Print as Protest

From the invention of the printing press to the hand-printed protest poster, printmaking has historically been a medium of resistance. As an educator in printmaking, I share with my students the long lineage of dissent behind all printmaking mediums, such as lithographic caricatures, etchings of atrocities, and letterpress broadsides. As Donald Trump took office for the second time in January 2025, I was presented with the opportunity to offer a Special Topics class. It has been my dream to teach a course based specifically in printmaking and activism, and this seemed like the perfect moment to offer it.

In this paper I will discuss my experience teaching the course, Print as Protest, at the University of Mississippi in Fall 2025. I will consider topics such as how Mississippi House Bill 1193 impacted my teaching, how the students and I navigated “divisive” subject matter, and how our concepts of activism shifted and expanded under administrative duress, uncertainty and fear to create a caring and supportive community.