October 1, 2024
Browne-Marshall, professor of constitutional law and Africana studies at John Jay College (CUNY), explores the 400-year history of protest movements and rebellions in the U.S., from the earliest Indigenous resistance to current protests and marches--by considering both the causes and the personalities who participated in them. Prepub Alert.
Copyright 2024 Library Journal
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
April 1, 2025
In this ambitious history, Browne-Marshall guides readers through U.S. protest movements with an expansive definition of rebellion--from daily, individual choices to mass organizing tactics--to analyze how disenfranchised communities have mobilized to fight for their rights. Browne-Marshall's strength lies in explaining the big picture. She illustrates how different interest groups rallied around common causes and how movements have evolved over centuries. In elevating the role of protest in social change, though, some practical nuance is lost. Little attention is paid to why activists deployed certain tactics over others or how movements became vulnerable over time. In other words, critical insights and other specifics are glossed over in favor of portraying these protest movements as broadly successful. This optimism works better for the autobiographical elements of Browne-Marshall's book, as she lightly weaves in threads from her own experiences and family history which led to difficult, yet assured, success. Useful as a polemic and as an introduction to further research.
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