Malcolm X once said, “The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses.” At the start of the century, the main form of media was newspapers and writing, then came film and TV, and now we have internet and social media. Throughout the 20th century more movements became successful because new forms of media enabled activists to reach a broader audience.
Before the invention of the TV and film, activists were limited to written forms of media. In 1902, Joseph Conrad wrote Heart of Darkness in protest of imperialism and racism in the Congo. Emmeline Pankhurst used newspapers and her autobiography to raise awareness of her fight for women’s suffrage in England. Later, in the 1950s, Margaret Sanger used magazines, lectures, and newspapers to garner support for the invention and development of the birth control pill. Newspapers were and still are a useful form of media, but the invention of the television and film made movements more accessible.
Many movements in the middle and later years of the 20th century took advantage of the new technology in order to reach a broader audience. The British propaganda film “Millions Like Us,” released in 1943, utilized forced activism in encouraging people to join the workforce during World War II. During the Vietnam War, TV news was a major source of information about protests against the war, and gained support for the movement because more people could see their activism. The communist government in Czechoslovakia had to work harder to suppress the Forum during the Velvet Revolution because of the multiple forms of media available to them. Members of the Forum used underground publications and word-of-mouth because other forms of media were censored by the government. Because of the varieties of publicity, more movements were successful. Even if one medium was suppressed, others were available to raise awareness, and because of these different forms of media, the movements were harder to stop.
Today, with the use of social media and the internet, people can learn about movements from many sources. Police brutality, sexism, and LGBTQ rights are big issues debated all over the internet. Hashtags like #blacklivesmatter, #yesallwomen, and #lovewins scatter the internet on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, making activism both accessible and easy to contribute to. Newspapers, TV, and now internet are all available with different perspectives and information on modern activism. Now more than ever, opinions are just as easily found as objective portrayals of movements. In some ways, activism today is more successful than ever because people of all backgrounds are aware and can participate. On the other hand, because activism is so accessible and pervasive, and everyone has a say, it could be less impactful. Despite this, the modern use of media has made activism more prevalent than ever before, and more movements can be successful because everyone has the opportunity to learn about them.
Over the course of the 20th century, media has changed and more forms have been invented, creating the opportunity for activism to spread. In the beginning of the 20th century, newspapers and written forms of media were the main source of information. Emmeline Pankhurst, Margaret Sanger, and Joseph Conrad were all limited to written media. With the invention of TV and film, activism forged a new frontier with the combination of written media and the new technology enabling activists to reach a much broader audience. Today, internet and social media have made activism a social norm, as everyone can participate and learn about modern issues. Just as Malcolm X believed, new forms of media give movements the power to influence public opinion leading to more successful activism.
Before the invention of the TV and film, activists were limited to written forms of media. In 1902, Joseph Conrad wrote Heart of Darkness in protest of imperialism and racism in the Congo. Emmeline Pankhurst used newspapers and her autobiography to raise awareness of her fight for women’s suffrage in England. Later, in the 1950s, Margaret Sanger used magazines, lectures, and newspapers to garner support for the invention and development of the birth control pill. Newspapers were and still are a useful form of media, but the invention of the television and film made movements more accessible.
Many movements in the middle and later years of the 20th century took advantage of the new technology in order to reach a broader audience. The British propaganda film “Millions Like Us,” released in 1943, utilized forced activism in encouraging people to join the workforce during World War II. During the Vietnam War, TV news was a major source of information about protests against the war, and gained support for the movement because more people could see their activism. The communist government in Czechoslovakia had to work harder to suppress the Forum during the Velvet Revolution because of the multiple forms of media available to them. Members of the Forum used underground publications and word-of-mouth because other forms of media were censored by the government. Because of the varieties of publicity, more movements were successful. Even if one medium was suppressed, others were available to raise awareness, and because of these different forms of media, the movements were harder to stop.
Today, with the use of social media and the internet, people can learn about movements from many sources. Police brutality, sexism, and LGBTQ rights are big issues debated all over the internet. Hashtags like #blacklivesmatter, #yesallwomen, and #lovewins scatter the internet on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, making activism both accessible and easy to contribute to. Newspapers, TV, and now internet are all available with different perspectives and information on modern activism. Now more than ever, opinions are just as easily found as objective portrayals of movements. In some ways, activism today is more successful than ever because people of all backgrounds are aware and can participate. On the other hand, because activism is so accessible and pervasive, and everyone has a say, it could be less impactful. Despite this, the modern use of media has made activism more prevalent than ever before, and more movements can be successful because everyone has the opportunity to learn about them.
Over the course of the 20th century, media has changed and more forms have been invented, creating the opportunity for activism to spread. In the beginning of the 20th century, newspapers and written forms of media were the main source of information. Emmeline Pankhurst, Margaret Sanger, and Joseph Conrad were all limited to written media. With the invention of TV and film, activism forged a new frontier with the combination of written media and the new technology enabling activists to reach a much broader audience. Today, internet and social media have made activism a social norm, as everyone can participate and learn about modern issues. Just as Malcolm X believed, new forms of media give movements the power to influence public opinion leading to more successful activism.
Final Projects: Popular Activism in Different Mediums
Types of popular activism in 19th century Europe: