Verified Document

Art Of Protest Essay

¶ … Art of Protest It is interesting to think in terms of artistry when discussing social actions, but when the protest, and similar concepts are correctly performed, they are definitely an art form. In the United States, the civil rights protests that have been ongoing (because constant vigilance is required for a people's maintenance of their rights) since the 1950's, and earlier if the work of abolitionists and learned men such as Frederick Douglas are considered. This quest for civil rights guaranteed to all Americans by the Constitution has made protest one of its founding hallmarks. The reason for this is that without a popular uprising of some type the people in places of authority are unlikely to believe that individual voices encompass the feelings of an entire group. However, these protests have to be well thought out, and that is where the artistry lies. This paper will examine the civil rights movement in the United States to determine its historical foundation, major components, and the symmetry that provides it with a sense of art.

It is popular to assume that Martin Luther King, Jr. was the primary figure behind the protest movement. Although, Dr. King was definitely in the forefront of the movement, he was placed in that position by organizations which determined the direction...

Two of these organizations were the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The leaders of these groups, including Martin Luther King, Jr., had studied how protests were developed throughout history and determined that following the peaceful protests of Mahatma Gandhi was the wisest approach. Of course, there were elements of the African-American community, notably the Black Muslims, who thought that this was an errant procedure, but the leaders of the other organizations had solid reasons for not instigating belligerent resistance. The armed forces and police were too strong for armed resistance and terror to work. Only through peaceful resistance could the civil rights protests be taken seriously. These types of protests would cause disruption, but show the authorities that the protestors only wanted the same rights as others. They did not wish to harm anyone.
The protestors used cultural heritage as part of their protest platform also to engage blacks who may have remained on the fringes otherwise. Throughout their history, African-Americans had always used music to communicate, and they had maintained a strong Christian faith. These two items were some of their most reliable means to gather all of the elements of the…

Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Art Culture
Words: 5226 Length: 15 Document Type: Term Paper

Art Culture: Public Space Art Public art like that of Koon's Train (2011), Serra's Tilted Arc (1981), Lin's Vietnam Veterans Memorial (1981), and James' Sea Flower (1978), ignite discussion to the point of its modification, re-arrangement, or removal. The reason for this controversial treatment of public art is its ability to embrace a variety of aesthetic practices. The adoption of different aesthetic values like poster art, outdoor sculpture, earthworks, multimedia projections,

Art and Society an Analysis
Words: 2935 Length: 10 Document Type: Term Paper

(176) In this regard, Nead notes that because she was an art lover, Richardson experienced a moral dilemma in her decision to attack "The Rokeby Venus," but she felt compelled to do so anyway based on her perception that the government was failing to act responsibility towards women in general and the suffragettes in particular. "In her statement during her trial, Richardson appears calm and articulate and nothing is said

Art Conception: Early Renaissance Imagine
Words: 2021 Length: 6 Document Type: Term Paper

The function of the work of art would be to stand before the city, and to show the city as wisdom personified, and by implication show that the wisdom came from the works and power of the Medici. It would make an analogy between the city-state of Florence and the ancient city-state of Athens. Because Athens was a genuine republic, it might even deflect some criticism from the Medicis, who

Art the Nature of Art
Words: 415 Length: 1 Document Type: Term Paper

William Blake's works included writings and illustrations, some of which were a bit moody and gothic, which also characterized this era. It was a time of modernization, when the opulence of the past simply did not seem relevant or even desirable any more, and it again illustrates just how different eras and ideas about society and money can alter art and artists' works. Art mirrors society and society's interests,

Protest and Fences Racism and Racial Prejudices
Words: 1102 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

Protest and Fences Racism and racial prejudices have many forms, some more obvious than others. For people who are part of the minority population, there will be some level of bias when it comes to hiring practices or other benefits. African-Americans for example had to deal with racism, even if it was not understood by the perpetrators to be racism, in nearly every aspect of their daily lives. Some prejudicial beliefs

Art History Compare Ancient War Imagery With Contemporary Modern...
Words: 1608 Length: 6 Document Type: Term Paper

Art History War Imagery in Ancient and Contemporary Art Considering the backdrop of politics and war is an important part of understanding ancient and contemporary art (Stockstad, 2003, p. 468). Historians can tell a lot about the actual events and feelings that occurred during wartime by looking at the rat of the time. As the twentieth century dawned, many European and Americans had an optimistic outlook on life, believing that human society would

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now