Demonstrations That Changed the Course of American History
With protests sparked by the assassinations of George Floyd and Breonne Taylor over the past week in 140 cities , we thought it was time to take a look at other demonstrations and riots throughout American history. And given the potential risks to personal safety – not to mention large gatherings in the midst of a pandemic – people may wonder if participating in protests really matters. In short: they can.
Of course, it is easier said than done to remember the history of the demonstrations in the United States in an accurate and meaningful way, because the historical narrative of this country was dictated by the same white people who colonized this land in the first place. This includes the words we use to refer to incidents and the people involved — for example, “patriots” versus “thugs” or “rebellion” against “riots”. As Genetta Adams , managing editor of The Root , tells Mother Jones , whether something counts as riot or rebellion or rebellion is up to the beholder. “This country was founded on acts of vandalism and destruction of property,” she explains. “Look at the Boston Tea Party. It was a struggle for “freedom” and “freedom”. Who decides what these actions are called? Unfortunately, today too often newsrooms are published exclusively by whites or by the majority of whites. “
Like last week’s events , previous demonstrations have ranged from peaceful protests to situations of varying levels of violence, many of which have brought about real change. Here are some prime examples.
Boston tea party
As important to America’s cleansed birth story as the first Thanksgiving, the Boston Tea Party is what we all learn in school as the heroic act that kicked off the nation’s drive to independence from England. On December 16 , 1773 , about 116 people, some of whom were dressed as Native Americans, boarded three British ships and threw about 45 tons of tea into Boston Harbor to protest the British tea tax and the East India Company monopoly. This act of rebellion is widely regarded as one of the major events that set in motion the process of American independence.
Haymarket case
What began with several days of a strike in support of labor rights, including an eight-hour day, culminated in a peaceful rally at Haymarket Square in Chicago on May 4, 1886 . But the situation quickly escalated when someone detonated a bomb as police arrived to disperse the protest, resulting in several deaths, including seven police officers, and many others injured. The events in Chicago marked a turning point in workers’ rights and sparked an international movement to reduce working hours and raise wages.
1913 suffrage parade
The road to universal women’s suffrage in America has been incredibly long. Although the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920 granted upper- and middle-class white women the right to vote, it will take years for women of color to enjoy the same privileges. One of the main events in the struggle for women’s suffrage occurred on May 3, 1913 , when thousands of women, including Jane Addams, Alice Paul, and the Reverend Anna Howard Shaw, marched down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., the day before Woodrow Wilson’s presidential election. … inauguration demanding women to vote. However, the situation escalated into violence when male spectators began to attack the women, resulting in about 100 people being injured and sent to a local hospital.
Detroit uprising of 1967
What began as a police raid on an unlicensed bar turned July 23, 1967 into five days of violence and the largest incident of civil disobedience in America in the 20th century. The Detroit uprising, with 43 deaths, hundreds of injuries, nearly 1,700 fires and over 7,000 arrests, marked a turning point in the American civil rights movement. Results included the election of Detroit’s first black mayor, Coleman A. Young , in 1974 and the introduction of a policy to integrate the city’s police department .
Stonewall riots
In late June and early July 1969, a series of protests and clashes between police and demonstrators took place in and around the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village that was targeted by police raids. In the weeks after the events in Manhattan, more visible LGBTQ + rights movements began in different parts of the United States , which had previously been largely covert, mass campaigns. Although no one was killed during the riots, many were injured as a result of police violence .
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