@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 25, 1840: WILLIAM FREEMAN IMPRISONED AND CHALLENGED CONVICT LEASING
At 15 years old, William Freeman was incarcerated in the Auburn State Prison, America’s original prison for profit. From the start, he challenged the system of convict leasing.
@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 24, 1968: MILWAUKEE 14 BURN DRAFT FILES
Fourteen people removed and burned 10,000 draft cards from the Milwaukee draft board.
@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 23, 1968: YOUNG LORDS FOUNDED
The Young Lords were established in Chicago, Illinois in 1968, led by a street activist named Cha Cha Jiménez, who organized the group to fight local gentrification, police brutality, and racism.
@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 23, 1926: JOHN COLTRANE BORN
John Coltrane was born. Also born #tdih: Mary Church Terrell (1863), Ray Charles (1930), and Bruce Springsteen (1949).
@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 22, 1954: HILLSBORO’S “MARCHING MOTHERS” SUE TO DESEGREGATE SCHOOLS
The “Marching Mothers” of Hillsboro sued the school district and began daily marches to desegregate elementary schools in this town in Ohio.
@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 22, 1862: PRELIMINARY EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION
Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.
@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 21, 2014: THE PEOPLE’S CLIMATE MARCH
Hundreds of thousands of people across 150 countries participated in protests on Sunday, September 21, 2014, collectively called “the People’s Climate March.”
@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 21, 1976: SHERIDAN CIRCLE CAR BOMB
Orlando Letelier and Ronni Moffitt were killed in Washington, D.C. by a U.S.-backed Augusto Pinochet regime car bomb.
@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 21, 1968: NEW YORK HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT UNION FOUNDED
During the racially-charged Ocean Hill-Brownsville teachers’ strike in New York City, nearly 200 teenagers from 25 high schools established the New York High School Student Union.
@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 20, 2020: PROTESTS FOLLOWING NEW AGRICULTURE LAWS IN INDIA
Protests erupted across India as the government deregulated Indian agriculture, endangering the livelihoods of farmers by commercializing an industry that employs over half the population.
@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 20, 2017: HURRICANE MARIA STRIKES PUERTO RICO
Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico as a major Category 4 storm.
@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 20, 1962: JAMES MEREDITH ATTEMPTS TO REGISTER AT UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI
James Meredith attempted to register at the University of Mississippi.
@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 20, 1830: THE FIRST MEETING OF THE COLORED CONVENTIONS MOVEMENT
That week, they founded the National Colored Conventions movement and held its first official series of formal meetings.
@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 19, 1868: CAMILLA MASSACRE
As African Americans marched peacefully in response to their expulsion from elected office, more than a dozen were massacred near Albany, Georgia.
@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 18, 1850: FUGITIVE SLAVE ACT PASSED
The U.S. Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.
@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 17, 2020: 1776 COMMISSION ESTABLISHED
On Constitution Day in 2020, the White House convened a Conference on American History.
The speakers took aim at the Zinn Education Project, Howard Zinn, and the New York Times 1619 Project.
@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 17, 1787: U.S. CONSTITUTION SIGNED
The U.S. Constitution was signed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 16, 1968: HARRISON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT UPRISING
One third of the students at Harrison Technical High School staged a walkout to protest the lack of African American history classes, overcrowding and poor conditions, and more.
@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 16, 1837: ABOLITIONIST WILLIAM WHIPPER ADVOCATED NON-VIOLENCE
William Whipper published “An Address on Non-Resistance to Offensive Aggression.”
@democracymatters.bsky.socialSEPT. 15, 2013: LUMMI NATION BEGAN KWEL HOY’ TOTEM POLE JOURNEY
The Lummi Nation begin the Kwel hoy’ Totem Pole journey.