Voices of Protest: Documents of Courage and Dissent

This eye-opening collection of documents ranging from the pre-Christian era to the present explores the undeniable power of social, political, and religious dissent throughout history and around the world. Voices of Protest is an inspiring and comprehensive look at the meaning of protest throughout history, in democratic and nondemocratic societies. It is also a rousing confirmation that individual and community action matters and has great influence. Collected here are more than 300 documents-essays, letters, newspaper articles, court decisions, song lyrics, poetry, cartoons, and more-that represent seven main categories of protest: Civil Rights; National Self- Determination; Economic Justice; Environmental Conservation; Religious Freedom and Morality; Peace and War; and International Political Freedoms. A small sampling of the entries includes Seneca Falls Declaration of Women's Rights; Fidel Castro's anti- American writings protesting cultural domination; John Muir's essay 'The American Forests'; and Martin Luther King, Jr.'s letter from a Birmingham jail. The editors have framed the documents with concise original commentary that places each selection in a political, historical, and social context.