Visit Protest! A Special Collections exhibit

Visit Protest! A Special Collections exhibit

About the exhibit: Protest!

Protest is often defined as a public expression of objection, disapproval, or dissent towards an idea or action. It can also be framed in a positive way as an expression of support for a group, objective, or idea. 

The exhibition on Protest! explores the diversity and creativity with which people in British Columbia have made and continue to make their voices heard. It features images of traditional protests, demonstrations, and rallies. More non-traditional forms of protest include graffiti or street art, zines, and a poetry writing campaign for peace.

International protest movements and forms of protest, such as the Occupy movement or peace walks, show up in a localized form in our university, city, and province. Other protest movements are specific to our communities and grow out of local concerns in our neighbourhoods, municipalities, and provinces. 

From struggles to define religious freedoms, to issues related to peace, the environment, education, solidarity, and equity in our society, explore 100 years of protests in British Columbia.

 

"Save Meares Island from Mac Blo" Gordon McCaw Collection MsC166-085

 

"He's a bit ticked off... All week long there was nothing to protest about" Cartoon by Bob Bierman Ms C 25.BIE.8.28

 

What's on display

The exhibit includes:

  • Photographs and materials about the Doukhobor Sons of Freedom protests in the 1920s
  • Photographs of protests, rallies, demonstrations for various causes such as peace, the environment, or other social causes from the 1960s and 1970s
  • Documents related to the Women's Peace Write campaign of 1985
  • Photographs of street art that reflect contemporary political issues and concerns of the 1980s an 1999s
  • Posters from anti-racism rallies of the 1990s
  • Buttons, protest signs, stickers, and other ephemera ranging from the 1980s to 2014

Material is selected from:

 

Protest sign. You can't evict an idea written in black and red ink. Part of the Occupy Vancouver Collection. MsC-146.
Pink banner with colourful protest buttons attached to it. Part of the Nora Randall fonds. Unprocessed.

 

 

Learn more

See the Activism Research Guide for information about these and additional materials held in Special Collections and Rare Books

Date(s)
September 3 to December 31
Location
3rd floor, W.A.C. Bennett Library (SFU Burnaby)
Contact for further information
For more information, contact Alexandra Wieland at awieland@sfu.ca or Special Collections and Rare Books at scrb@sfu.ca