Voices that rise, movements that change the world.
Black Panther Party for Self-Defense
Black Panther Party for Self-Defense
Black Panther Party for Self-Defense
Founded in 1966 in Oakland by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale, the Black Panther Party was a Black nationalist group advocating armed self-defense against police brutality. Active nationally and internationally, it ran programs like Free Breakfast for Children and health clinics, embodying the Black Power movement’s focus on self-determination and class struggle (Seale).
NAACP
Black Panther Party for Self-Defense
Black Panther Party for Self-Defense
In 1908, a deadly race riot in Springfield, Illinois, became the catalyst for founding the NAACP. Outraged by racial violence, reformers including Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villard, William English Walling, and Dr. Henry Moscowitz called for action. On February 12, 1909, with leaders like W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, and Mary Church Terrell, the NAACP was established to secure the rights guaranteed by the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments and to eliminate racial prejudice through democratic means (NACP).
Black Lives Matter Movement
Black Panther Party for Self-Defense
Black Lives Matter Movement
Founded in 2013 by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi, Black Lives Matter began as a hashtag after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the killing of Trayvon Martin. The movement gained national attention following the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, and became global after George Floyd’s murder in 2020. BLM is a decentralized movement that challenges police brutality, racism, and systemic inequality while promoting justice, healing, and empowerment for Black communities.
American Indian Movement
American Indian Movement
Black Lives Matter Movement
Founded in 1968, the American Indian Movement (AIM) fought discrimination and injustices against Native Americans, advocating for self-determination, treaty rights, land recovery, and cultural revitalization. AIM used direct action to demand policy reform and recognition of Native sovereignty. The movement also established community schools and cultural centers, addressed police brutality and poverty, helping lay the groundwork for the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Wikipedia, 2025).
Red Power Movement
American Indian Movement
Red Power Movement
The Red Power movement, emerging in the late 1960s and early 1970s, was led by Native American youth demanding self-determination and control over their land, resources, and policies. Key organizations included AIM and the National Indian Youth Council (NIYC). Unlike earlier groups that focused on negotiation, Red Power used mass protests, civil disobedience, and militant action to push for change (Wikipedia).
Wikipedia contributors. (2025b, October 5). Red Power movement. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
Malcom X
American Indian Movement
Red Power Movement
Malcolm X (1925–1965) was an African American activist, Muslim minister, and civil rights leader. Initially a spokesman for the Nation of Islam, he later promoted Black empowerment and racial justice while advocating for Islam in the African American community. Though controversial for his militant stance, he remains a celebrated figure in both African American and Muslim history (Wikipedia, 2025).
Wikipedia contributors. (2025b, September 30). Malcolm X. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
Martin Luther King
Chief Standing Bear
Chief Standing Bear
Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–1968) was a Baptist minister and civil rights leader who championed nonviolent resistance to fight racial injustice. From 1955 until his assassination, his leadership helped African Americans achieve more progress toward equality than in the previous 350 years, making him one of history’s most influential advocates of nonviolence (KIng Center, 2019).
About Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2019, May 7). The King Center.
Chief Standing Bear
Chief Standing Bear
Chief Standing Bear
Chief Standing Bear, leader of the Ponca, won a landmark 1879 court case declaring that Native Americans are “persons under the law,” granting them civil rights and habeas corpus. After the forced removal of his tribe to Oklahoma in 1877, which led to the death of his son, Standing Bear famously declared in court, “I am a man,” asserting equality before the law. His advocacy helped secure Native American rights and made him a lasting symbol of dignity and justice (WIkipedia, 2025).
Wikipedia contributors. (2025a, August 27). Standing Bear. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
Nathan Phillips
Chief Standing Bear
Nathan Phillips
Nathan Phillips (born 1954), also known as Sky Man, is an Omaha Native American activist. He has worked to create foster care programs for Native children, preserve Indigenous culture through the Native Youth Alliance, and honor Native veterans. Phillips gained national attention during the 2019 Lincoln Memorial confrontation and was a prominent participant in the 2016–2017 Standing Rock protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline (Wikipedia, 2025).