When John Lewis first used sit-ins as a way of protest in late 1959, the fight between injustice and justice was fairly simple. Civil rights protestors would perform sit-ins, marches, boycotts, and other forms of protest to gain their rights and to change their public image, while segregationalists and racists would injure and kill those protestors, use legal action to stifle their movement, and silence their supporters with fear. The success of these protests in shifting public opinion against segregation led to President John F. Kennedy supporting the passage of a civil rights bill. After Kennedy’s assassination, President Lyndon B. Johnson urged senators to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to honor his legacy.
While this bill’s passage was a major success for African-Americans, their fight for true equality has continued to the present day. As many of us know, numerous protests were held in 2020 due to racially-driven violence against African-Americans by police officers. These protests were held somewhat similarly to the civil rights protests, but the response to these protests was somewhat different. Instead of simply charging and violently dispersing the protests, police officers or counter-protesters would instigate violence to obtain justification to violently disperse the protests (Chenowith, Erica). In fact, many people believe that these protests were largely violent due to this shift of blame. This led to a reduced shift in public opinion and to actual changes brought on by the protests (Taylor, Keeanga-Yamahtta).
By shifting public opinion against the protestors by labeling them rioters after instigating violence against them, real change at the federal level, such as the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, was prevented. Instead of federal changes to policy, the Black Lives Matter protests were only able to achieve localized changes, such as outlawing chokeholds or banning the use of tear gas for demonstrations, in some communities.
Chenoweth, Erica, and Jeremy Pressman. “Black Lives Matter Protesters Were Overwhelmingly Peaceful, Our Research Finds.” Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University, 20 Oct. 2020, www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/news-and-ideas/black-lives-matter-protesters-were-overwhelmingly-peaceful-our-research-finds.
Lewis, John, et al. March. Vol. 1, Top Shelf Productions, 2016.
Rauh, Joseph, et al. “The Civil Rights Act of 1964: A Long Struggle for Freedom the Civil Rights Act of 1964.” Library of Congress, 10 Oct. 2014, www.loc.gov/exhibits/civil-rights-act/civil-rights-act-of-1964.html.
Thought, Second, director. America’s Police Problem. YouTube, YouTube, 5 June 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEVoX-RwMJw&ab_channel=SecondThought.
Taylor, Keeanga-Yamahtta. “Did Last SUMMER’S Black Lives Matter Protests Change Anything?” The New Yorker, 6 Aug. 2021, www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/did-last-summers-protests-change-anything.
The protests that occurred in 2020 opens up a new topic of debate: was there any other way for the protesters to go about it? Many opposition points to these protests loved to draw comparisons to the civil rights protests of the 60’s and to protests for other issues in recent times. And while there is a way to protest peacefully, I believe that there is something being glossed over with that viewpoint and that is that this is a recurring major issue. In the civil rights movement, it was peaceful as it was the first time action was taken and they stood strong and change was made. Fast forward to today and there is almost a new spark showing a flame of resemblance to the past, a time America almost made promises about not returning to. Given this, protestors are furious and realize that peaceful protests will not change anything in this day and age. The level of weaponry the police and anti-protestors contain is far too great for the protestors to just sit there and get shot. The stand felt like a final stand for change and they felt as if they had to prove that the police brutality would not fly in America.
It’s clear the protests of today are nothing like the past. This may be for countless reasons ranging from increased armament and tactics of police to the mass coverage of events via social media. But to say protestors today do not have the option of non-violence is untrue. Civil Disobedience and non-violent protests have been used all over the world to combat a myriad of issues. Many people have been outright killed as a result of protesting peacefully. With the amount of documentation by everyone involved, being able to record on video everything that’s happening, I’d argue peacefully protesting has never been a better option. There is hardly a more famous quote than Ghandi’s on violence “An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind.” The impact of peacefully protesting on video, especially against those who use violence, is incredibly powerful and almost automatically changes the opinion of any and all on the issue. Some of the most powerful images of the Civil Rights movement, and of many Civil Rights causes all involve documentation of an oppressor using violence against peaceful protestors. Violence doesn’t change the minds of the opposition, but seeing an innocent person, peacefully standing up for their beliefs, be struck or beaten and for that person to have the resolve to continue to stay, remain non-violent and protest, is something everyone can respect.
