A collection of historical boycott posters that provide a visual history of economic activism over the last 60 years will be exhibited February 17-21 on the third floor of Jordan Hall. An opening reception for Boycott! The Art of Economic Activism will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 18.
Boycott!, features more than 20 boycotts, including the Montgomery Bus Boycott, United Farm Workers’ grape and lettuce boycott, divestment from South Africa to protest Apartheid, boycotts of corporations using sweatshops, the Palestinian call for Boycott, Divest and Sanctions, and many others.
“Posters are one of the most effective and widespread means for educating the public about an issue, promoting a cause and inspiring action,” said Erin Polley of the American Friends Service Committee, local sponsor of the exhibition. “Boycotts as a form of nonviolent protest have been used for centuries to bring an end to injustice. These powerful posters tell a history of grassroots activism that is often left out of history books.”
The exhibit, which is free and open to the public, was initiated by the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization that promotes lasting peace with justice, as a practical expression of faith in action, and produced in collaboration with the Center for the Study of Political Graphics.
“We hope that viewers will be challenged to evaluate their economic choices and to consider whether or not our choices contribute to a more just and peaceful world,” said Jennifer Bing, of the American Friends Service Committee and national coordinator of the Exhibition.
Boycott! The Art of Economic Activism will continue on to Earlham College in Richmond, Ind., before travelling to other locations throughout the United States, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, North Carolina, California, North Dakota, Michigan and Illinois.
For more information about the exhibition, http://afsc.org/boycott-art-economic-activism.
