How have protesters in Chicago occupied space
with their bodies, voices, and possessions?

What do their strategies reveal about a
protest's purpose and message?

Explore fifteen case studies of protest in Chicago spanning nearly 150 years of the city's history. Whether approaching familiar stories or uncommon accounts, the perspective of place illuminates evolving strategies of dissent among labor, civil rights, and antiwar protesters as well as recurring responses of police to social disruption. A spatial analysis also reveals how local declarations uniquely expressed national tensions and the ways in which memories of protest shape Chicagoans' responses to urban conflict.

Find events in space, time, or by theme to investigate Chicago's unique legacy as a place of protest.

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A Chicago Collections Digital Exhibit
Curated by Rachel Boyle, PhD