By CHELA LUJAN
Seeing a fist can bring up a range of feelings. Is it punching out? Down? What about up? The fist of resistance, a fist raised in the air, pointed upward, has been used throughout history by various groups and for many causes. This powerful symbol has significance because no single group or cause can claim ownership of it. It symbolizes, as the name suggests, resistance. But resistance to what?
Some of the earliest uses of a raised fist occurred during the overthrowing of monarchies, where it served as a message of strength and the will to fight. During the Spanish Civil War, Republican militias adopted the fist to represent anti-fascism, uniting those who opposed their oppressors. The symbol reemerged during the international labor movement in the early 20th century. “Big Bill” Haywood, one of the founders of the Industrial Workers of the World Union explained, as he raised a fist: “Every finger by itself has no force. Now look [makes a fist] See that?…”
The symbol reemerged during the international labor movement in the early 20th century. “Big Bill” Haywood, one of the founders of the Industrial Workers of the World Union explained, as he raised a fist: “Every finger by itself has no force. Now look [makes a fist] See that?…”
This statement reflects the fist as a union in class solidarity among all people. It symbolizes the collective strength of individuals coming together to create one powerful force, something that could not exist without the joining of all individuals.
Trade unions, socialist parties, communist movements and general strikes have all used this symbol in their messaging. Additionally, it has been embraced by anti-colonial and anti-apartheid movements, as well as by Latin and South American conflicts, Indigenous rights, and prominently within Black and African communities, particularly during the civil rights movements of the 1960s and 70s. It stands as an act of rebellion against systemic oppression.
In 1968, sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos made headlines when they raised their fists on the Olympic podium in Mexico City, a significant moment as the U.S. morned the assassinaation of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.. They protested racial segregation and treatment of black athletes and people globally, using the platform to highlight issues of racism and injustice.
The raised fist has also been a powerful symbol in feminist movements, reproductive justice, and LGBTQ+ communities, promoting unity in the face of identity based attacks and physical violence against queer individuals.
We have seen this symbol in labor unions, the Black Panther Party, the American Indian Movement and the Chicano Movement, and current day causes like Occupy Wall Street, NoDAPL (Dakota Access Pipeline Protests), Free Palestine, and the Black Lives Matter movement. It has also been embraced in the underground world of punk rock, a fist in the air representing finding a place to belong.
What happens when symbols of resistance are used by those already in positions of power? Over the past few years, the fist has been appropriated by individuals and groups, particularly white nationalist groups who have attempted to claim the symbol as exclusive shifting its meaning from fighting for justice to fighting against it. Terms like “Antifa,” “Woke,” and “Leftist” have been weaponized against those advocating for freedom and unity.
Recently, following an assassination attempt, President Donald Trump was photographed raising his fist in the air. After being found guilty of 34 felonies on May 30, 2024, he waved and raised his fist, repeating the gesture he made after his indictment. His use of the fist can be interpreted as a gesture of solidarity to his supporters, or, as an act of defiance against those who oppose him.
Its diverse use gives the fist an enduring strength, as it has served many causes, most of which have been related to the struggles against oppression, the fight for liberation, and whiwhichchallenges to the status quo. The raised fist remains a powerful symbol, representing the ongoing struggle for justice and reflects the different ways it might be viewed today.
