Bauman (history, Washington State U.) analyzes the implementation of President Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty policies in Los Angeles in relationship to movements for economic, cultural, and political empowerment and the eruption of the Watts riots of 1965. His exploration of race and the War on Poverty in Los Angeles is conducted through an examination of the creation and development of four Community Action Agencies created under the aegis of the Economic Opportunity Act: the local government-controlled Economic and Youth Opportunities Agency, the African American-created Watts Labor Community Action Committee, the Mexican American-created East Los Angeles Community Union, and the Chicana Service Action Center. He explores how the War on Poverty influenced the black freedom, Chicano, and feminist movements and how the activists involved in these organizations helped shape the goals and programs of the War on Poverty. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)