Page 19 - All About History - Issue 34-16

Protest

TOMMIE SMITH to speak on the subject of
Yousafzai has continued
Smith caused women’s rights
controversy with his AMERICAN 1944 PRESENT
black power salute at the Along with fellow athlete John Carlos, Tommie
1968 Olympics Smith hit the headlines at the 1968 Olympic Games
in Mexico after staging a silent protest at the
treatment of black people in the form of
a black power salute on the podium.
At the award Justifying his actions, Smith said:
“If I win I am an American, not
ceremony of the a black American. But if I did
1968 Olympics, Smith something bad then they would
say ‘a Negro’. We are black and
wore black gloves, we are proud of being black.” MALALA YOUSAFZAI
black socks and no Smailović continued PAKISTANI 1997 PRESENT
shoes torn Sarajevo, often in Having spent much of her life speaking out
performing in war-
bombed-out buildings in favour of women’s right to education –
HENRY encouraged by her father, who formerly ran a
school – Yousafzai hit the headlines when aged
THOREAU just 15 she was shot in the head by a Taliban
gunman. After recovering from her wounds in
AMERICAN 1817 62 a British hospital, she continued to speak out,
A philosopher, poet which, combined with the worldwide outrage
and writer, Thoreau at the attack, led to the passing of Pakistan’s
is perhaps best first Right To Free And Compulsory Education
remembered for his bill in 2013. She continues her work today, and
essays advocating was recognised in 2014 in the form of the Nobel
the process of VEDRAN SMAILOVIĆ Peace Prize.
civil disobedience, BOSNIAN 1956 PRESENT
informed by his Thoreau expounded the Popularly referred to as the ‘Cellist of Sarajevo’,
opposition to slavery virtues of civil disobedience in Wells was a staunch
his writing Smailović became iconic around the world for
and poll taxes, the latter campaigner in favour
continuing to play his music during the upheaval of of civil rights
of which he was arrested for avoiding in 1846.
the Siege of Sarajevo from 1992-96. He performed
His ‘Civil Disobedience’ papers, which criticised
in bombed-out buildings and at funerals, which
government expenditure, proved to be a much-read
were regularly targeted by snipers. When asked
text, and while he didn’t change policy himself,
why he did it, he replied: “You ask me am I crazy
he did go on to influence the likes of Leo Tolstoy,
for playing the cello, why do you not ask if they
Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King.
are not crazy for shelling Sarajevo?”
“One child, one teacher, one pen and one
book can change the world” Malala Yousafzai
Biko’s death in police IDA B WELLS
custody made him a martyr STEVE BIKO During her
SOUTH AFRICAN AMERICAN 1862 1931
1946 77 A lifelong campaigner activism, Wells
in favour of suffrage
The leader of the wrote the book
and civil rights, Wells
Black Consciousness
is also remembered for Southern Horrors:
Movement in South
publicising the various
Africa, Biko became Lynch Law In All Its
lynchings that often
a martyr after dying Phases
went on against black
in police custody
people. She highlighted
following transferral
that many of the acts were
after a seven-day
committed not because of any
hunger strike. Many blamed police brutality for
crime (as the perpetrators often alleged), but
his sudden death. Seen by many as second only
for reasons as petty as being involved
to Nelson Mandela in his contributions to anti-
in competing businesses. She
apartheid campaigning, he began working full
also set up numerous women’s
time for the Black Community Programmes in
rights groups, and travelled the
1972, and also set up various community groups
country making speeches on
aimed at helping political prisoners.
the subject. © Getty Images
19