Throughout history, courageous individuals have stood against the tyranny of oppression. Each of these stories of the struggle for human and civil rights is unique.  Continents may separate them, but their voices converge to become one chorus. Their unified anthem for all humanity’s civil rights resonates in their community, land, and across the world. 

In India, Mahatma Gandhi pioneered the model for non-violent civil disobedience and peaceful protest as he led a revolution to establish freedom. In South Africa, Nelson Mandela stood against apartheid. He expressed the depth of his devotion to equal rights for all as he stated, “I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal that I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”  

This exhibit explores non-violent global protest as it is reflected in nations around the world, building on the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and extending through the courageous stand of students in China’s Tianamen Square.