Saul Alinsky

Father of modern community organizing who empowered marginalized groups through radical activism strategies

Saul Alinsky (1909-1972) revolutionized social activism with methods that inspired civil rights and labor movements. His 1971 book Rules for Radicals became the playbook for grassroots organizing, teaching tactics like 'power analysis' and 'targeting symbolic issues'.

Alinsky's Industrial Areas Foundation (1940) trained organizers to challenge institutional racism in Chicago. He famously helped African American residents confront discriminatory housing policies through the Woodlawn Organization. President Obama and Hillary Clinton both studied his methods.

Controversial for advocating confrontation, Alinsky believed 'the only way to upset the power structure is to goad them into making mistakes'. His legacy lives on in groups like Black Lives Matter and climate justice movements. The Alinsky Institute continues teaching his 'mass organizing for power' principles to activists worldwide.