FOLLOWING A SURVEY OF LITERATURE WHICH RELATES A SENSE OF ISOLATION AND POWERLESSNESS TO WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE IN POLITICAL EXTREMISM, THIS STUDY EXAMINES A SAMPLE OF 312 BLACK MALE HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS. THE MEN, AGED 18-65, LIVED IN 3 AREAS OF LOS ANGELES IN CALIFORNIA, THE RELATIVELY MIDDLE-CLASS CRENSHAW DISTRICT, AND THE LOWER CLASS AND HIGHLY-SEGREGATED SOUTH CENTRAL AND WATTS SECTIONS. AMONG THOSE WHO HAD A HIGH LEVEL OF SOCIAL CONTACTS AND PARTICIPATED IN MANY COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, ONLY 17 PERCENT SAID THEY WOULD PARTICIPATE IN VIOLENCE FOR NEGRO RIGHTS. FOR THOSE WITH LOW SOCIAL CONTACT RATINGS, THE PERCENTAGE WAS 44. AMONG THOSE WHO FELT POWERLESS, AS MEASURED BY A SERIES OF ATTITUDE QUESTIONS, 41 PERCENT EXPRESSED WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE IN VIOLENCE, AS OPPOSED TO 16 PERCENT OF THOSE WHO DID NOT FEEL POWERLESS. FOR THOSE FEELING A HIGH LEVEL OF DISSATISFACTION WITH RACIAL TREATMENT, 48 PERCENT WERE WILLING TO USE VIOLENCE, COMPARED TO 17 PERCENT WITH LOW RACIAL DISSATISFACTION. PROFILES OF THE MOST AND LEAST VIOLENCE-PRONE BLACKS ARE DEVELOPED. WHEN GHETTO RESIDENCE AND EDUCATION WERE INTRODUCED AS CONTROLS, EACH INDEPENDENT VARIABLE RETAINED SOME SIGNIFICANCE. HOWEVER POWERLESSNESS AND DISSATISFACTION HAD NO EFFECT UPON THE COLLEGE-EDUCATED, WHILE ISOLATION FROM SOCIETY WAS IMPORTANT. IT IS CONCLUDED THE POWERLESS, DISSATISFIED PERSON IS QUITE WILLING TO USE VIOLENCE TO COMMUNICATE WITH WHITE SOCIETY AS A MEANS OF PROTEST. SUCH VIOLENCE IS A WAY OF EXERTING CONTROL, EVEN IF ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME. TABULAR DATA AND NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (GLR)