For many marginalized groups, nonviolence is but one of many tactics used against the powers oppressing them. The Black Panther Party’s nonviolent actions, particularly their community programs, were far more than a tactic though.
protest
The Revolutionary Art of the Arab Spring
As the Arab Spring era states began to realize the scope of the uprisings they faced, they cracked down on physical demonstrations and censored the voices of the opposition in news and media… The arts provided a way to express dissent and build community without explicitly criticizing the regime.
Chaos in Chicago: The 1968 Democratic National Convention Protests
The year was 1968; MLK was assassinated, presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated, thousands of Americans had been killed in Vietnam, the United States of America was a powder keg, and it was ready to blow.
The Peaceful Revolution: The Fall of a Wall and the Rise of Democracy
The Fall of the Berlin Wall was a monumental moment in history, signifying liberation for East Germans and the reunification of Germany. Now taught as the symbolic end of the Cold War, the collapse of this physical representation of the Iron Curtain abolished the oppressive Soviet regime over East Germany, the German Democratic Republic (GDR).
“We Want Albania to Be Like the Rest of Europe”
“We want Albania to be like the rest of Europe” exclaimed Albanian university students whilst discussing their frustration in the governments’ treatment of education as Albania is already experiencing persistent poverty that is exacerbated by a corrupt government.
With One Voice: Sudan’s Nonviolent Civil Society on the Rise
Since the start of the April conflict, resistance groups have increasingly taken to mutual aid, organizing relief for Sudanese people in need. What began as a movement centered around street protest has now morphed into one of the few forces protecting the Sudanese people.
State Street Starbucks: Employees Push for Action
The State & Lake Starbucks location has been a staple in Madison since the late 1990s, however this hub of student activity has become a beacon of unionization in the recent months as students have arrived back on campus.
Teaching History as an Act of Nonviolent Protest: SNCC’s Freedom Schools and History Curriculum
This article was written by Axell Boomer and was awarded the Civil Resistance Prize by the History Department in 2024. It was originally written for the Nonviolence Project: As systemic inequalities—which arrived from the institution of American slavery—manifested themselves into the classroom, Black students were left with less federal support than White students in the American South. Black students in Mississippi, despite comprising fifty-seven percent of “school-aged children,” received “only thirteen percent of state funds.”
Unions and Strikes in Hollywood
The 2023 Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike started on May 2nd, 2023 and lasted until just recently, when the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) agreed to negotiate with union leaders’ and workers’ demands, on September 27th, 2023.
The Fight in Iran Continues
The first anniversary of Jina Amini’s death just passed. On September 13, 2022, a woman by the name of Jina Amini, also known as “Mahsa,” was arrested by Iran’s morality police for “improperly” wearing her hijab.