it was a peaceful sunny beautiful day for a march in Ann Arbor
with kids and dogs and big people too
all walking and talking and singing and chanting together
even a knight dressed in full armor came out on this fine day
all standing up together
for each other, for our neighbors, near and far, and for our country.
no kings.
—
‘the people have the power.
all we have to do is awaken the power in the people.’
-john lennon
thinking of Aretha Franklin during her birthday week
powerful singer and powerful person
who sang so many powerful songs
including
RESPECT
an anthem
to civil rights and women’s rights
personal power
knowing
she’d be proud today
if she were still with us
as people will fill the streets
across the country
to stand and sing and march
to take back their rights
reclaiming their power
no kings.
—
‘stand up to your obstacles and do something about them.
you will find that they haven’t half the strength you think they have.’
-norman vincent peale
—
*Aretha Louise Franklin , 1942 – 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Regarded as the “Queen of Soul”, she was twice named by Rolling Stone magazine as the greatest singer of all time.
—
photo image: don hunstein, Getty
a large and passionate crowd turned out in the cold last night
speakers, chanters, singers, hot cider, flags, signs, hand warmers
even a counter-protester
before the city council met
some community members
spoke at the meeting
the Romulus city council
unanimously approved a resolution
against a planned ICE detention center
in which they outbid an auto supply company
to purchase a vacant building in the city
during the meeting
the mayor said the city will not issue a permit or a certificate of occupancy
unless mandated by a federal judge to do so
next step is to take it to the state
power of the people.
—
‘the time is always right to do what is right.’
-Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
American Sampler
Activating the Archive
Guest Curator: Julie Ault, Artist
Jan, 2026 – Ongoing
Vertical Gallery
THE ART, LANGUAGE, AND LEGACY OF PROTEST
This archive looks back to a period when protest reshaped the nation. Curated by MacArthur Fellow Julie Ault in collaboration with the University of Michigan’s Labadie Collection of political dissent, this eighteen-month exhibition transforms UMMA’s towering Vertical Gallery into a living record of activism.
Bringing together artworks, archival documents, and rare ephemera from the 1950s through the 1970s, American Sampler explores the interconnected movements for Black Freedom, civil rights, and resistance to the Vietnam War—and the visual strategies that gave them power. Through striking juxtapositions of art and protest material, the exhibition asks visitors to consider how acts of dissent are built, communicated, and remembered.
Featuring works by Romare Bearden, Robert Indiana, Corita Kent, Jacob Lawrence, Nancy Spero, Félix González-Torres, and others alongside archival materials such as protest posters, Freedom Rider testimonials, GI resistance material, and courtroom records from the Chicago Seven trial, American Sampler uplifts the shared aims of art and activism. Opening in advance of the United States’ 250th anniversary, Ault offers a timely reflection on dissent as a cornerstone of American democracy and identity.
I went to see American Sampler and it was fascinating to see the artistic and written expression of artists, writers, and activists of the past. Original documents, posters, writings and historical pieces were on display, and I learned many new things about the history of politics, protest, and social movements in the process. Afterwords, I attended a discussion with the curator of the University of Michigan Library’s Labadie Collection, Julie Herrada, who worked closely with artist and curator, Julie Ault on the project.
—
“artists are the gatekeepers of truth.
we are civilization’s radical voice.”
-paul robeson
on a cold and bright morning
at january’s end
the students organized
the townies arrived
we stood together
marched as one
—
2,000+ students and local residents gathered on the university of michigan diag in ann arbor and marched across campus and through the city to protest the administration’s use of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in michigan and across the nation.
—
‘at this crucial time in our lives, when everything is so desperate, when every day is a matter of survival, i don’t think you can help but be involved.’
-nina simone, jazz singer, pianist, and civil rights activist
—
image credit Marcin Szczepański
how i spent my sunday afternoon in ann arbor
it was snowy but full of fired up people
‘i need to be able to tell my grandchildren i did not stay silent.’
thank you to my fellow michiganders for showing up
on the streets of detroit with me
and to all those who showed up anywhere
to make our voices heard
—
‘words empowered by justice can never be silenced.’
-Isabel Ibanez, author
50 protests/50 states/50 capitols
good to be one small part of
these peaceful protests
filled with people
refusing to be silenced
in my state capitol of lansing, mi, usa
and all around the country
people traveling long distances
sharing rides
taking time off of work or school
in cold and bad weather
to show their refusal to sit down
lawmakers of all ages and races and genders spoke out
this young activist, a local college student
who helped to organize our state’s protest
spoke with passion and cried
while addressing
why this is so important
already understanding at such a young age
some truths are universal
proud to stand with each and every one of them
on national tv tonight – protests in states across the nation
united in their cause.
—
“in matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems,
for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same.’
-albert einstein
In the spring of 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. organized a demonstration in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. With entire families in attendance, city police turned dogs and fire hoses on demonstrators. King was jailed along with large numbers of his supporters, but the event drew nationwide attention.
In his famous Letter from Birmingham Jail, King eloquently spelled out his theory of non-violence:
“Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community,
which has constantly refused to negotiate,
is forced to confront the issue.”
—
credits: biography, history channel, photo credit: the atlantic
I didn't have my glasses on.... 