Examining the Political Opportunity Structure Through a Case Study of Willie Dell, African American City Councilwoman

Data regarding the involvement of trained African American women social workers in the political arena is typically found among those who occupy positions at the national level in the United States Congress. However, African American women have been engaged with their localities to effectuate change for decades, as Willie Jones Dell broke a barrier in the city of Richmond, Virginia in 1973, becoming the first African American woman on City Council. This historiography examines, the opportunity structure as a mechanism by which leaders create pathways to political leadership in sponsoring successors who demonstrates leadership on grassroots levels. This analysis provides a model for examining how Black women social workers may enter the opportunity structure to politically serve their communities, as in the case of social work pioneer Willie Jones Dell.