A Protest History of the United States

by Gloria J. Browne-Marshall

Exploring 400 years of protest and resistance in US history—and what the unsung heroes of social movements past can teach us about navigating our chaotic world

In this timely new book in Beacon’s successful ReVisioning History series, law professor Gloria Browne-Marshall delves into the history of protest movements and rebellion in the United States. Beginning with indigenous peoples’ resistance to European colonization and continuing through to today’s climate change demonstrations, Browne-Marshall expands how to think about protest through sharing select historical moments and revealing the role of key players involved in those efforts.

Drawing upon legal documents, archival material, government documents and secondary sources, A Protest History of the United States gives voice to those who pushed back against the mistreatment of others, themselves, and in some instances planet Earth. Browne-Marshall highlights stories of individuals from all walks of life, backgrounds, and time periods who helped bring strong attention to their causes. Those stories include those of Wahunsenacock, more commonly known to history as Chief Powhatan, who took on English invaders in pre-colonial America in 1607; legendary boxer Muhammad Ali who refused to be inducted into the U.S. military during the Vietnam era and appealed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court; and David Buckel, LGBTQ+ rights lawyer and environmental activist who protested against fossil fuels by committing self-immolation in 2018.

Regardless of whether these protests accomplished their end goals, Browne-Marshall reminds us that not only is dissent meaningful and impactful but is an essential tool for eliciting long lasting change.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics, American History, Audiobook, Social Justice, Activism

360 pages, Hardcover

First published April 22, 2025

Reviews

[Siena Beattie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted this to be a little more of a guide to what effective vs. ineffective protest looks like but, as advertised, it is exclusively a historical recounting of protests throughout the existence of the US. Some of it I had already learned and some things that our old history books had clearly and purposefully left out.

[Sarah Jensen]

Book Review: A Protest History of the United States by Gloria J. Browne-Marshall
Introduction

Gloria J. Browne-Marshall’s A Protest History of the United States presents a comprehensive examination of the various movements and acts of dissent that have shaped American society throughout its history. This work serves not only as a chronological narrative of protest but also as an analysis of the political, social, and cultural contexts that have fueled these movements. Browne-Marshall, a legal scholar and civil rights advocate, employs a multifaceted approach to highlight the significance of protests in influencing change and shaping the nation’s identity.

Content Overview

The book is organized thematically, covering a broad spectrum of protest movements, including civil rights, women’s suffrage, labor rights, and anti-war demonstrations. Each chapter provides detailed accounts of significant events, key figures, and the socio-political climate surrounding these protests. Browne-Marshall meticulously traces the evolution of dissent from early colonial times through contemporary movements, emphasizing that protests have always been a vital expression of civic engagement.

Browne-Marshall’s analysis extends beyond the events themselves; she explores the motivations behind protests, the strategies employed by activists, and the responses from governmental and institutional powers. The author effectively illustrates how grassroots efforts have historically challenged systemic injustices and contributed to the advancement of civil liberties.

Critical Analysis

One of the significant strengths of A Protest History of the United States is its inclusive portrayal of diverse movements and voices. Browne-Marshall emphasizes the contributions of marginalized groups, including people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals, thereby broadening the traditional narrative surrounding American history. This intersectional approach highlights the interconnectedness of various struggles and reinforces the idea that protests are not isolated events but part of a larger continuum of social justice efforts.

Browne-Marshall’s writing is both accessible and engaging, aiming to reach a wide audience, including academics, students, and general readers interested in American history and social movements. The inclusion of primary sources, such as speeches, letters, and personal narratives, enriches the text and provides readers with a deeper understanding of the experiences and emotions of those involved in protests.

However, while the book offers a thorough analysis of numerous movements, some readers may find that the breadth of content occasionally sacrifices depth in certain areas. Certain pivotal events and figures could benefit from more extensive exploration, particular in terms of their long-term impact on society. Nevertheless, Browne-Marshall’s adept storytelling and analytical skills largely compensate for these limitations.

Conclusion

A Protest History of the United States by Gloria J. Browne-Marshall is an essential contribution to the field of American history and social justice studies. By chronicling the rich tapestry of protest movements and highlighting the ongoing struggle for equality and justice, Browne-Marshall effectively underscores the importance of dissent as a catalyst for change. The book serves as both a historical reference and a source of inspiration for future activists, reminding readers of the power of collective action in the pursuit of a more just society.

