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.
protest
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.
Woman’s Struggle for Peace: Okinawan Resistance to U.S. Militarism and the Fight for Justice
The ongoing presence of U.S. military bases in Okinawa has sparked enduring struggles, yet it is also a story of unyielding resistance. While the history of American occupation has been marred by violence and disregard for local communities, Okinawan women have consistently led the charge in advocating for peace, justice, and security for all. Despite numerous challenges, these women have built powerful networks of solidarity that continue to inspire global efforts toward a demilitarized future.
Syncopating Survival
In music, syncopation can be understood as a site of invention, an off-beat from the given beat of an arrangement. For example, if a piece of music were in a 2/4 time signature, a syncopated beat would be an experimental site of play that precedes, follows, or interrupts the given two beats of the measure. In a conversation with the scholar and musician Dr. Kwami Coleman, the idea of syncopation was expanded to “something new.”
The White Rose – Resistance in Nazi Germany
In Munich, Germany, in the summer of 1942, there was an explosion of youth resistance activities.
The Occupation of Alcatraz Island: Roots of the American Indian Movement (1969-1971)
Prior to European colonization, over 10,000 indigenous people called the coastal area between Point Sur and the San Francisco Bay home. Alcatraz Island was part of this land, known primarily for its infamous prison and notorious criminals. However, the history of Native Americans in connection to this penitentiary is less known. Starting with the first prisoners of Alcatraz, many of whom were Indigenous Californians imprisoned for resisting the invasion of settlers and miners during the Gold Rush.
Appealing to Emotion: The AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) rattled cities across the United States with their passionate demonstrations that emphasized strategic emotional appeal and civil disobedience.
Students of Madison Lead the American Anti-Apartheid Movement: Madison Area Committee on Southern Africa
Though UW-Madison has had protests and civic engagement throughout its history, the era that gave UW-Madison its reputation as a “protest school” began in the 1960s. Anti-Apartheid activism influenced politics in Madison long before the American Anti-Apartheid Movement gained momentum in the 1980s, becoming one of the first communities in the United States to recognize apartheid as a critical issue that required American activism and solidarity.