Internal leaders like Roland Jones independently drove the shift, while civil rights figures played no significant role in McDonald’s expansion into Black communities.

McDonald’s relied solely on external consultants to guide the recruitment of Black franchise owners, with little input from internal leadership or civil rights figures.

Civil rights figures pressured McDonald’s into expanding into Black communities, with no involvement from McDonald’s internal leadership.

Internal leadership, led by figures like Roland Jones, collaborated with civil rights leaders like C. T. Vivian, whose guidance helped McDonald’s understand how to reach Black consumers.