The signals from minority protest have become weaker and more dispersed throughout the nation. As the context of minority protest has changed over time, so too have national political institutions transformed since the 1960s. Congress in particular has experienced a significant change in the demographic makeup of elected representatives. The early 1970s ushered in a wave of black and Latino legislators, many of whom emerged from the protest activities of the 1960s. The two major political parties also grew in importance and began exercising more influence over their representatives in Congress, pushing members to make stronger appeals to racial and ethnic minority voters. These changes created an environment in which minority protest appeals, though declining in salience, nonetheless retained strong potential to resonate.

As the “people’s institution” of government, Congress is the branch perhaps most apt to be responsive to the political actions of engaged citizens. However, it can be difficult to assess congressional responsiveness. The LA riots of 1992 and the subsequent governmental response by Representative Maxine Waters demonstrate that protest conveys information to representatives at both district and national levels. As this case study will suggest, it is the protests that originate within a given representative’s district that are the true catalysts for changing the behavior of congressional leaders, as opposed to those occurring elsewhere.