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The Tiananmen Papers
Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela
Stonewall Uprising
The March on Washington: Jobs, Freedom, and the Forgotten History of Civil Rights
Kaffir Boy: The True Story of a Black Youth's Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa
Stonewall Riots
The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 happened in Beijing, China. They were student-led protests against the government's censorship and human rights abuses. The protests grew over several weeks, with up to one million protesters gathering in Tiananmen Square. On June 3 and 4, the government sent troops in and began shooting at protesters. It is unknown how many died. The Chinese government's estimate is about 200, but some estimates reach as high as 10,000.
The Soweto Youth Uprising was a series of student-led protests that began on June 16, 1976 Soweto, South Africa. An estimated 20,000 students protested against the racist and segregated education system and were met with extreme police violence; hundreds were estimated to have been killed. Protests spread across the nation, and the anger at the government helped fuel support for the anti-apartheid movement. [Source]
On June 27, 1969, NYC police raided a gay bar known as the Stonewall Inn. The police were known for raiding various LGBTQ establishments in NYC and other major US cities, but this time, the pushback grabbed the public’s attention. Though there were gay rights organizations before this, Stonewall is credited for sparking LGBTQ activism and being the reason behind Pride month.
Remembered primarily for Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” Speech, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom took place on August 28, 1963. The “Big Six” civil rights leaders were in attendance that day to speak out against racial discrimination and call for a federal voting rights act. An estimated 250,000 people were in attendance. [Source]