Contemporary Dissident Media

"Acceptance by government of dissident press is a measure of the maturity of a nation" – William O. Douglass, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States of America (1939-1975). 

 

Dissident Media has been a driving force behind social and political change in the U.S. since before it was even established as a nation. The goal of Dissident Media sources is to hone in and expound upon particular issues that these publications believe deserve more attention.

Highlighting dissenting opinions and movements through their own publications can provide a platform for their views to be covered in national newspapers, magazines, television shows, and radio programs. 

Dissident media served an integral role in the founding of the U.S. through publications such as Benjamin Harris' "Publick Occurrences" and Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" which aimed to spark a rebellious fervor in colonists, driving them to fight for their freedom from the British.

 

Dissident publications continued to hold an essential, if contested, place in American society. In the early years of the American Utopian experiment, abolitionist and utopian movements took precedence and pushed narratives that would not be adopted for decades.

 

Each dissident movement, and the media it produced, paved the way for the following publications. By providing the space and momentum for interconnected activist communities, dissident press allowed for progress by rallying passionate people to important causes.

Dissident media has repeatedly been ahead of its time in highlighting social issues, such as religious freedom, women's rights, civil rights, LGBTQ rights, and labor organizing. This site is designed to highlight contemporary examples of dissident media sources to show that despite how far we've come, there are still dire issues in our nation that these publications are pushing to be included in national conversations.