On April 18, 1688, the first written protest against slavery in the New World was drafted in Germantown, Pennsylvania, but the statement was rejected in Burlington, New Jersey.
From the 1688 Germantown protest against slavery to the modern-day Black Lives Matter movement and protests for justice, the history of protest and activism in America spans centuries, marked by moments of courage, challenge, and progress but all too often met insurmountable obstacles that still haunt the Land of the Free.
In 1688, a group of Quakers in Germantown, Pennsylvania, drafted the first known protest against slavery in the New World. Led by Thönes Kunders and signed by Derick op den Graeff, Abraham op den Graeff, Francis Daniel Pastorious, and Garret Hendericks, the petition challenged the Quaker community’s acceptance of slave ownership, highlighting the moral and ethical contradictions inherent in the practice.
Despite initial efforts to address the issue within Quaker governing bodies, including passing it to the Burlington, New Jersey, yearly meeting, formal action against slavery within Quaker communities did not occur until 1776, nearly a century later.
The Germantown protest is a landmark moment in early American activism, laying the groundwork for future movements advocating for human rights and social justice.
Fast forward to the 21st century, when the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement emerged as a response to systemic racism and qualified immunity for police violence.
The movement gained widespread attention following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers in 2020. Floyd’s death sparked nationwide protests, with demonstrators demanding accountability, justice, and an end to racial discrimination in law enforcement and society at large.
Despite the overwhelmingly peaceful nature of BLM protests, media coverage and political rhetoric often portrayed the movement negatively, contributing to misconceptions and public polarization.
In parallel to domestic activism, international issues have also fueled protests and demonstrations in the United States. Recent protests against genocide in Palestine, such as the march to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) offices in New York City, reflect ongoing global concerns and the interconnectedness of social justice movements across borders.
The most recent call for justice and equality echoed historical struggles against oppression, drawing parallels to earlier movements such as the civil rights movement of the 1960s.
Protests, then and now, serve as powerful expressions of dissent, advocacy, and solidarity. They highlight the ongoing struggle for human rights, equality, and accountability, reminding us of the collective responsibility to address injustice and work towards a more just and inclusive society.
They also reveal a frequent abuse of power.
Today whether it’s Water Protectors at Standing Rock, Climate Change Marchers, Black Lives Matter advocates, activists protesting United States military support for foreign governments that are killing innocent children, or even mass protesters at January’s Women’s March and April’s March for Science, all risk arrest, being made into targets for simply exercising First Amendment rights.
On May 4, 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard fired between 61 and 67 shots into a crowd of unarmed anti-war protestors at Kent State University in Ohio, killing four students and wounding nine others. Ten days later, two Jackson State College students were killed and more than 11 wounded by the Mississippi police at another protest against the Vietnam War.
FBI documents released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that federal agents surveilled Occupy Wall Street (OWS) protestors and even listed the peaceful 2010 protest movement as domestic terrorists.
Today, Americans speaking out against the slaughter of innocent Palestinian children and demanding an end to US weapons shipments that facilitate these tens of thousands of murders, are confronted with cries of anti-semitism and possibly government abuse.
The 2017 Pepsi protest commercial was an insult to legions of American protesters who have shed rivers of blood, and still face violent, brute force from authorities, according to Laurel Krause, whose sister Allison died during that 1970 anti-war rally in Ohio. She explained that demonstrating against the US government can get you killed.
As we reflect on these historical and contemporary protests, we are reminded of the resilience, courage, and determination of individuals and communities striving for a better world. If the Quakers had been successful, it could have spared the United States the agony of the Civil War, the embarassing legacy of the Jim Crow era, the hardship of the civil rights movement and the continuing injustice of racial strife. If people would shut up and trust the government, we would have even less freedom, prosperity and security than we have today.
The legacy of activism from Germantown to the present day inspires continued efforts to promote social change, challenge injustice, and uphold the values of equality and human dignity for all.
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