In the United States, students have played catalytic and leading roles in shaping the national and international discourse and foreign policies regarding human rights and social justice causes. Some of the most prominent student-led movements include the Greensboro sit-ins in the 1960s. The Greensboro sit-ins were a series of protests against segregated tables in Greensboro, NC, planned and executed by students. This protest led by students sparked an even larger movement of individuals across the nation to stand against segregation in all spaces, including libraries, beaches, hotels, restaurants, etc.
Vietnam War Protests
Another prominent student and youth demonstration were the protests against the Vietnam war.
Many campuses across the United States saw unrest from the overwhelming protests against the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam war. Many anti-war college groups were established to mobilize and organize students against the Vietnam war. These anti-war movements were not seen as separate from other civil rights and social justice groups on campus, and many social justice groups on campus were brought together.
South Africa Apartheid Protests
When it came to dismantling the apartheid in South Africa, public school students in Soweto, South Africa, organized several protests against apartheid. The Afrikaans of South Africa faced guns and tear gas by the police, and this cruelty brought international attention. The actions led by the students in Soweto grew and eventually spread to college campuses in the United States. Students in the United States built shantytowns on campuses, blocked buildings, and disrupted speeches by South African politicians. These protests’ goal was to pressure schools to withdraw billions of dollars in investments from companies complicit in apartheid in South Africa. Over time, as the movement grew, economic pressure was placed on the South African government, which dismantled apartheid.
Palestinian Movement Among Students and Youth in the United States
The Palestinian Youth Movement and Students for Justice in Palestine are two of the largest organizations across the nation concerned with Palestinian human rights and liberation. The Palestinian Youth Movement is “a transnational, independent, grassroots movement of young Palestinians in Palestine and in exile worldwide as a result of the ongoing Zionist colonization and occupation of [their] homeland.” The PYM does community-based organizing that frames the right of return and liberation as a means for freedom. The PYM also engages with other communities to develop solidarity and joint struggle relationships to fight against colonialism, racism, and injustice globally.
The Students for Justice in Palestine is found across campuses in the United States and Canada; it aims to “present values of freedom, solidarity, equality, safety, and historical justice” and aims to elevate the role of student political engagement and solidarity. SJPs across North America build solidarity with other campus groups that fight against state violence, settler-colonialism, all forms of racism and discrimination, and imperialism. Through joint struggle and intersectionality, SJP contributes to building the movement for Palestinian liberation.
Student-led and youth-led movements are an integral part of Palestinian freedom. Students and youth can lead and expand the movement by organizing with various groups like Students for Justice in Palestine, the Palestinian Youth Movement, among others. While the youth are not the only ones protesting, youth-led movements have played a significant role in expanding social movements to the public and creating change through organizing and community building.
This article has been written by Sabrine Hussien, who is an intern at The Jerusalem Fund.
The views in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Jerusalem Fund.
