ABSTRACT
As Black elected officials have moved up in numbers and have amassed more leadership clout in government, an important question that has emerged is, are they as passionately committed to the Black political agenda as they once were? Incorporation, I contend, is a two-sided, dynamic process. As Blacks have entered into politics to change the policies of this nation, they themselves have undergone change as legislators. Through incorporation, Black legislative leaders have become less radical and more pragmatic. By less radical, I mean that Black legislators are less likely to challenge party and Democratic presidential leadership through ideological debate. They are less likely to vote as a united liberal faction on the floor against party and presidential leadership as well.
