Activism at Pratt: Learning from the past

About this exhibit

This work was created by Pratt Art and Design Education graduate student Sofia Mirante in the course Beyond and Between Pratt’s Gates in Spring, 2021.

Through archival investigations and oral histories, students explored historical movements for social change within and beyond Pratt’s gates. Throughout their research process they noted silences in Pratt’s history and sought to tell new stories using archival sources at Pratt and other NYC institutions. With the help of Pratt’s Virginia Thoren and Institute Archivist, Cristina Fontánez Rodríguez, students explored the history of social activism within and outside the school and the ways that Pratt has been both an ally, and at times, an obstacle to social justice movements.

The students’ research focused on two contentious periods in Pratt's history: Pratt’s evolving role in urban renewal projects on campus and in surrounding communities from the 1950s-70s as well as student and faculty activism in the Post-War period through the early 1970s.

A Statement from the Author

My research began in the Pratt archives, examining student-created posters calling for a strike. It expanded to many different types of sources within the archives from old Prattler articles to documents outlining student grievances. In order to bring this research into the present, I examine how things have changed since the 1960s and 1970s by comparing student activism then and now. There are clear differences in communication such as the existence of smartphones and social media, but many of the core challenges faced by Pratt students remain the same. My hope is that this website can serve as a resource for current and future Pratt students so that we can learn from history and examine our approach to activism today.

I would like to thank Rebecca Krucoff, Heather Lewis, Cristina Fontánez Rodríguez, Obden Mondesir, Sarah Kanu, Chris Alen Sula, and Nick Dease for their indispensable help with this project.