Power of Protest Images

Since World War II, African Americans’ fight for civil rights, social equality, and equal justice has increasingly unfolded through visual media. The question of Black freedom has been - and continues to be - put before the public through photos and video images. Americans in the 1960s saw footage of civil rights marches, sit-ins, and boycotts in newspapers or on the nightly news. In the 21st century, social media and smartphones mean that news organizations no longer control which images of Black protest or suffering circulate widely. This past spring, the nation erupted after a video went viral showing Minneapolis police killing George Floyd. Many have pointed to the resulting images of protest as evidence of something; the question is what. This talk explores the power of Black protest images – past and present – as representations of Black life in the United States and as tools in African Americans’ ongoing quest for freedom.

Our presenter, Dr. Brenna Greer of Wellesley College, is an associate professor of history focusing on race, gender, and culture in the 20th century. She'll lead us on a tour of the images, protest signs, and social media posts that have come out of the civil rights movement and Black Lives Matter and explain the similarities and differences between them, as well as their significance. Supported by a grant from the Waltham Cultural Council. Watch it live here: https://youtu.be/1vVneumsSsE

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