Picturing Resistance: Moments and Movements of Social Change from the 1950s to Today

A compelling photographic history of the important moments of progressive resistance--from the civil rights movement to the present--to inspire the change-makers and activists of today.

A powerful commemoration of notable moments of protest, Picturing Resistance highlights the important American social justice movements of the last seven decades. Including both black-and-white and color photographs, this important record pairs iconic and unexpected images with insightful narrative captions that contextualize the meanings behind the moments. UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism professor Ken Light and author Melanie Light have carefully curated unconventional photographs of the most memorable moments in twentieth- and twenty-first-century protest history, offering a fresh perspective on these important occasions.

In place of the iconic image of Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking at the March on Washington, Picturing Resistance conveys the feeling of pain and frustration of the time period by instead showing him moments after being arrested, restrained against a police station table. The moments captured in Picturing Resistance take the reader on a journey through decades of people-powered protest, featuring images from the front lines of the civil rights, women's, environmental, and disability rights movements, as well as contemporary movements like Black Lives Matter and March for Our Lives.

Picturing Resistance will inspire revolutionary thinkers, activists, and dreamers of all stripes to celebrate the milestones of the past as we build a progressive future.

Author: Melanie Light, Ken Light
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Published: 10/20/2020
Pages: 240
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 2.15lbs
Size: 9.10h x 8.10w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9781984857583


Review Citation(s):
Booklist 10/15/2020 pg. 4

About the Author
Ken Light is currently the Reva and David Logan Professor of Photojournalism at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a social documentary photographer who has exhibited internationally and received numerous grants and awards, including two NEA photography fellowships and the Dorothea Lange Fellowship. His published photography collections include Valley of Shadows and Dreams, Coal Hollow, Witness in Our Time, Texas Death Row, Delta Time, To the Promised Land, With These Hands, and What's Going On?.

Melanie Light is a writer, curator, and appraiser whose work focuses on documentary photography.