A poster can tell a story. History comes alive behind the colors of an image. Thrill and enjoyment seemed to be the attitude of police officers when inflicting harm on the civilian population. During 1968 and 1969, the longest student strike in U.S. history took place at San Francisco State College. From protest violently interrupted by law enforcement, to icons being unlawfully arrested, Happiness is a Warm Club was the poster that painted the story of law enforcement officials violently clashing with peaceful minority civilians. A police officer holding a baton while smiling is the image that would reflect on history.

With no Ethnic Studies departments and low minority admissions, the crowd of strikers swelled as they gathered to demand change. The Black Student Union (BSU) emerged as the leaders of this movement through San Francisco State. As the movement increased in population, so did the concern for crowd control. Law enforcement was called in to establish control of a peaceful crowd. This would soon lead to chaos and war. In only a matter of days, the movement would turn into a war against law enforcement. A peaceful protest soon received a shower of tear gas and swung batons by officer following orders to contain the demonstration. During this protest, accounts of students beaten by uniformed cops started to circulate and soon students were joined by outraged faculty and members of the city’s black communities. Outrage with the police brutality that only seemed to target minority groups catalyzed nationwide uproar. Those who swore to protect the communities seemed to be the very ones to inflict fear within those communities.

The crowds grew stronger in the fight for equality. Leaders soon rose to the occasion to represent and be the voice for the movement against police brutality and to stand up for the minority groups who demanded Ethnic Study departments and an increase in minority admissions. As young folks such as Jimmy Garrett and Jerry Varnado took the stance to become the voice for the movement, they realized they would soon become the primary targets for law enforcement and political officials. To suppress the “retaliation” against societies “norm” influencers in positions of power who advocated for the movement would face termination or removal from their positions. George Murray was an English instructor on campus and the Minister of Education for the Black Panther Party. George was suspended from campus in 1968 for his political stance.

Today’s America is no different from the strikes of San Francisco State College. Minority ethnic groups are being targeted by law enforcement and government officials. African Americans “fit the description,” Hispanics are “illegals” and the reason for the “war on drugs”. The protest are for nothing more than equality for all and an end to racism. Because the leaders of this country believe that there is no room for a different color or a different language, we are faced with stereotypes and discrimination. “They are all thugs,” and “deport them all” is the agenda today’s America has published. For this, peaceful protests end in war against law enforcement. Men and women of color are beaten and taken from the streets and sent to a country they have never set foot in. Peaceful protest being disrupted by pepper spray and unnecessary police force. Government officials who hold positions of power are falsely accused and unlawfully arrested when they stand up for this cause. In May, Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested on false charges of trespassing. This is only one example of the way the United States law enforcement has used its power to keep the positive minority role models out of their position if they support the movement.

There are many similarities that have taken place during the student strike and what we see today. This nation has, once again, been driven to believe that minorities in this country are not equal and have no place to belong. Attempts to demonstrate that as these minority groups approach the fight with their words and peaceful actions, and in return are met with pepper spray, beating, and arrests of anyone who goes against America’s agenda. Those in political power who support the movement have been attacked by higher government echelons, being unlawfully detained or arrested, shut down, and ridiculed. Furthermore, the amount of law enforcement brutality that has surfaced in these past years only continues to prove that history can repeat itself. We must acknowledge that the fight will be worth it in the end—not just for one but for all.

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