Street protest, not elections or traditional leadership, forced Ferguson reforms.

Evidence

The protests in the streets of Ferguson disrupted the status quo and dramatically affected the lives of the people who live there. Some condemned the sporadic violence and challenged the effectiveness of constant demonstrations. They urged the protesters to channel their rage and turn to the ballot box. But the protests had a measurable effect. These young people exposed the predatory practices of the municipal government. The city manager and the chief of police have resigned. Police tickets have decreased. The Missouri Supreme Court called for the immediate transfer of all Ferguson municipal cases to St. Louis County. This didn’t happen because of an election; it wasn’t the result of aligning the demonstrations with the Democratic Party. Nor did it happen because of traditional black leadership. — Eddie S. Glaude Jr., Democracy in Black, 603

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the reader’s earlier work on sacrifice and ritual disruption — street protest as a ‘switch the tracks’ moment reminiscent of how sacrificial politics reorders hierarchy.