Activism

Peace in Palmer Square: A history of Vietnam War activism

On March 4, 1965, the two opposing pickets in Palmer Square were orderly and calm; some demonstrators ducked into delicatessens partway through for lunch.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Gunter ’68 / The Daily Princetonian

Peace in Palmer Square: A history of Vietnam War activism

James Anderson

The Vietnam War brought unprecedented activism at the University in forms ranging from peaceful pickets and fasting to sieges on buildings and firebombing. It divided the campus deeply between radicals and conservatives, youths and adults, and draft refusers and ROTC cadets.

NEWS | 11/15/2019

SPEAR holds performance protest, talk on isolated confinement

Rooya Rahin

“7x9” is meant to bring awareness to the use of solitary confinement in prisons. SPEAR has held the “7x9” demonstration annually for the past seven years. The performance protest has typically been accompanied by a talk from a formerly incarcerated person. This year’s speaker was Mark Hopkins.

NEWS | 11/10/2019

U. community members protest at "Double Sights" dedication

People hold signs denouncing Woodrow Wilson's white supremacy.
Photo Credit: Jon Ort / The Daily Princetonian

U. community members protest at "Double Sights" dedication

Rose Gilbert

As president of the University, Wilson falsely asserted that no black student had ever attended the institution and actively prevented black applicants from being accepted, writing: “It is altogether inadvisable for a colored man to enter Princeton.” Over two hundred students, alumni, and faculty members gathered to protest at the dedication of the University’s new installation, “Double Sights,” which is meant to represent Woodrow Wilson’s complex legacy.

NEWS | 10/07/2019

Vigil marks third year of Wang’s detainment

Hua Qu, Xiyue Wang’s wife, speaks during a vigil in Oct., as Michael McGovern GS, President of “Free Xiyue Wang,” looks on.
Photo Credit: Jon Ort / The Daily Princetonian

Vigil marks third year of Wang’s detainment

Danielle Ranucci

At 5:00 p.m. yesterday, students, faculty, and community members held a vigil in honor of Xiyue Wang, a Ph.D. student in History who has been detained in Iran for over three years on charges of espionage.

NEWS | 10/04/2019

Students, alumni walk out of #MeToo panel, protest at P-Rade for Title IX reform

Sarah Warman Hirschfield

On June 1, the group of students seeking to reform policies relating to the Title IX office at the University staged a walk-out of a #MeToo panel and held signs and donned purple in lieu of orange and black during the P-Rade.

NEWS | 06/03/2019

Title IX office protests come to a close, will return for the P-rade

Ivy Truong

For over a week, these student activists had weathered through thunderstorms and cold nights during reading period.

NEWS | 05/16/2019

PIXR protesters update demands, call for U. statement signed by Eisgruber

Zachary Shevin

After over 100 hours of protest in front of Nassau Hall, Princeton Students for Title IX Reform (PIXR) updated their list of demands. Additionally, PIXR has called for a public statement from the University, signed by President Christopher Eisgruber ’83, “in order to demonstrate the University’s commitment to addressing students’ persistent suffering.”

NEWS | 05/12/2019

CPUC meeting discusses room draw error, Ban the Box concerns

Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity Michele Minter responds to a question during a CPUC meeting in May 2019.
Photo Credit: Jon Ort / The Daily Princetonian

CPUC meeting discusses room draw error, Ban the Box concerns

Hannah Wang

The CPUC meeting included talk on room draw, Wintersession, and a Ban the Box walk-out.

NEWS | 05/08/2019

Shabbat controversy divides Jewish community over attitudes toward Israel

Shabbat controversy divides Jewish community over attitudes toward Israel

Zachary Shevin

The Center for Jewish Life’s Israel Shabbat generated controversy because leaders of the Alliance of Jewish Progressives felt it failed to acknowledge Israel’s occupation of the West Bank or mention Palestinians.

NEWS | 04/07/2019

Alliance of Jewish Progressives to host alternative Shabbat in response to CJL’s “Israel Shabbat”

Zachary Shevin

In response to Tigers for Israel (TFI) hosting Shabbat dinner at the Center for Jewish Life (CJL) this week, the Alliance of Jewish Progressives (AJP) will be hosting an alternative event entitled “#NotOurShabbat” from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. in Campus Club.

