Title
Wide Awakes Day Block Party in Gowanus, Brooklyn
Creator
Wide Awakes
https://www.instagram.com/wideawakes/
https://wideawakes.com
Coverage
Gowanus, Brooklyn, NY
Date
Created October 3, 2021; Documented October 3, 2021
Contributor
Photographer(s): Leo Jimenez, Ruvan Wijesooriya
Description
On October 3, 2021 from 2-9 pm EST, local Wide Awakes, area residents, and others gathered in Gowanus, Brooklyn, NY for the Wide Awakes Day Block Party. The event consisted of live performances, community crafting, art installations, dancing, and other activities. On this day, attendees joined a global network of collaborators who observe October 3, National Wide Awakes Day, through activations/awakenings in their community to inspire joy.
Abstract
"The Wide Awakes of 1860 were a grassroots political movement in the United States – a force behind abolition who supported the election of Abraham Lincoln. Through collective action and the dissemination of powerful visuals, texts and songs, the original Wide Awakes allowed people to envision a world in which abolition was possible. On October 3rd of 1860 the Wide Awakes marched in the name of emancipation with massive torchlight parades around the country; in Chicago, Boston, Cleveland, and through lower Manhattan, all carrying lanterns and clad in oilcloth cloaks." -For Freedoms
Today, the Wide Awakes have grown into “an open source network who radically reimagines the future through creative collaboration.” The political movement was revived in February 2020 by the For Freedoms and other collectives of artists who mobilized their network, created a website, and started planning events that manifested in public demonstrations (called "disorientations"), intermitent marches, and other lively events.
The Wide Awakes’ goals are to “Increase the joy of voting” and “Build a political and cultural identity around listening, healing and justice.” Their slogan: “On our own, we’re asleep. Together, we’re awake.”
Today, the Wide Awakes have grown into “an open source network who radically reimagines the future through creative collaboration.” The political movement was revived in February 2020 by the For Freedoms and other collectives of artists who mobilized their network, created a website, and started planning events that manifested in public demonstrations (called "disorientations"), intermitent marches, and other lively events.
The Wide Awakes’ goals are to “Increase the joy of voting” and “Build a political and cultural identity around listening, healing and justice.” Their slogan: “On our own, we’re asleep. Together, we’re awake.”
Subject
Radical Joy
Source
https://www.nationaldayarchives.com/day/national-wide-awakes-day/
https://www.bkmag.com/2021/10/18/how-the-wide-awakes-revived-a-19th-century-movement-in-the-name-of-joy/
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/15/style/wide-awakes-civil-war-activists.html
https://daily.jstor.org/abolitionist-wide-awakes-were-woke-before-woke/
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/oct/17/wide-awakes-lincoln-era-youth-movement-trump
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2020/09/16/wake-up-call-artist-hank-willis-thomas-wants-to-spur-voter-turnout-with-the-wide-awakes-group
https://www.vogue.com/article/wide-awakes-capes
https://www.loc.gov/item/99614201/
https://www.bkmag.com/2021/10/18/how-the-wide-awakes-revived-a-19th-century-movement-in-the-name-of-joy/
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/15/style/wide-awakes-civil-war-activists.html
https://daily.jstor.org/abolitionist-wide-awakes-were-woke-before-woke/
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/oct/17/wide-awakes-lincoln-era-youth-movement-trump
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2020/09/16/wake-up-call-artist-hank-willis-thomas-wants-to-spur-voter-turnout-with-the-wide-awakes-group
https://www.vogue.com/article/wide-awakes-capes
https://www.loc.gov/item/99614201/
Publisher
M2M
Rights
Artist(s): Wide Awakes, wideawakes.com; Photographer(s): Leo Jimenez, Ruvan Wijesooriya
Identifier
M2M_0005