one of the reasons i wrote this piece is to get away from the gauzy mythology of the civil rights movement "spontaneous mass resistance" "rosa parks was just tired". no. the movement remains a masterclass in the tactics--and the *strategy*--of resistance. - ThreadSky

sjshancoxli.liberalcurrents.com • 71 days ago

one of the reasons i wrote this piece is to get away from the gauzy mythology of the civil rights movement "spontaneous mass resistance" "rosa parks was just tired". no. the movement remains a masterclass in the tactics--and the *strategy*--of resistance.

Reposted from Liberal Currents

“Did it end racism in America? No. But it did end Jim Crow.” www.liberalcurrents.com/how-to-win-a...

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aliengeometries.itch.io•70 days ago

Reading the speech linked in the article, Edgar French articulated something that resonates today about disinformation, phantasms, and moral panics.

hurricanexyz.bsky.social•70 days ago

Are people still doing the "Rosa Parks was tired" thing in the year of our lord 2025?? that's sad

orman.bsky.social•71 days ago

With Parks specifically, if I was a conspiracy theorist, I'd conclude that teaching "she was just tired" is such a critical but subtle distortion that it was done deliberately to make future protests less effective

jaredsinclair.bsky.social•70 days ago

I would like to read a follow up on this re: the differences between then and now. The problems of Now: Balkanized media, online echo chambers, party polarization, shamelessness of those in highest offices. The big successes Then seem impossible under present circumstances.

meelar.bsky.social•70 days ago

Seconded.

perejes.bsky.social•69 days ago

Excellent writing. We can do this.

therealscottyp.bsky.social•69 days ago

A well written summary of the overall success of the American Civil Rights movement. However, 2025 is very different from the 1950s. Unlike today, media had sway over public opinion. I’m not yet convinced that similar tactics would work today. I agree non-violence needs to be at the core of action.

anniecurtains.bsky.social•70 days ago

Absolute yes. #Selma is a master class for today’s Dems and everyone else. @apnews.com needs to #Selma its way into those presidential press conferences.

notappearingint.bsky.social•70 days ago

📌

ohdeerthermos.bsky.social•71 days ago

And that gauzy mythology was created to expressly discredit the movement post-1968!

manos.lol•70 days ago

📌

awoaca.bsky.social•70 days ago

Rosa Parks was a trained operative, and a damned good one.

maestraoogway.bsky.social•70 days ago

📌

sjshancoxli.liberalcurrents.com•71 days ago

--and that class is especially important, i think, in this era when so many spontaneous mass protests have failed in their aims. putting millions of people into the street just ain't enough!

https://www.liberalcurrents.com/why-movements-fail/

joestieb.bsky.social•71 days ago

Curious: you read Vincent Bevins’ book on this? If We Burn?

sjshancoxli.liberalcurrents.com•71 days ago

it is discussed in some detail in the essay!

joestieb.bsky.social•71 days ago

Lol i will read it then!!!

countessemilia.bsky.social•70 days ago

📌

connorstedman.bsky.social•70 days ago

📌📌

lbschoenberg.bsky.social•70 days ago

📌

seahorseshoe.bsky.social•70 days ago

Cannot believe how much it gets dismissed by the current left in favor of Vietnam protests that were so unpopular they likely prolonged the war.

sjshancoxli.liberalcurrents.com•70 days ago

i think in the popular imagination they are completely conflated as "sixties protests" despite being distinct chronologically (and in many other ways)

seahorseshoe.bsky.social•70 days ago

I very much appreciate your article, shared it on reddit. We formed to write left wing antiradical satire named for the horseshoe. First time seeing liberal current but will watch it the media has failed us badly and I refuse to use it, and hate substack.

mccdave.bsky.social•71 days ago

John Lewis’ book, “Walking with the Wind,” gives a great ground-level view as to everything that went into planning and carrying out a lot of the big actions of the Civil Rights Movement. The strategic acumen and discipline of those participating was remarkable. Highly recommend the book.

sfomel.bsky.social•70 days ago

"You Have to Be Prepared to Die" by Paul Kix details the highly strategic Birmingham campaign: "the story is a gripping reminder that organizing is difficult work, that it requires faith and discipline, and that the best-laid plans can lead simultaneously to the worst and most successful outcomes."

yt99.bsky.social•70 days ago

📌

jenk3.bsky.social•70 days ago

📌

jorvorskielaynes.bsky.social•70 days ago

No matter how stupid and counterproductive they are, if you criticize a protest's tactics, people online accuse you of hating the cause. No, it's because I want them to succeed and think they're blowing it!

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