Americans Have Never Been Afraid To Protest — And To Prove It, Here Are 37 Photos Of People Protesting In The US Government Throughout History

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For centuries, Americans person been taking to the streets to workout their First Amendment rights. Sadly and unsurprisingly, galore of the themes of those protestation demonstrations person remained the aforesaid for decades (like marches for abortion rights, against fascism, and for Ukrainian sovereignty). But nary substance the cause, Americans person ne'er held backmost erstwhile they disapprove of the government's actions. These 37 photos of protests successful the US passim past beryllium that Americans person been making their voices heard for a long, agelong time:

1. Unemployed men picket successful New York City successful 1909 successful effect to the Panic of 1907, a worldwide fiscal crisis.

A radical  of men successful  suits holding signs advocating for employment   rights and societal  justness  successful  an aboriginal  20th-century municipality  setting

Universal History Archive / Universal Images Group via Getty Images

2. An Anti-War Rally against WWI held by socialists successful New York City successful 1914.

A ample  assemblage  of people, mostly   wearing hats, gathered astatine  an outdoor event. One idiosyncratic   holds an umbrella

Universal History Archive / Universal Images Group via Getty Images

3. The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) held a rally successful New York City aft the Ludlow massacre, featuring a antheral with a motion successful his chapeau that says "Bread oregon Revolution" successful 1914.

Man successful  aboriginal  20th-century attire stands with others. His chapeau  features a "Break The Revolution" card

Interim Archives / Getty Images

During a miners' onslaught successful Ludlow, Colorado, the authorities militia gunned down and burned a structure colony, sidesplitting 21 men, women, and children. This spawned demonstrations crossed the country, including successful New York City. 

4. A radical of suffragists successful Chicago successful 1916, calling for women's close to vote.

Historical protestation  with women holding signs demanding voting rights and criticizing President Wilson's stance against women's suffrage

Universal History Archive / Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

This particular group opposed the Democratic Party aft it failed to walk a suffrage amendment. They were aboriginal attacked by a mob connected the thoroughfare country portion the constabulary stood idly by.

5. Unemployed radical rallied successful Chicago to protestation the worsening economical conditions of the Great Depression successful 1932.

Historical photograph  of a ample  assemblage  gathered for a labour  rally successful  an municipality  setting, with a talker  addressing them from a heap  of woody  planks

Chicago History Museum / Getty Images

6. WWI veterans of the Bonus Expeditionary Force marching connected the Capitol successful 1932, demanding their earned benefits.

Large assemblage  gathered astatine  the U.S. Capitol for a women's suffrage lawsuit   successful  the aboriginal  1900s, with the Capitol dome prominently successful  the background

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive

These veterans had been promised bonus payments for their clip serving successful the subject during WWI, but the bonuses were not scheduled to beryllium paid retired until 1945, and galore veterans had been near unemployed during the Great Depression. They pushed for Congress to walk a measure that would wage them sooner. Eventually, the Army was sent successful to interruption up the protest, and 2 demonstrators were killed. A measure was yet passed to wage their bonuses aboriginal successful 1936.

7. A protestation against prohibition successful New York City successful 1933 (prohibition laws were repealed aboriginal that year).

Prohibition-era protestation  with marchers holding signs advocating for brew  legalization to assistance  fund  and agriculture

Ullstein Bild Dtl. / ullstein bild via Getty Images

8. Unemployed, azygous women protesting the job placement of joined women earlier themselves astatine the Emergency Relief Administration office successful Boston, Massachusetts, successful 1936.

A radical  of women protestation  successful  1930s attire, holding signs demanding jobs for azygous  women, opposing employment   of joined  women during the Great Depression

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive

9. A 1934 protestation against lynching and demanding state for the Scottsboro Boys, 9 Black men who were falsely accused of raping a achromatic woman.

A radical  of protestors march astatine  nighttime  holding signs that work   "LYNCHING STOP" alongside different   signs advocating for justness  and freedom

FPG / Getty Images

Over a bid of trials, convictions, retrials, and reconvictions, 5 of the men collectively served much than 100 years successful situation (the different 4 had their charges dropped). In May 2013, they were each posthumously pardoned.  

10. Members of the Young People's Socialist League protestation against pastor Dr. Robert Porter successful Clayton, Missouri, successful 1935.

Two women clasp  signs; 1  reads "Why a large  navy? Rev. Porter Was Jesus Armed?" and the different   reads "Unite against Fascism It destroys Democracy."

Keystone / Getty Images

11. Demonstrators from the American League for Peace and Democracy picket successful beforehand of the German Consulate successful Philadelphia to protestation against Nazi Germany's annexation of the Sudetenland successful 1938.

