14 Examples of Resistance White Folks Can Learn From Black People

Organization was one of the pillars of effective resistance tactics. Think about how important it is to gather people, let alone hundreds and thousands of them, to all come together and agree to fight for the same thing unified. From major community leaders to college students, organizing was the seed to the Civil Rights Movement to keep people on one accord.

Do you know your First Amendment rights to free speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, of peaceful assembly and to petition the government for a redress of grievances? What about your Sixth Amendment rights to due process and a fair trial? Chile, you better read up. The authorities may try to take advantage of your ignorance in the case your color doesn’t save you.

Marches were another backbone of the Civil Rights Movement. Showing up in the streets is one of the main ways to get in the government’s face. The flood of people disrupting traffic and chanting slogans that echo between the buildings prove the willingness to withstand whatever tear gas or police barricade is in front of them. And it sends a strong message. You better have stamina.

Accountability is key. In order to provoke calls to action, Black people put the higher ups to shame by exposing the injustices that only proved why we needed equal rights. On televisions nationally, white families were exposed to the beating and battering of Black people who were just trying to exercise the right to vote. Lynching was made a national concern after Emmett Till’s open casket funeral hit the front pages of the news in 1955. Even police brutality was given a new light after the brutal beating of Rodney King in 1991. Keep your eyes peeled and your cameras on.

They said they’re trying to erase Black history? They’re censoring the Smithsonians? Any time Black people had their access to education threatened, they simply educated themselves. Flood your bookshelves with Black books, sign up for a free library card, and preserve archival information that may be hard to access in a few years. Educate yourselves on the very knowledge they’re trying to keep you from accessing as well as the current events they’re trying to distract you from with their foolery. Knowledge is power.

When Black people were being sabotaged out of accessing basic needs, they resorted to creating those resources for themselves. Take the Black Panther Party, for example, who created a program to provide kids with free breakfast before school. There are many more needs that will have to be met by the time Trump is through with federal agencies. Find ways to support your neighbors, especially the disenfranchised ones, now.

Y’all better be ready to go to jail for your acts of resistance (mainly protesting) and refusal to forfeit your right to demonstrate. Local deputies, SWAT Teams and possibly the damn National Guard will be sent to y’all block to scoop you up for protesting abortion laws, the shut down of the Education Department or anything else you stand for. Stay ready so you won’t have to get ready.

The Black Panther Party was often recognized by their black berets, Afros, and most notably, firearms. The supporters of the Trump administration are actively finding ways to disenfranchise the people by threatening Martial Law on anyone who opposes Trump’s authority. While they’re taking their sweet time passing gun law legislation to keep our children safe, make sure you have a way to protect yourself if things go left.

Learn to jar, plant some vegetables, stock up on non-perishables, buy wifi-free devices for communicating and get anything else you need if this White House put the people at risk of an apocalyptic experience. One thing Black people did when they were run out of society was create their own. Though those towns got pillaged and burnt down by white mobs, the city that stood before was proof that we could sustain ourselves without relying on a racist government. If your access to certain services is cut off, learn to do it yourself and spread the knowledge.

Democrats may be the minority in Congress but white folks make the majority of legislators regardless of political party. Black people had little to no power in the government when we fought for our rights, leading us to resort to demonstrations that cost us our lives. Nonetheless, our actions triggered a response from the government who agreed to the legislation our community had already pitched and drafted. At the end of the day, the law is going to be your angle at creating change. If you thought about running for office, now is the time to build a campaign.

If you really want to make a statement, try exercising this major tool of both resistance and discipline. Back then, Black people were hurting bus companies who refused to allow us rides or forced us to sit in segregated seating in the back. Currently, the trend is refusing to buy products from right-leaning stores or companies endorsing Trump’s tirade. Hit them where it hurts: their pockets. (Note: Boycotting is more effective when practiced beyond just one day).

Alright y’all. After fumbling the presidential election, we have another shot at changing the look of Congress in the midterm elections in 2026. Use your vote to place people in decision-making seats that actually desire to make choices that are best for the people and not because their political party just wants to oppose the other.

White folks, use your privilege and your voice to fuel the fight against Trump’s policies. Your voice is louder by default. The color of your skin gives you automatic status. In most decision-making spaces, white people are the majority or the voice of authority. Take advantage of the advantage you already have.

For decades, Black people fought for the ability to live as any other citizen should be entitled to in the United States. Injuries and fatalities didn’t stop anything along the way. We fought until we saw change.