The protests from John Lewis’ era and the protests from the last year are similar in many ways and different. As you mentioned in this post there was violence in both situations, but they were handled differently. In the 1950’s everyone’s first reaction was to break them up violently or by any means. In the most recent years, the goal has never been violence, it was just to stop the destruction that was being done by both sides. I do agree that these protests should have been able to bring some federal change, but were unsuccessful. The changes that were able to be made in some communities are just the beginning of bigger changes ahead.
I think that the 1960s protests and the protests last year shared the same ultimate goals but in turn were different for the way they were each carried out. The protests held in the 1960s were peaceful because there were different circumstances lawfully at the time. Back then, African Americans had very limited and unequal rights compared to now, therefore their protests did invoke change but only to a certain extent. The protests in 2020 were much more violent, but I think it was due to the fact that there was nothing left to lose. I think African Americans were justified by doing so because of the ongoing systemic racism that has existed in America since the country was born. I agree that there was nothing left to do but resort to that. I do not think that protests will be over, either. I think that since the government has made very limited changes, the protestors will continue to fight until there is actual reform.
John Lewis’ march definitely related to this past year in some ways. I agree with how you mentioned that these protests were similar to the civil rights protests in a way but the response and outcome were different. Although these protests were a way to fight for a cause, the protests were only able to achieve so much as you mentioned, such as sparking major changes across policy, government, and entertainment. These protests allowed people to stand for not only what they believe in but a change that needs to happen within this world.
The protests in the 1960s and last year in 2020 are differently very similar in many ways. In the original Civil Rights movement they had the nonviolence protesting, meaning they loved the attackers no matter what they did. They would not react in any way to their attackers, and just go back to doing their business. In the more recent protests, the protests would start out peaceful, but different groups would start to show up, and these groups caused riots through the cities. Looting had taken a toll on small businesses, leading them no other choice but to shut down and board up their buildings to protect them in some ways. The nonviolent protesters who were just there to protest in peace, would get teargassed by the police just for being apart in the crowd. My cousin had gone out, was protesting on the sidewalk and was teargassed by the police at the start of the day before any riots had broken out.
Both of these protest movements were fighting for equal rights. Even after 50-60 years, there is still a need for these protests as Black Americans still are not getting the same equal treatment and protection that White Americans do. I believe that not only Black Americans should be fighting for this change and reformation, but all Americans and government officials. Government officials have the power to make a change instead of reprimanding the protest.
I think the 1960s protests are very similar to the protests that occurred in 2020. However, how they were carried out is a little different in that the protests in the 1960s were more peaceful because there were different laws in place. The outcome of the 1960s protest was only a little change but African Americans started out with very unequal rights. Unlike the protests in the 1960s, the protests in 2020 were more violent and this could be for many different reasons. I think one of the main reasons may be because it was coming up to election time so everyone was feeling very political. I also think that it may be due to the fact that many people are fed up with African Americans still having unequal rights for so many decades. These protests only lead to localized changes and I believe this may be because they turned so violent.
First, I would like to say this was a very powerful message! John Lewis and the riots from the 1960’s definitely showed up in the recent years from MArch’s and protest’s in 2020. I do think that in the 1960’s protests were so much more aggressive, physical and damaging. Although protests for George Floyd did do damage I believe that as a society we have turned to a more peaceful protesting approach. It is so saddening that after years of Black protesters, not much has changed for them. I do believe that a more peaceful approach is the right objective and gets the point across better.
When introducing the protests that occurred in 2020, those who took part demanded justice for those who have had their lives taken by police officers. The sit-ins and marches in the mid twentieth century were to fight for the Civil Rights of African Americans, rights that were not given to them equally. What the Constitution promised all of its citizens were taken from those of color. The sit-ins that John Lewis took part in were not violent and those who took part, participated in many classes and training before the first sit-in. The riots in 2020 turned violent because it was much harder for people to control their feelings after the consecutive lives taken by police officers. Although, great change was made with the passage of the Civil Rights Act, there is still more to be had.
