The Public Influence of African-American Churches Project (PIAAC) is a research initiative based at the Leadership Center at Morehouse College. The Project was originally funded by a grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts and was inaugurated at a reception on the Morehouse College campus on January 30, 1999. As part of its investigation of contemporary black church activism, the PIAAC Project: (1) has convened focus groups, roundtables, and a national conference where church leaders, political leaders, and scholars have shared insights and information about the contemporary public involvements of black churches; (2) has conducted numerous in-depth interviews with ecclesiastical leaders and public officials and surveyed leaders of predominantly black congregations across the nation; and (3) has facilitated research by dozens of scholars on the political positioning of black churches. Chapters by scholars affiliated with the Project have been assembled into multiple volumes, summaries of which can be viewed here on our website. The Project has also published a number of reports that can be downloaded from the Project web site.