PROMOTING AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN FOREIGN-POLICY AGENDA - A MUNICIPAL STRATEGY

For as long as people of African descent have lived in the United States, they have been interested in and concerned about international affairs. The interest and areas of focus held by African Americans has not always been shared by the nation's highest policymakers. As a result, a separate African American foreign policy agenda has emerged. One way to promote that agenda, and influence U.S. foreign policy at the national level is through the aggressive use of local government resources, including the power to legislate. This ''municipal foreign policy'' approach has tremendous untapped potential which, the author argues, African American local government officials should use more fully and creatively.