Act Up, AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, was a movement known for taking their demonstrations to “sacred” spaces in order to send a message. Whether it be Churches, the White House, or City Hall, activists wanted to show that no one was innocent and that institutions such as these were largely to be blamed for the deaths of so many individuals with AIDS. Additionally, the activists were going to these spaces in order to attract the largest audiences possible. While they knew it was entirely possible and likely that their voice would not resonate with the opposite extremists, they knew that somewhere, someone a little less informed and less opinionated might hear what the Act Up Movement was fighting for, and be inspired to fight the same fight. To me, this is why Act Up’s public actions were so powerful. The fact that their message was able to resonate so much with people on the outside, people with a little less prior knowledge, and the ability to rile people up and gain support, is no small feat. It is one of the reasons that Act Up has become as famous and well-known as is it today, all these years after it was founded.

Activism around Police Brutality, the Criminal Justice System, and Law Enforcement can learn about what’s effective from Act Up for a number of reasons. For starters, they represent inclusivity and anti-discrimination. They welcome all people regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, etc. to join them. Act Up also shows that sometimes activists must take extreme measures, such as bombarding a Church, in order to see the change they so desperately want and need. Finally, Act Up serves as a reminder that the end goal should not be to change the minds of those who cannot be swayed, but rather the ones to be sought out are often the ones who simply don’t know enough.

N.O.

Both Steven Jaffe and Nicholas Lampert describe how despite all the challenges that came with the Great Depression, there was also enthusiasm for the arts that came along with it. Artists, whether it be musicians, actors, dancers, etc. were left with the question that faced millions of Americans nationwide, “What now?”

Steven Jaffe explains that during times when workers were not allowed to form unions, racism was rising, and people were being laid off left and right, artists began using all types of performances to spread joy, and awareness, during a time of chaos. People were being exposed to the real and honest events that were taking place at the time, in a way that made it all the more enjoyable and much less scary. Americans wanted these performances to be funded similar to the Soviet Union, however, the resistance sparked even more controversy and created a great divide between those who felt passionately about the arts in America and those who did not.

Nicholas Lampert on the other hand, describes the many ups and downs that artists went through both prior to, and during the Depression. He argued that artists had always been looking to be funded by the Government in America, though they were very often not so lucky, and therefore this was nothing they had not seen before. They were constantly fighting to be similar to countries like Russia and Mexico, where the arts were welcomed and desired with open arms, and clearly given the right to Government funds. However, American politicians, especially those in favor of the New Deal, grew hostile to this and would simply label those in favor as “Communists.” This alone could often be enough to quiet any opposition. As a result, organizations such as the WPA-FAP were created in order for artists to be provided with the opportunity to do what they loved.

Eventually, artists took matters into their own hands and began lobbying for Federal and State jobs. Temporary relief funds would also be granted, however they could not be relied on to last for an extended period of time. Additionally, the Artists’ Unions was formed where, again, artists would take action in order to obtain work and make sure that administrators were treating their employees fairly. Unionists proved that they were willing to do just about anything in order to have the arts be embraced in 20th century America the way they felt it deserved to be. They would participate in all different campaigns and solidarity actions in order to really take a stance and be heard. Despite the many ups and downs they would endure, the Union displayed artists as laborers and workers, and successfully brought together a great amount of artists all invested in the economic issues that faced the country.

During the 20th century the arts were an extremely controversial and debated topic in America. Whether they should be funded by the Government or how to take a stance on economic issues, artists proved that they were up to the challenge and would continue moving forward no matter how many times they were knocked down.

N.O

The famous comic book writer Stan Lee once said “With great power comes great responsibility.” To me, this quote is the epitome of what New York City and its population was living through during the late 19th century. As it became America’s richest and most powerful city following the American Revolution, New Yorkers were inevitably forced to deal with all the  tension and disapproval that came along with it.

New York’s dominance over the American economy became undeniable as early as the 1820s. The streets were becoming increasingly full of pedestrians eager to create a financial district that would thrive like none other before. Both migrants and immigrants would pile into New York and its working class was in full swing. Additionally, activist movements were in full swing during this time in New York City. While crusades against poverty, slavery, prostitution, etc. were nationwide, New York’s wealth and advances in communications and publishing caused them to be at the forefront of reform in America during this time. The American Revolution had given rise again to the ideal of American people choosing right and rejecting wrong, and so activism became the ultimate way for the people to do so. This being said though, as Americans began to stand up for what they believed in, Steven Jaffe explains that they could not always do so harmoniously. People would go to New York because of its belief in reform, however conflict and inequality over different ideals could not be avoided as a result. 800,000 people in the nation’s largest metropolis proved to be both an incredible achievement as well as an incredible challenge.

A leading factor in the challenge of reform during this time was the Labor Movement between working men and aristocrats. In June 1836 a famous trial was held regarding 20 journeymen- tailors who were in the process of being trained to become master tailors. They had formed a “Trade Union” to earn higher wages from their master craftsmen. A jury found them guilty of “riot and conspiracy injurious to trade and commerce.” This verdict sparked backlash that would span for decades and protestors would handle it in all different ways. There were those unionists who threatened workers that would accept lower wages. Then there were others who took action by crowding City Hall and expressed their disapproval of the “Rich against the poor”. Finally, some union movements refused to work at all until wages were finally raised. These are the times when New York proved not only to be an economic powerhouse, but also a battleground between the working force and the aristocrats.

Eventually, the working force took matters into their own hands by taking political action. They formed the Workingmen’s Party in the hopes of creating a political agenda that was aligned with their own. Their ideals were all about equality, and more importantly, equal opportunity. They wanted a society where there was a much broader definition of what it meant to be a “working man.” While the party was eventually split due to rivals and competitors, it nonetheless had an influence on labor unions and the New York Democratic Party that can still be felt today.

N.O