Activist New York

Activist New York opened on May 3, 2012, and for the past ten years, it has displayed a rotating array of stories about activist histories in New York City—from 17th-century struggles over who could live in the Dutch colony of New Netherland to the Movement for Black Lives. Using more than 250 objects and images to show a diverse range of stories, the exhibition is an ongoing and evolving project informed by living activists and community members. Most recently, two new sections were added, one focusing on current NYC activism and the other on the activism of Chinese American laundry workers in the 1930s–1950s.

Explore the drama of social activism in New York City from the 17th century right up to the present.
In a town renowned for its in-your-face persona, New Yorkers have banded together on issues as diverse as civil rights, wages, sexual orientation, and religious freedom. Using artifacts, photographs, audio and visual presentations, as well as interactive components that seek to tell the story of activism in the five boroughs past and present, Activist New York presents the passions and conflicts that underlie the city's history of agitation.