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Chapter 3: 

Application of Levels of 

Power and Influence to 

Silver Rights

Coercive Power:

-Sharecropper overseers used threats to get 

workers to comply.

- White citizens tried to scare blacks into staying 

at their own schools.

- Lynchings of black people.

- Sent to jail for protesting.

When an overseer asked Luvenia Carter if she 

replanted the cotton like he asked, and she said no, 

the overseer threatened to go see what Zeke, her 

husband, would do about it. 

Reward Power:

Since the Carters

worked on

a plantation as

sharecroppers,

they were

given a piece

of land to

live on.

Legitimate Power:

Mae Bertha Carter was very supportive of 

Matthew and listened to his leadership since he 

was her husband. They took the same stance on 

issues and created a common perspective. 

Expert Power:

The Carter kids wanted to go to white schools 

because they wanted to be taught by experts.  

They knew there was more potential for a better 

education being taught by teachers at the white 

schools who were very knowledgeable and had 

better resources than those at the black schools.   

Referent Power:

The Carter family

went to the 

church every 

Wednesday night to

hear about 

Martin Luther

King Jr. 

He inspired the 

Carter family

to trust 

and follow 

him.

According to this theory, if the plantation owners wanted 

the sharecroppers to listen to them better, they should 

have used referent power instead of coercive.   The most 

effective form of leadership is based on being inspired 

and trusting the leader, therefore the plantation owners 

should have been more likable and less harsh. 

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