After reading John Lewis’s book “March: Book One” and learning about the sit-ins that were done in late 1959, I also instantly thought of the Black Lives Matter movement. It is hard to believe that about 60 years later we were still dealing with the same problems when it comes to injustice for people of color. I can agree that these protests were somewhat similar, although, at the same time, there are also a ton of differences. The way that people acted during the protest during MLK’s time I feel was much more controlled and calm. They were very civil. The protest we have had recently have not all been so peaceful though. I feel that some would disagree with that and in which I can understand because the media we have today tends to advertise the more negative and violent side of those protests. When it comes to who started the violence, I do not think there is one specific group to blame for the violence but I do believe it was the actions of everyone involved that determined the outcomes. I do not think the police were out of line with the way they handled it and I do not think the protesters were out of line either. I think in most cases it was a well-handled situation, but certain protesters and certain police caused it to be much more violent and traumatizing. Consequently, by having a parent who works as a police officer, I do not think police should be defunded, that their duties and responsibilities should change, or that the acts of certain officers who made poor decisions can represent all police and their ideals. However, I do agree that “outlawing chokeholds or banning the use of tear gas for demonstrations, in some communities” were steps that needed to be taken.
In my opinion we have two diffrent situations, but both of them have the same goal. As we can see and from Lewis’ book (the protests in the 1960s) we are reading about a situation with huge injustice to the color people and an effort to change things in a nonviolent way. In page 95 of the book we can also see the rules that were writen to train volunteers in the way of nonviolence “DO’s and DON’T’s” . On the other hand, the protests that occurred last year were acting in a violent way. In the first one the differences in civils rights are obvious in the second one, there are some changes but not as much as it could be. It is very sad that nowadays there are still people who suffer because of these injustices. Maybe we have to start thinking not what we want to change, but how we are going to change it .
After viewing the other comments to this presentation, it’s encouraging to see that most share similar perspectives! I applaud the original post for including the component that peaceful protests do exist today, yet they are commonly perceived as “violent” due to eventual police and counter-protest interference. Furthermore, I disagree with the belief that peaceful protesters should remain docile even if/when violence is used against them (i.e. struck or beaten). This reaffirms the expectation that marginalized groups have to remain submissive in order to be respected or simply have their voices heard; especially when the reasons for protesting is to end the violence and oppression already endured. While it is clear – regardless of political leaning – that social issues should ideally be solved in the least violent manner possible, this disregards the reality that we are now in the second Civil Rights Movement. John Lewis’s efforts in the 1960’s were so effective because they went against the grain of social norms at the time for protesting and thus inherently gained the public eye. I’d argue that the BLM movement is, in a way, following John Lewis’s footsteps by reacting differently than what those who are complacent in our social inequalities would expect and “be okay” with. After all, there have been much more violent reactions among the privileged class for grievances of much lesser value.
I am glad that this presentation brings up the BLM movement because I was thinking about this while I was reading “March.” Something that I think is interesting is that John Lewis and others who attended sit ins and marches during the civil rights movement attended meetings to prepare and practice the principles of non-violence before taking action. This makes me wonder if it would have made the protests last summer more effective if there was some sort of collaboration or “practice” before hand to go in with a more unified strategy. Huge movements that demand federal level changes take time though, so the Black Lives Matter protests were definitely not unsuccessful and they did accomplish making some localized changes and raising awareness and hopefully it is only the start of the movement and we will see more progress and change in the future.
The linking of the protests and demonstrations of John Lewis’s time to the protests of current activism is inevitable. Though disheartening, it is a reality that the fight for racial justice and equality is continual decades later. The protest has taken on new forms, sometimes more violent than the methods preached by John Lewis and other civil rights activist like MLK. A majority of protesters, though take the peaceful approach.
It is difficult because there is not one approach to equality that will change all issues at once, especially in such a divided and hostile political climate. Division has remained a mainstay in American culture.
The protests of the past year showed that people are still upset and willing to do whatever it takes to see through justice and equality. People who protested alongside young John Lewis and the protestors of today have shown they will undergo teargas and rubber bullets, sometimes even risk their lives to prove the importance of societal change. Many Americans are resistant to change their thinking or acknowledge the deep history of oppression upon which our institutions are built. Convincing unwilling individuals to change is difficult through peaceful means, but I hope more peaceful interaction can cause change in the near future. Ideally more is done on a governmental level to protect people of color from police brutality, wrongful incarcerations, and socioeconomic struggles.
I think it is great that Lyndon B. Johnson passed the civil rights bill in honor of JFK that is truly amazing and am glad that he somewhat got justice in that way. I am not really catching what you mean by the shift of blame being the cause of these protests to not be a profound as the ones in the 60s. I believe that they had a right to be angry and they felt that they needed to bring change by any means.
