Introduction to Activism at GMU

Activism at Mason, in the beginning, focused on local and national issues. In this photo, the first African American to work in admissions, Andy Evans, is seen speaking to a crown in front of the North Building. There isn't much information on what this protest was about, but this in itself is telling as to what student activism is like at Mason. Given how small the population was at George Mason University, there weren't headlines on student walk-outs or major protests during trivial times.

This doesn't mean that students, as well as staff and faculty, didn't care. Through photographs and student publications, this project will trace how activism at GMU has evolved. It will highlight the continuity of student efforts to challenge war, injustice, and university complicity, revealing how each generation responds. By connecting past and present, this project will highlight the power of student voices and action in times of need.

Digital flyer for a protest at Mason that will soon become the norm for all protests in the 2020s.

Unkoch Mason, a student group, that is vocal against private interests in the university.