Recommendation

This book is highly recommended for scholars, students, and anyone interested in understanding the role of protest in shaping American history. It is particularly valuable for those studying social movements, civil rights, and political activism. Browne-Marshall’s engaging narrative and thoughtful insights make this a vital resource for understanding the complexities of dissent and the ongoing fight for justice in the United States.

[Kira Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

If only we as a country would learn from our history.

[Ayla Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

[Janelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be required reading in high school history classes.

[Amy K · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine introduction to protest movements for the uninitiated. I went into this looking for more of a what works / what doesn't work and that's not covered here.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is organized by theme and covers a lot of material. I did like the book but felt like it jumped around and discussed lightly some events. And mentioned some multiple times instead of going in depth.

[Mia Carter]

A Protest History of the United States by Gloria Browne-Marshall is a compelling and necessary contribution to the ReVisioning History series. With clarity and conviction, Browne-Marshall traces the lineage of American protest from Indigenous resistance to colonial invasion, all the way to the modern-day climate justice movement. This book doesn’t just recount history—it redefines how we understand protest as a vital force in shaping a more just society.

What sets this work apart is its expansive and inclusive approach. By drawing from a wide range of legal and historical sources, Browne-Marshall gives voice to those often overlooked in mainstream narratives. Figures like Chief Powhatan, Muhammad Ali, and David Buckel are presented not just as protestors, but as pivotal actors in America’s ongoing struggle for justice—each with deeply personal motivations and far-reaching impact.

This isn’t just a history book. It’s a call to recognize dissent as a foundational American tradition, one that has driven social, political, and environmental change throughout centuries. Even in cases where the protests didn’t achieve their immediate goals, Browne-Marshall powerfully argues that the act of resistance itself plants the seeds of future transformation.

Thoughtfully written and rich in context, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in civil rights, law, activism, or the long arc of justice in the United States.

[Mary Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most recent book by this author and is more than just the history of protest. It’s actually a compilation of landmark cases and the people that really made a difference in the world and that was very interesting to me.

The book is set up with each chapter as a category - and includes all people from indigenous people to those affected by employment and the environment and more!

The need for protest in the past was very clear, especially in the chapter regarding the treatment of African-Americans concerning criminal matters. And unfortunately, some of these Atrocities continue today, which is also interesting. There still is a lot of work to do and peaceful protest is a solution in many cases.

This author is an historian and a visionary - her book is one that could help change our society to make it one where all people have rights and are treated with respect. Her own personal story throughout the book added to her vision and passion for this subject, she definitely showcased her knowledge of the subject matter and proved that her suggestions for positive change were possible.

Everyone should read this book and know about the history and importance of protest and the types of civil liberties that a society needs to be a free one. Know your rights and defend them so that they will not be taken away.

[Bobby Ramos · Rating 5 out of 5]

A History of Protest in the United States
Gloria J. Browne-Marshall
This book moves like a protest march that knows exactly where it’s going, and why. Written by a full professor of constitutional law and Africana Studies—who also happens to be an Emmy-winning writer, social-justice attorney, activist, film producer, and playwright—it blends legal precision with narrative punch. Just imagine a female version of the iconic James Baldwin, just as dynamic, just as formidable, just as eloquent, but with even a few more tools on her tool belt! The result is not a dusty chronicle of marches and movements, but a living history of dissent as a defining feature of American democracy, not a glitch in the system.
What makes the book stand out is how it defines, identifies, and feeds unknowing minds concerning the power of protest while still unapologetically defending it. Court cases, constitutional flashpoints, and street-level activism are woven together with a storyteller’s instinct, an activist's enthusiasm to correct a particular injustice, and a lawyer’s eye for consequences. From abolition to labor, civil rights to contemporary movements, protest is shown not as chaos, but as a disciplined force that repeatedly drags the Nation closer to its stated ideals—often kicking and screaming.

The prose is sharp, accessible, and confident. This is scholarship without the smugness and activism without the slogans. The author lives a life grounded in the power of protest to create pressure, shift public opinion, and force systemic change, while challenging authority and asserting rights through impactful demonstrations. You finish the book with a clearer understanding of how power actually changes in the United States—and why protest has never been un-American, but profoundly American. If history is written by the victors, this book reminds us that protest is how the rest of the country gets a pen.

Gloria J. Browne Marshall has a red, black, and green steroid-filled pen that says, before reading this book, "Get Your Popcorn Ready!"

