Diane Nash
Raenett Hughes - 5th period
About
Diane Nash, a pacifist, spoke out in the Civil Rights Movement and the Nashville Sit-In Movement. She lead many protests and freedom rides against racial policies and helped to promote women equality. Even though Nash was jailed for recruiting minors to join the movements, she came back fighting to help pass the Civil Rights Act and bring about a social change.
Diane Nash and Civil Disobedience
Diane Nash demonstrates ideas from Civil Disobedience through protesting against segregation. As seen, one idea illustrated from Civil Disobedience is to stand up for one's moral belief or not participate in injustices. Diane represents this idea due to the fact she believed against segregation and decided to organize sit-in movements to overturn segregation. At one time, Henry David Thoreau went to jail for not paying his poll tax and he states, "I saw that, if there was a wall of stone between me and my townsmen, there was still more difficult one to climb or break through...great waste of stone and mortar. I felt as if I alone of all my townsmen had paid my tax" (Thoreau). He felt that after standing his ground and not paying the poll tax, he had made a statement to the townsmen that if you feel something is unjust then stand against it. Thus, Nash is seen as a leader who felt segregation was wrong and decided to make a change.
Nashville
Nash leading Nashville Sit-In Movement
Police Station
Nash and other activists singing in front of Nashville police station
Confrontation
Nash, and sit-in leaders confront the Mayor
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: Freedom Riders: The Student Leader