The protests of John Lewis’ time and the protests in the recent year are alike and different in many ways. They are alike in the way that they both started off peacefully and turned violent due to others. Both then and now the intention was never to be violent and cause harm. The difference is back then they didn’t fight the attackers back they just did their best to ignore them even when they were causing serious harm. Today, we have started to fight back when we were attacked but not with the intention to cause harm but to show we weren’t going to sit back and watch anymore. It is heartbreaking that we are still fighting racial injustice 60 years later after all the hard work John Lewis and many others did.
The protest during John’s era and last year’s protest are both very similar. Both protests turned into violence, even though violence is never the issue. Although the protest during John Lewis’ time was successful because it resulted in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, the protest from last year didn’t result in any federal acts. It still made people more aware of the systematic injustice faced by African Americans. But we will never stop fighting for justice and equality.
I think the blog does a great job of highlighting the systematic problems faced by the African-American community. The community is not new to racial profiling and disproportionate response by law enforcement. The incident also sheds light on the similarity of the systematic injustices faced even in the sixties where Martin Luther King Jr. was targeted by FBI to discredit his morals and thus work to instill the status quo.
While I do agree that the overall theme was the same between John Lewis’s era and 2020, they’re ultimately not fighting for the same thing. I don’t believe protesting in the social media age today is as affective as it was back then. What they were doing then was unheard-of. It was revolutionary. Today people can hide behind the screens and be extremely divisive with their opinions without any consequences. I believe people are uneducated about things in both camps but claim to be the expert in these issues, which leads to hyperpolarizaton. Today, protesting seems confusing. People are jumping on without knowing what they even want. “End racism” is such a blanket statement with no substance and will change nobody’s opinion. Get educated, and fight for a tangible cause.
It isn’t hard to draw similarities to the protest of the 1960s to the ones that happened last year. Both were protesting because of injustice, and cops were majorly involved in both cases. However, I think the nonviolent protests in the 1960s did a better job in keeping the public image of them high. They knew if anyone fought back it would make everyone look bad, which would hurt their plans. I definitely don’t think the ones held during 2020 were supposed to be violent, but I think less planning went on which then made the whole thing unorganized. There was a large majority protesting their peacefully, and small but loud group of people rioting, which was the media then took focus of instead since it makes for better news.
The protests from John Lewis’ era in the 60s and modern time and similar in protests is some means but also differed. I would say that in the 60s protests were broken up by any means necessary if they were bad enough which may have even resulted in casualties, however in recent years as protests occurred the police force has only used whatever means to protect other non violent protesters.
The last year compared the the 60s is very similar as they were both a time of protest and total injustice. The one comparison that pops straight into my head is how in the 60s, it stayed non-violent, where as in the last year there has been looting and destroying of cities. I don’t think they were intended to hurt anyone but in the end many people ended up destroying business and peoples livelihoods. Many people, including me protested very peacefully and had a huge impact on the overall community as the movement has been constant until this day.
This is a great post because I like how you compared the 60’s and protest of the similarities between them with the violence of police brutality. Especially, how you noticed the difference between how violent riots were started in protest. John Lewis was a great Civil Rights Activist I’m happy that President President Lyndon B. Johnson passed the Civil Right Act 1964. However, systemic injustices still exist due to as Adichie would call it “The Danger of a Single Story”. I’m also happy that the presentation mentions the Black Lives Matter Movement because this movement symbolizes years of oppression and inequality. Even though, the movement started because of police brutality unequal treatment has become a huge part of the movement as well.
This was an interesting post, as I never really compared the protests during the civil rights movement with the protests of last year. I gave it some thought before writing this reply, as it’s a complex situation to compare. On one hand, we were extremely fortunate to have two intelligent leaders in the 1960s to collaborate on an act that fixed society and most of the injustices against African Americans. The protests were done peacefully during this time due to the fact that there was intelligence in the White House, a person who was watching and listening with intent, and there was no need to go the extra steps in inciting violence. When you refer to the protests of 2020, I personally do not believe they began then. People had been voicing their concerns and outrage peacefully at that point for years, and they believed nobody was listening or acting on what they were saying. In 2020, regardless of the behavior of the protestors or what they were labeled as, I find that the outcome would have been the same. In conclusion, no, I do not think there would have been any other way to go about it, especially under the circumstances of already being on edge and in the midst of a pandemic.
I think the connection made here is really important. We see that history has repeated itself and that we need to do better. While we saw even more violence in 2020 it is important to notice that the feelings of those protesting were still so similar decades later.