Protesters wearing state  masks clasp  anti-Hitler signs during a 1930s objection  extracurricular  a building

Archive Photos / Getty Images

12. Another representation from that aforesaid protest.

Protesters clasp  anti-Nazi signs, including a caricature of Hitler, during a demonstration. Signs telephone  for enactment   against Germany's expansion

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

13. A objection against the Japanese penetration of China successful Seattle successful 1939 during a sojourn by a Japanese "goodwill" airplane.

A humanities  protestation  with radical   holding signs advocating against Japanese goods and actions during wartime, highlighting anti-fascist sentiments

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive

14. A radical of women wearing slacks successful protestation successful Brooklyn, New York, aft their classmate was suspended for wearing them successful 1942.

Group of radical   successful  1940s-style clothing, lasting  casually by a fence. Some deterioration  pants and jackets, portion    others deterioration  dresses.

New York Daily News Archive / NY Daily News via Getty Images

Even though the US Attorney General declared it okay for women to deterioration pants successful 1923, it wasn't a ineligible ruling, arsenic evidenced by this story of a pistillate who was arrested successful 1938 for wearing slacks. It took until the '60s and '70s for women wearing pants to be more socially accepted.

15. Women demonstrating against the atomic weaponry and for the Big Three (the USA, UK, and the Soviet Union) to stay agreed during WWII successful 1945 successful New York.

Women marching with protestation  signs advocating for atomic  disarmament and fare savings. They transportation  an American emblem  successful  a metropolis  setting

- / AFP via Getty Images

16. On the eve of elections successful Virginia's Democratic primaries, this "Get Out The Vote" committee staged a mock ceremonial for a fictional idiosyncratic who chose not to vote.

A radical  of men successful  suits holds protestation  signs astir  voting, surrounding a coffin labeled "Funeral of Johnny Nonvoter."

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive

They utilized the generic sanction "Johnny Nonvoter," and buried the quality successful a fake sedate connected the tract of the City Hall successful 1946.

17. Protestors telephone for President Truman to veto the Taft-Hartley Act extracurricular Madison Square Garden successful New York City successful 1947.

Historical protestation  country   with divers  radical  holding signs against the Taft-Hartley Bill, highlighting labour  rights and anti-slavery sentiments

FPG / Getty Images

Truman did extremity up vetoing the bill, but Congress passed it implicit his veto anyway.

18. In 1954, unemployed radical protested against Secretary of Defense Charles E. Wilson successful Chicago aft helium made derogatory comments astir unemployed workers.

People clasp  signs demanding jobs and fairness successful  an unemployment protest. A canine  sits adjacent   the protesters

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive

In respect to an unemployment protest, Wilson said, "I've ever liked vertebrate dogs amended than kennel-fed dogs myself—you know, 1 who'll get retired and hunt for nutrient alternatively than beryllium connected his fanny and yell." Wilson had to walk back the comments later.

19. Demonstrators protesting the Soviet concern of Ukraine successful 1960 extracurricular the United Nations gathering successful New York City, wherever Soviet Premier Nikita Khruschev was successful municipality for a authorities visit.

Protesters clasp  signs condemning Russian actions successful  Ukraine, highlighting issues of genocide, persecution, and the combat  for Ukrainian independence

PhotoQuest / Getty Images

20. People picketing extracurricular the White House successful protestation of the US engagement with Cuba successful 1960.

Woman marches successful  protestation  holding "DON'T INVADE CUBA" sign, surrounded by others with antithetic  protestation  signs

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive

At the time, President Eisenhower had directed the CIA to make a program for the penetration of Cuba and the overthrow of the Castro regime. President Kennedy continued this cognition aft his predetermination aboriginal that year, starring to the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion.

21. Protesters march extracurricular of Independence Hall for the 1966 Annual Reminder for homosexual civilian rights successful Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

People protestation  successful  a metropolis  thoroughfare  with signs advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, including "Homosexuals are American Citizens Too!"

Bob Parent / Getty Images

22. A radical of young men protesting the draught successful beforehand of the Draft Board successful Great Neck, New York, during the Vietnam War successful 1967.

Protesters clasp  signs with anti-war and anti-draft messages extracurricular  a building

Newsday LLC / Newsday RM via Getty Images

23. Thousands assemblage the National Mall during the Poor People's March connected Washington successful 1968.

Large assemblage  gathers astatine  the National Mall successful  Washington D.C., with signs advocating for civilian  rights, adjacent   the Washington Monument

Hulton Archive / Getty Images

The Poor People’s Campaign hoped to propulsion the authorities to code the employment and lodging problems of the mediocre crossed the US.

24. An anti-war protester against the Vietnam War successful New York City successful 1969.

A antheral   holds protestation  signs reading, "If politicians privation  to kill, fto  them termination  themselves" and "War is for animals—not for man. Human execution  contesting indispensable   stop."

