How Protests Have Changed

Art credits to Hannah Usadi!

Art credits to Hannah Usadi!

Hannah Usadi ‘19, Art Editor

Almost a year ago, nearly 500,000 protesters from around the country gathered in New York City for the Women’s March to protest Donald Trump’s Presidency. Although the sheer turnout was undeniably impressive, critics argue that the protest had no real effects. After all, Trump continued with his presidency and made no changes to his policies. This raises the question: How could such a large protest deflate so quickly in its aftermath? Many believe the answer lies in the fact that the protest lacked a specific purpose. Others believe it is because participators of march were gathered so quickly. Either way, recent protests, like the Women’s March, have fallen into a trend of creating little impact on government policies. To understand the effectiveness of protests, it is important to understand them at time when they not only created ripples in working towards political justice, but also waves: the Civil Rights Movement.

One of the biggest reasons why protests during the Civil Rights Movement were so impactful is a result of long term planning. Although many protests of this era seem quickly put together, the behind the scenes work was immense. For instance, the N.A.A.C.P. carefully strategized when to put Montgomery bus Boycott of 1955 into action. The Montgomery bus Boycott was a protest against the segregation of African Americans on the Montgomery public transportation system. Before Rosa Parks’ famous arrest ignited the protest, teenager Claudette Colvin was also arrested for refusing to give up her seat. However, the N.A.A.C.P. did not believe Colvin would be the right face for the protest, and waited months until Parks was arrested for the same act of rebellion. Due to elaborate planning and a specific goal, the Montgomery Bus Boycott was a success; the Supreme Court required Montgomery to reform its transportation system on June 5th of 1956.

Although modern day technology makes the organization of protests easier, it does not necessarily make them more effective. Protests with an appealing message, such as the Women’s March, quickly spread on various social media platforms and gather a large number of supporters. Unfortunately, without a pointed purpose, these types of protests fail in creating social and political changes. However, if protesters acquire a new mindset —  one focused more on strong organization and meaningful participation — they will be able to create the impacts they strive for.