Protest Projects

Ninth grade students have been connecting with a study of the 1960s in their Topics in Modern America history class by exploring protest literature in English. In groups, students researched the history of a specific protest movement from the second half of the 20th century, focusing on key figures and events. They were given eight options, including second-wave feminism, the civil rights movement, the anti-war movement, gay liberation, and the Chicano labor movement. Along with researching their chosen movement, each student explored a packet of literature inspired by their movement, including short stories, poems, and songs. “The packets ended up containing a lot of songs connected with movements because that was an incredibly powerful medium to communicate a message,” notes English Teacher Richard Roberts.

The project required students to create a group presentation on the protest movement and an individual analysis of related literature and art, which could include songs, paintings, or photographs inspired by the movement. For example, Sean L. ‘25 focused on the environmental movement, analyzing William Anders’ iconic photograph “Earthrise” and Rachel Carson’s 1962 book Silent Spring, which raised awareness about the dangers of pesticides. Charlotte M. ‘25 examined Peter Porter’s poem “Your Attention Please,” crafted to evoke fear of nuclear war. She paired it with an analysis of Robert Arneson’s painting Nuclear War Head, which was styled as a museum label. In their literary analysis, students examined the author’s writing techniques, language choice, and the historical context in which the work was created. Each student was also tasked with creating an object that would have been part of their chosen movement, such as an informational pamphlet, a protest sign, or a poster. Creating a protest artifact helped students make a personal connection to the movement they were studying. “It helped them understand all the different ways activism can be expressed and engaged,” says Richard.

In the final week of term, each group presented their projects to the class, sharing the historical background of their chosen movement, key protest events, and the successes and challenges each movement faced. The presentations allowed students to reflect on the progress made by protest movements while also considering the ongoing work that remains.

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