Joan Charles

Ella Baker and the Sncc: Grassroots Leadership and Political Activism in a Nonhierarchical Organization Joan Charles

She did not seek credit for what she did, but she received gratification from witnessing people who enjoyed seeing others grow and emerge into leaders. She was a visionary leader. She created a new story, one not known to individuals before and achieved success in conveying this story effectively to others. This historical case study examined political activism and social movements as they relate to the life of Ella Baker and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in order to describe non-positional, grassroots leadership within a nonhierarchical organization that created social change in America. An examination of the life of Ella Baker and the organizational structure of the SNCC showed how women and men used non- traditional leadership roles to create, build, and maintain the momentum of a mass movement. The study describes the leadership style of Ella Baker and the SNCC, thereby giving an alternative leadership style for schools and other organizations that are interested in restructuring their organizations to include full participation of all members.