[Jerry Edward Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author believes in public protest. She writes in the prefatory notes to this book that “[p]rotest, to me, is spiritual.” She demonstrates how seriously she believes in the act of public protest in our nation’s history when she recalls that her first protest activity was about adequate school financing while she was an elementary school student. The author is now a law professor (John Jay College), writer, playwright, and social justice activist. In this book, Browne-Marshall writes of the history of public protest movements and rebellion in the United States. The earliest came with indigenous peoples’ resistance to European colonization. Later protests have followed labor and employment strife, civil rights concerns, anti-war activism, and climate change. The author identifies key players involved in these efforts. This book draws upon legal documents, archival material, government documents and secondary sources to illustrate how protests were organized and conducted. The story of Muhammad Ali who refused to be inducted into the U.S. military during the Vietnam era and appealed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court is one example. The author hopes that this nation is made better when the people demand more of the nation and its government. She wants this book to be a guide for protest to help in that improvement. Recommended for many readers.

[Jessica DeVita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gloria J. Browne-Marshall delivers a compelling and expansive look at the role of protest in shaping American identity in A Protest History of the United States. From Indigenous resistance to European colonization to modern movements for climate justice, she traces the evolution of dissent with clarity and purpose. Organized chronologically, the book offers a sweeping introduction to key moments, movements, and figures, while emphasizing the vital roles played by often-overlooked communities—especially women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ activists.

What sets this book apart is Browne-Marshall’s deeply personal connection to the subject; for her, protest is not just political—it’s spiritual. Drawing from legal documents, archival sources, and firsthand accounts, she brings both legal insight and emotional weight to these stories. Though some topics could benefit from more depth, the breadth of coverage makes this an excellent starting point for readers looking to explore the history of American activism.

Highly recommended for students, educators, and anyone interested in the power of collective action. It’s a timely, relevant, and inspiring read—one that reminds us that progress often begins with protest.

[Andrew P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Protest History is a book for everyone. A must have! It is both timely and timeless!! It provides an important examination of the history of protest in the US expanding our popular understanding of this term beyond its common usage to offer a fascinating historical journey from colonial America to the present day. Browne-Marshall has taken the deeper meaning of the word protest and made it accessible and relatable to the everyday reader. By weaving protest into the very fabric of American history and focusing on its application to many key events the author provides the reader a very powerful, well crafted and fascinating book. I read this book while viewing related current events unfolding in real time which to me was both exhilarating, enlightening and led me to reconsider what I thought I knew about this subject. Further, the author explores this topic on a personal level in the sharing of her family history along with these very human protest stories at such a high level that for me it was a page turner holding my interest from cover to cover. This book was written in the tradition of great intellectuals/writers including W.E.B. Du Bois, Toni Morrison and James Baldwin to name a few. I highly recommend this book!

[Julian Pritchard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall this book is good. Browne-Marshall, a respected legal scholar, professor, and activist, writes a single volume history of different social movements in the U.S. that women, people of color, laborers, and other groups participated in to participate fully in this country and exercise their rights. As a legal scholar, Browne-Marshall is very focused on a liberal conception of rights, though she does not exclude the contributions of radicals and Marxists like Angela Davis and Malcolm X.

This book is a little uneven, she seeks to cover a lot of ground in a short book, and some parts are repetitive while other protest events are glided over or ignored. This book would mainly be useful for young activists or people who need an introduction to radical history, it reminded me a lot of the work of Howard Zinn. My only real issue with this book was that she described the victims of the triangle shirtwaist factory fire, a (the) key moment in Jewish American labor history, as young German and Italian women. While some of the victims were Italians, the majority were Jewish, and I felt like Jewish contributions to 20th century labor history were ignored in this book. Overall though, very readable, interesting and nuanced.

[Magen Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is organized chronologically, allowing readers to see the evolution of protest movements from the early days of the nation to contemporary issues. She does an excellent job of highlighting key events and figures, while also emphasizing the contributions of often-overlooked groups, particularly women and people of color. This inclusive approach enriches the narrative and provides a more comprehensive understanding of the diverse voices that have contributed to the American protest landscape
Overall, "A Protest History of the United States" is an essential read for anyone interested in understanding the roots of social change in America.
This work serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of activism and the ongoing struggle for justice, making it a valuable addition to both academic and personal libraries. Highly recommended!

[Cassie C · Rating 4 out of 5]

My library hold for this book came up the day before the No Kings Day protests, which felt like beautiful timing. I greatly appreciate this book, especially for the clear messaging that protest is not just going out on the streets with signs and chants, but is also lobbying, litigating, educating oneself and others, and even what seems like the mere act of surviving. My only criticisms of the book would be that Browne-Marshall does at times seem to include extraneous information that isn’t entirely pertinent to the subject; and, due to the organization of the chapters, has several instances of repetitive sections (e.g. three different references to the events surrounding MLK’s death and two different explanations of the Rodney King riots).

