Defenders of Democracy Through Protest
Throughout American history, Black Americans have defended democracy by participating in nonviolent protests and civil disobedience.
The Silent Protest, 1917
The Silent Protest, 1917
In 1917 in New York City, 10,000 African Americans marched down Fifth Avenue without saying a word. This powerful protest was a response to police mistreatment of Black citizens during the riots of 1917.
The March from Selma to Montgomery, 1965
The March from Selma to Montgomery, 1965
On 25 March 1965, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee led a 5-day, 54-mile march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, Alabama, to campaign for voting rights for Blacks.
Black Lives Matter Protest, 2016
Black Lives Matter Protest, 2016
Tens of thousands of people gathered outside the headquarters of the Baton Rouge Police Department to protest the police shooting deaths of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling.