Mental Floss

CIVIL RIGHTS

Standing in solidarity helps create real change around the world.

Preparedness matters before attending a demonstration. Here’s everything you need to know about how to stay safe during a protest, from what to bring to what your rights are, and more.

Rudie Obias




One of many protests against the Vietnam War in the late 1960s.

The deeply unpopular war led to the biggest and most consequential protest movement in U.S. history. Here are the key events and reactions.

Tim Brinkhof








The Stonewall Inn is now a national monument.

The Stonewall Riots were a watershed moment for the LGBTQ+ community in the U.S., but here are some important facts you might not know about the uprising.

Jake Rossen




A Freedom Rider getting kicked out of a bus depot, 1961.

Hundreds of civil rights activists calling themselves Freedom Riders bravely held the nation accountable to its rules against segregation in 1961. Here are the facts you need to know.

Mark Mancini




Bessie Coleman, David Bowie, and Martin Luther King Jr. all have January birthdays.

Some of our favorite figures from history, literature, music, pop culture, and more were born in the first month of the year. Do you share a birthday with one of these famous folks?

Miss Cellania




Larry Kramer in Manhattan's Washington Square in 2007.

While co-founding two of the most influential HIV/AIDS organizations in the U.S., he still had time to pen a landmark play and be nominated for an Academy Award.

Shannon Leigh O'Neil