Activism

Poster Making Protests

by Emma Stammen

Protest posters are one of the most prolific forms of dissent art and have been around throughout the history of the US. However, the history of posters as a form of protest can be dated back to the 16th century when Martin Luther and members of the Protestant Reformation posted Luther’s 95 Theses on the church doors. Since then, the poster has proven to be a very powerful tool used to amplify and voice various forms of contention.

The history of the poster is closely tied to the history of protest art, as one of the most common forms of political art has been poster-making. The history of paper is also important within the history of protest art and protest posters. In the 19th century, paper became more readily available and inexpensive, due to steam-driven papermaking machines, allowing for an increase in the making and usage of posters. Technological advances in the 20th century in photography, silkscreening, and mass-produced printing transformed posters into a popular and economical avenue for producing messages of dissent.

In the 20th century, protest posters started to be associated with political or social events (from major wars to political battles) as forms of protest, motivation, and education. Posters have been produced in the millions in order to influence public opinion and governmental policy. They have been successful in swaying people to support and participate in a huge variety of causes throughout the 20th century.

The Tamiment Library at New York University holds a large collection of political protest posters covering many of the social movements of the second half of the 20th century (including labor, civil rights, the Vietnam War, American imperial- ism, feminism, gay rights, and more).

Now, while the internet and social media allow for large numbers of voices and perspectives to be heard, the protest poster still has an important role. Protest posters and their history are embedded with emotion and symbolism, and allow for create processes of protest that are still crucial in social movements today.

Historic Examples of Protest Posters

•1970s San Francisco: Rachel Romero designed a powerful protest poster arguing for the importance of low-income hous- ing in response to development and gentrification in the finan- cial district that displaced thousands of people. Through the continued activism of residents, the city eventually provided some affordable housing options.

•Emory Douglas, known for serving as the Minister of Culture for the Black Panther Party, also created protest posters and other forms of art that were commonly featured in the Black Panther newspaper that reached and influenced thousands of readers. The images in his posters were so powerful that they were replicated and hung up in large numbers as continued encouragement and empowerment to his audience and the supporters of the party.