This study calls into question the current wisdom in the political trust literature maintaining that trust in government, for all citizens, represents satisfaction with short-term political and policy performance and does not affect political participation. I argue, first, that the sources of political trust among African Americans are distinct from those of Whites: Trust among African Americans follows more from racial group consciousness than from short-term political and policy evaluations. Second, I argue that lack of trust among African Americans is associated with a greater propensity to engage in protest types of participation. The findings support these hypotheses and suggest that lack of trust among Blacks represents displeasure with the political system.
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