but it seems to have come along at the perfect time for it’s growth. According
to the New York Times article “Deciphering ADOS” the conversation around who
exactly is entitled to reparations is polarising. An ABCNews article about the
group stated that in one week there were over 25,000 online conversations
including the word ADOS with an engagement that reached 56,000. This level of
social media presences is what allowed ADOS to drive their conversation straight
into the 2020 election. The question around reparations and the HR 40 bill were
front and center during the debates. ADOS held its first national conference in
2019 where they came up with a black agenda they call “A New Deal for Black
America”. In this new deal, ADOS voiced concerns and opinions over reparations
but also spread into affirmative action, reinstating voting rights, police reform,
increasing funding for historically black colleges and universities and even
student loan forgiveness. These new collective concerns opened ADOS up to
new members and other groups that support those concerns and in turn are
helping to grow their numbers. According to their website Ados101.com the
group now has a chapter in every major US city and is still growing.
American Democracy

With all the social media engagement I had to search to find out what type
of service ADOS was doing for the community. I found an article in the Atlanta
Journal Constitution that sited how ADOS was now actively engaging the
community. They were now hosting community food drives and voter registration
drives and even marching in the local Martin Luther King Jr parade. Following the
guidelines from our course, ADOS would seem to be fitting into its service role
quiet well. It has social engagement covered with being in and for the community,
but it’s also moving into political engagement. As stated throughout the paper,
ADOS is growing a louder voice to attempt to speak up and have political
influence on the national level. The first start for the group was getting it’s
conversation held at the democratic debate, but according to the Ados101
website they have plans for even greater national attention. I compared ADOS to
the Black Lives Matter movement when it came to their mobilization but I would
compare their political engagement to that of an interest group. ADOS reached
the level yet to sway politics but if their membership base and the conversation
around them continues to grow then they could have a strong future. In their new
deal, ADOS is asking for changes to the census and other major national
questions.

Summary

The members of the American Descendants of Slavery organization have all the
components to be a major organization in the future. The organization is crafting
an identity layered on Black people and their issues and can play a major impact
on the decisions surrounding reparations and the wealth gap. ADOS’s
mobilization measures can lead to massive growth if they continue what they’re
doing, but right now they are still building and crafting their legacy.
Works Cited

American Descendants of Slavery (2020, 8 Dec), ados101.com

“Controversial group ADOS divides black Americans in fight for economic

equality”, (2020, 19, Jan) abc.go.com

Le Roux, K. &Feeney, M. (2014). “Nonprofits and Community Building.”

Nonprofit Organizations and Civil Society in the United States. New York:
Routledge.

“OPINION: Why ADOS is unapologetic in seeking reparations, black agenda”,

(2020, 11, Feb), ajc.com

“Deciphering ADOS: A New Social Movement or Online Trolls?”, (2019, 13, Nov)
nytimes.com