The 1930s in Baltimore, MD, can be characterized as a watershed for the freedom movement. Baltimore was the nation’s seventh-largest city, heavily industrialized, and there was a long history of labor strife. The city was a border city within a border state, resembling a northern industrial city with Black people enjoying more rights than in the south; however, Jim Crow was still a reality.
Year: 2025
Danilo Dolci: Nonviolent Action in Sicily
Danilo Dolci’s activism made a significant impact on the practice of peaceful protest in Italy. His inspirational nature is reflected in his nickname, the “Sicilian Gandhi,” aptly given for his commitment to nonviolent action. Through hunger strikes and reverse strikes, community organization and education, as well as published literature, Dolci made significant progress towards improving life in Sicily.
Unsung Heroes of the Second World War: The Nonviolent Contributions of Female French Resistors
After France was defeated by German forces in 1940, many military-aged French men were taken as prisoners of war. Therefore, it was left to women and older men to establish the initial resistance groups in occupied France. Celebrated French Resistance member Lucie Aubrac asserted that the Resistance movement was, in all likelihood, primarily female.
A Soundtrack for Success: How Music Fueled the American Civil Rights Movement
“We sing the freedom songs today for the same reason the slaves sang them, because we too are in bondage and the songs add hope to our determination that ‘We shall overcome, Black and white together, We shall overcome someday’… These songs bind us together, give us courage together, help us to march together.” – Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr.
The Struggle for Accessibility: Disability Rights at UW-Madison
UW-Madison’s path to equal opportunity has been shaped by resilience, from the early struggles of students in the 1940s to grassroots efforts to establish accessible resources for students. While significant strides have been made, the history of disability rights at UW-Madison portrays that the fight for inclusion and accessibility is not over.
“Soapbox” in Review
From September 2023 to December 2024, Axell Boomer hosted a radio show titled “Soapbox” on the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s student radio station, WSUM 91.7FM Madison. Using songs as primary sources or thematic markers, he developed the show to explore protest movements throughout history and the music genres that communicated their goals.
Leading Nonviolence Scholar: Gene Sharp
Gene Sharp is the “world’s leading writer on nonviolent action.” He played a key role in systematizing the nonviolence field by classifying methods of nonviolent action and elaborating on the theory of power.
Unfinished Resistance: The 1989 Tiananmen Square Protests
The first whispers of the Tiananmen Square protests began in April 1989 when Hu Yaobang, the former General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, died of a heart attack. As a beloved symbol of “anti-corruption and political reform”, Yaobang’s death revealed discontent felt by many Chinese citizens.
Kenya Finance Bill Protests
The Kenyan Finance Bill 2024 protests demonstrate the incredible potential of nonviolent resistance tactics involving protest and social media. Young people were able to mobilize thousands to the streets, reach over 750 million via social media, and force President Ruto into withdrawing the bill in just a short period of time in June 2024. Despite immense pushback from Kenyan authorities, young Kenyans have successfully fought their way into having a seat at the table.
Church Resistance to the Nazi Regime
In 1934, those who actively opposed Hitler’s ideology and its application to the church organized themselves into the Confessing Church of Germany. The interest of this church was mainly in the separation of church and state, as well as being in opposition to the German Christians.