Universal History Archive / Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

25. An anti-war protester with her children successful New York City during a Vietnam War protest, besides successful 1969.

A radical  of radical   protestation  successful  a parkland  holding a motion   speechmaking  "no much  war" repeatedly, surrounded by 2  children sitting connected  the ground

Garth Eliassen / Getty Images

26. Protesters holding a motion referencing the Kent State Massacre show against the Vietnam War connected the National Mall successful Washington, D.C. successful 1970.

Crowd of protesters astatine  a demonstration, 1  idiosyncratic   holds a "KENT" sign. The ambiance  is tense and focused, with the Washington Monument visible

Stuart Lutz/Gado / Gado via Getty Images

27. Also, successful 1970, protestors marched successful beforehand of the Massachusetts State House successful Boston to impulse the authorities to support wildlife and beaches from lipid slicks after a spill.

People marching, holding a motion   speechmaking  "Don't Oil our Ducks," protesting against lipid  contamination  and its interaction   connected  wildlife

Boston Globe / Boston Globe via Getty Images

28. Two protesters clasp signs against authorities termination regulations successful New York City in1972.

People clasp  protestation  signs connected  a street, including "My Body Doesn't Belong to the State!!" and "Repeal All" successful  a black-and-white photo

Bob Parent / Getty Images

29. Protesters marching against rising nutrient prices during a week-long nutrient boycott successful New York City successful 1973.

People march with signs demanding little   nutrient  prices, including "Roll Back Food Prices" and "Worth of Chuck Shouldn't Cost an Arm & a Leg"

Keystone / Getty Images

30. A antheral protesting against New York state's Equal Rights Amendment successful 1975, the time earlier the ballot (it failed).

An aged  idiosyncratic   holds signs opposing the Equal Rights Amendment, stating existent   laws already spend  adjacent   rights to women

Peter Keegan / Getty Images

Conservative activistic Phyllis Schlafly helped coordinate fearfulness campaigns astir the transition of the ERA, successful peculiar that it would unit integration of toilets, making them each unisex.

31. Gay rights demonstrators protesting a reception for the Democratic Party astatine the Hall of Flowers successful Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California, successful 1977.

Person holds a motion   saying "Gay Rights Are Human Rights" astatine  a protest. Other protesters with signs successful  the background. Trees visible

Janet Fries / Getty Images

32. Women marching successful enactment of the Equal Rights Amendment successful Washington, D.C. successful 1977. Though the ERA was passed by Congress successful 1972, it inactive needed 3 states to ratify it earlier it was added to the Constitution 5 years later.

A radical  of women marches with a banner advocating for adjacent   rights nether  the law, featuring the U.S. Capitol successful  the background

Universal History Archive / Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

The ERA amendment still hasn't been added to the Constitution today. In 2020, it yet reached the support of the indispensable 38 States for ratification, but it is inactive bound by its archetypal 1979 deadline.

33. Harvard University students engaged successful an anti-apartheid protest, encouraging the schoolhouse to divest itself of investments successful South Africa successful 1979.

Protesters clasp  signs speechmaking  "No Harvard $ for Apartheid" during a field  demonstration

Barbara Alper / Getty Images

34. Protesters extracurricular the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center) proceeding connected Capitol Hill successful 1985. This proceeding put unit connected grounds labels, starring the RIAA to enactment Parental Advisory warnings connected records containing "controversial" content.

People successful  coordinated outfits clasp  protestation  signs against stone  music, saying phrases similar  "Stop Rock" and "Rock Music Destroys Kids' Minds."

Mark Weiss / Getty Images

35. Abortion rights activists march successful the autumn of Chicago successful 1994. Earlier that year, Congress passed the FACE Act (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances), designed to prohibit attacks connected radical seeking abortions.

Protesters clasp  signs advocating for reproductive rights and entree  to harmless  abortion, marching unneurotic  successful  a demonstration

Stacia Timonere / Getty Images

The FACE Act bans radical from blocking entrances to oregon exits from a facility, trespassing, vandalism, threats, arson, and more.

36. Protesters successful Chicago telephone for President Bill Clinton to beryllium impeached successful 1998 aft uncovering retired astir his matter with Monica Lewinsky.

Protesters holding signs against Clinton, including "Impeach the Felon" and "Fire the Liar." A constabulary  serviceman  stands successful  front

PAUL J. RICHARDS / AFP via Getty Images

37. And finally, protesters demonstrated against the predetermination of George W. Bush successful 2001 aft the Supreme Court stopped the ballot recount successful Florida.

 Appointed, NOT elected" adjacent   an American flag

Chris Hondros / Getty Images

What bash you think? Let america cognize successful the comments.

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