NEWS | 04/04/2019

CPUC meeting discusses PPPL, Ban the Box again

Photo Caption: Sir Steve Cowley, director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab, spoke at the CPUC meeting on Monday, Mar. 25.
Photo Credit: Marie-Rose Sheinerman / The Daily Princetonian.

CPUC meeting discusses PPPL, Ban the Box again

Marie-Rose Sheinerman

The most tense moment of the Q&A came when Micah Herskind ’19, the former president of SPEAR, pushed Eisgruber on what he sees as the University’s continued valuing of information “from a system we know is racist and classicist.”

NEWS | 03/25/2019

Liberating New South: How black student activists inspired change through protest

A sign on the doors to New South reads “This bldg has been liberated by ABC.” Source: The Daily Princetonian Larry Dupraz Digital Archives.

Liberating New South: How black student activists inspired change through protest

Ivy Truong and Benjamin Ball

At 7 a.m. on March 11, 1969, four students lurked in the weeds in front of the New South Building. Shortly afterwards, over 40 black students from the Association of Black Collegians (ABC) rushed the building, according to a log from the Department of Public Information. The students then chained the north doors of the building shut and secured the east doors with a mop.

NEWS | 03/07/2019

Day of Action held for Xiyue Wang

McGovern delivers opening remarks. Courtesy of Albert Jiang.

Day of Action held for Xiyue Wang

Albert Jiang and Karolen Eid

“One of the things we are trying to do is keep things alive and do more than just hold a vigil every single year to remind people of the situation,” said graduate student Mikey McGovern, president of student group Free Xiyue Wang. “We want to actually turn consciousness into action.”

NEWS | 02/20/2019

Eisgruber discusses University expansion, "Ban the Box" at CPUC meeting

Marie-Rose Sheinerman

At the first CPUC meeting of the semester, President Christopher Eisgruber ’83 discussed the University’s new research initiatives and expansion plans. Undergraduates from Students for Prison Education and Reform (SPEAR) confronted Eisgruber with a series of questions.

NEWS | 02/11/2019

U.’s Turning Point USA chapter wants to provoke debate, expand dialogue on campus

U.'s Turning Point USA chapter hosted a Free Speech Ball event earlier this fall.

U.’s Turning Point USA chapter wants to provoke debate, expand dialogue on campus

Benjamin Ball and Zachary Shevin

Turning Point USA is a political organization that advocates for issues related to personal liberty, ranging from free speech to gun control. The University chapter has been met with both support and pushback from students.

FEATURES | 12/05/2018

Rally opposing Kavanaugh attacks his judgment, conduct

Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert speaks at the #ResistKavanaugh rally on Oct. 4 in Tiger Park.

Rally opposing Kavanaugh attacks his judgment, conduct

Zachary Shevin

Dozens of protestors filled the park, and some spectators even had to stand beyond the park’s confines. A number of protesters came with signs, including some reading “Unfit to Judge #CancelKavanaugh,” “Keep His SCROTUS Off Our SCOTUS,” and “When Truth Dies, Democracy Dies.”

NEWS | 10/05/2018

U. students write, sign letter on Kavanaugh hearing

Zachary Shevin

On Oct. 1, a letter involving the confirmation process of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh began circulating among University students. It was directed at the U.S. Senate and President Donald Trump.

NEWS | 10/02/2018

U. students participate in ‘March for Our Lives’ rallies in Washington, D.C., New York City

Rose Gilbert

Saturday, several University students attended one of the major “March For Our Lives” events in Washington, D.C., and New York City to call for improved gun control in the wake of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting that took place this February.

NEWS | 03/28/2018

Panel discusses sustaining an activist life

Claire Thornton

Hedges, an author, former University professor, and Pulitzer Prize-winning foreign correspondent for the New York Times, said that “to resist radical evil is to endure a life that by the standards of wider society, is a failure.”

NEWS | 04/17/2017

SAB's Inspiration Night highlights intersection of arts and activism

Emily Spalding

The connections between social engagement and art were evident as the Student Advisory Board hosted its annual Inspiration Night in the Princeton University Art Museum Thursday evening.

NEWS | 04/13/2017

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