[David Derkowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Encouraging to see how far we’ve come in some areas as a nation in the last 250 years, depressing to think how little we’ve progressed in others. Some parts of this book are definitely more interesting than others, and I had some difficulty staying focused on the audiobook many times. Also had a couple minor quibbles, like the antiquated generalization that video games as a whole promote war as an adventure, and the author’s assumption that her friendly mailman was a racist when some letters she sent to colleges never arrived (plenty of other reasons that could’ve happened, I assure you). But as a whole, I thought it was decent, and a good reminder of the many injustices that form the foundation of our country and how people have been pushing back against them for generations.

[Michael L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brown-Msrshall established from the very first settlement, Jamestown to the present day,not only the need for pro tests but outcomes gains and losses. She shows how different groups such as native born, blacks, Chinese, and other ethnic groups have had their struggles. Central to the theme has always been to fight against the white established in control class.
while the surhor shows bias toward the American government this is a must read for any person who wants to know more about the real history of America and how protests not only shaped our laws, but also defined us as a nation.

[Aleah Briarly · Rating 5 out of 5]

6★ Absolutely incredible. I think this is my favorite lens of American history so far. Protest has so many shapes and forms that this book so beautifully showcases. I learned so many new things and it just really goes to show that we have always resisted and will always continue to resist these horrible, oppressive systems. A huge step in that is to be able to actually start to see the systems and understand how they got there in the first place. I think I added ten more books to my tbr, and I'm excited to keep learning more as I progress in my own personal protest journey!

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m rounding up because I think I understood that the author was trying to provide an introduction with a broad range of topics and they definitely accomplished that. This would be a fantastic introduction to so many worthwhile causes. I wish it was longer and went deeper but would strongly encourage people interested in learning about a wide array of subjects then diving deeper with other titles to learn more. Very relevant to our times.

[Relena_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is really a 4.5 because the book ends abruptly, which was off-putting after such a thorough reflection at the end of each chapter. Maybe Browne-Marshall decided that those reflections sufficed, but I've seen her speak and I really wanted that powerful wrap up to the ending. As it is, each chapter can be easily taught in isolation with its individualized conclusion.

This is a vital entry into the canon of American history. People should be reading this.

[Rolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly accessible and inspiring history of protest in the US, with chapters focusing on indigenous protest (from colonization all the way up through Standing Rock), protest against chattel slavery, protest against Jim Crow, against the oppression of women, and about every other category of protest I could have asked to have a deep dive about.

I learned a lot from this, and would like to reread it.

[Ramon Alejandro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gloria J. Browne-Marshall delivers a meticulously researched book that details protest movements from indigenous resistance to climate change demonstrations. “A Protest History of the United States” works more of a textbook that will interest scholars and students, but there are enough unknown moments in protest history that are detailed in this book that should interest anyone fascinated by U.S. history.

[Belinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is A protest history, not THE protest history snd when considering what Browne-Marshall set out to do this book is a success. It contains a lot of good information, an empowering tone and goes down easier than a textbook. I did find it annoying how certain facts or antidotes were repeated, sometimes several times. I only need to be told once that MLK jr died in Mississippi assisting in labor rights protests, please and thank you.

[Judith Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book for the times. It gives context and understanding to how protests and discourse have shaped the country. Gloria includes her own family history of protest which helps you understand why tracing this history is important to her and provides authenticity as she aligns her personal story with America’s struggles for social change. This was a great history lesson offered in an engaging read.

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely full of information including something that every reader will learn for the first time. Written with engaging prose that keeps the attention, though the organization of certain chapters could be improved. The author acknowledges from the start that there is too much history here to cover everything, and there were certainly topics and events that I missed.

[Cristian Cristea · Rating 4 out of 5]

How many books must be written documenting what the USA name as democracy and liberty. This is a new and well documented example. Its very existence is important but insufficient for as long as protest seems arrested by the guys against whom everyone should protest in the first place. Next step from the current administration might be to stop them from being published.

[Mya Caravello · Rating 4 out of 5]

audiobook listen- good to learn about things that are skipped in history classes. beautifully written and powerful. also weird to be realizing all the stuff that is now history that I remember happening.

[Stacy Charlesbois · Rating 4 out of 5]

solid read for those who are unaware of the history of protest in the u.s. generally told from the point of view of othered citizens. 20th and 21st century issues are particularly well written and interesting.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

"One person's freedom fighter is another person's terrorist, depending on who is recording the history."