Across the history of the United States there have been diverse and evolving forms of protests. A protest can be any method of signaling to the powerful that one objects. But by dissenting, does that actually have its own power and weight? Enough to create change?
By highlighting both iconic and lesser-known movements that shaped the nation, author and legal scholar Gloria J. Browne-Marshall explores a wide spectrum of political opposition—from nonviolent civil disobedience and cultural resistance to militant uprisings—underscoring the many forms protest can take and the variety of outcomes they produce.
Nonviolent protest has been among the most successful and enduring strategies. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and '60s is a landmark example, with figures like Martin Luther King Jr. leading peaceful marches, sit-ins, and boycotts that ultimately pressured lawmakers to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Similarly, the women’s suffrage movement, through decades of organized lobbying, parades, and civil disobedience, culminated in the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920.
Violent protests, while more controversial, have also played a role in shaping policy and social change. The armed labor battles of the early 20th century—such as the Ludlow Massacre and the Battle of Blair Mountain—revealed the brutal conditions faced by workers and forced national attention on labor reform. Urban uprisings in the 1960s, including the Watts and Detroit riots, were responses to racial injustice that, while destructive, exposed systemic inequalities and spurred federal civil rights reviews.
Cultural and artistic protest—including musical expression—has been equally influential. Protest songs like Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land,” Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind,” and the anthems of the anti-Vietnam War movement stirred public consciousness and galvanized opposition. Punk rock, hip-hop, and folk have all served as platforms for marginalized voices.
Browne-Marshall expands how to think about protest through sharing select historical moments and revealing the role of key players involved in those efforts.
Drawing upon legal documents, archival material, government documents and secondary sources, A Protest History of the United States gives voice to those who pushed back against the mistreatment of others, themselves, and in some instances planet Earth. Browne-Marshall highlights stories of individuals from all walks of life, backgrounds, and time periods who helped bring strong attention to their causes. Those examples of protest include those of Wahunsenacock, more commonly known to history as Chief Powhatan, who took on English invaders in pre-colonial America in 1607; legendary boxer Muhammad Ali's refusal to fight in Vietnam and appealed all the way to the US Supreme Court; and David Buckel, LGBTQ+ rights lawyer and environmental activist who protested against fossil fuels by committing self-immolation in 2018.
Regardless of whether these protests accomplished their end goals, Browne-Marshall reminds us that not only is dissent meaningful and impactful but is an essential tool for eliciting long lasting change.
Guest:
Gloria J. Browne-Marshall is a writer, an educator, a legal advocate, and a playwright. She is a professor of Constitutional Law and Africana Studies at John Jay College (CUNY), was a Resident Fellow at the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School, as well as a Visiting Professor at the Harvard Kennedy School. She won the 2024 American Bar Association Silver Gavel Award. Her books include She Took Justice: The Black Woman, Law, and Power, The Voting Rights War, and Race, Law, and American Society.
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This discussion will be recorded on Monday, June 9, 2025.
