Activism at Pratt: Learning from the past
Pratt Institute, like many other schools in the 1960s and '70s, was a hotspot for activism. The prevalence of activism at Pratt continues to this day with contemporary students advocating for many of the same things as their predecessors, as well as many new concerns. This research examines the complex issues that student activists at Pratt attempted to address in the 1960s and '70s and how activism at Pratt has shifted and transformed over time.
“Striker, vol. 1.” 1972. Vertical Files Collection, Pratt Institute Archives, Activism Series. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/community.28750080
In the late '60s to early '70s, Pratt students demonstrated their dissatisfaction with the administration on a variety of issues falling under three major themes: communication and transparency issues; a lack of respect and dignified treatment of students, particularly students of color; and differing opinions between students and administration on the social and educational responsibilities of the institution.
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.