11 Vintage Photos of Unity We All Need to See Right Now
Updated: Jun. 09, 2020Unity inspires change.
Powerful protest photos
In a world where there’s so much hate, it can be challenging to feel hopeful for what the future holds. It’s important to remember, however, that public outrage, loud voices and united people have historically resulted in change. Get inspired by these protest photos that document people coming together in pursuit of justice and equality.
March on Washington – 1963
In this photo, leaders of the March on Washington lock arms and hold hands as they rally down Constitution Avenue. The protest, which drew 250,000 people at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., aimed to call attention to the continuing challenges and inequalities faced by Black people in America. Martin Luther King, Jr., who delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech later that day, can be seen in the photo front and centre.
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Vietnam War protest – 1971
Vietnam War protesters march in front of the Justice Department in Washington, D.C., in 1971. Small rallies began in 1967 to protest the thousands of deaths—on both sides—from the war.
Women’s Suffrage Movement parade – 1913
In 1913, a crowd of women representing various professions gather for a Women’s Suffrage Movement parade through New York City.
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Solidarity Day – 1981
Protesters, including Washington mayor Marion Barry, march down Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C., during Solidarity Day in 1981. The protest took aim at President Ronald Reagan after he decided to fire 12,000 air traffic controllers who went on strike and demanded wage increases and safer working conditions.
ACT UP – 1988
ACT UP protestors in Rockville, Maryland, peacefully link arms in front of the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) building to demand the release of experimental medication for those living with HIV/AIDS.
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Selma to Montgomery March – 1965
Protestors gather at the end of the Selma to Montgomery March in Montgomery, Alabama on March 25, 1965. At far left is Martin Luther King, Jr.
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March for women’s suffrage – 1901
Women’s rights activists demonstrate for women’s suffrage on 5th Avenue in New York City.
Scottsboro case protest – 1931
In Washington, D.C., thousands of people marched through the streets to the White House where they presented a petition to the president urging for the release of prisoners in the famous Scottsboro case. The Scottsboro Boys were nine black teenagers falsely accused of raping two white women in Scottsboro, Alabama, in 1931.
The fall of the Berlin Wall – 1989
People at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, gather at the fall of the Berlin Wall.
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