O.G. Occupy Boston: Photos of protests from 1969-1980

Published Nov 15 2011, 07:42 AM by Patrick McDermott

^{Anti-nuclear power demonstration; 1974 Kendall Square, Cambridge}

If tracking the Occupy Boston cause has left you nostalgic for the spirited activism of generations past, then we may have a treat for you. On their Flickr page, the BPL has collected some truly stunning black and white photographs of demonstrations that occurred between 1969 and 1980. In these images, the Boston streets are literally flooded with people rallying for a number of reasons, from Vietnam and gender equality to the use of nuclear power and gay rights. The grit of these shots really captures the individual emotion of each protest; despite the wide array of years and causes, there is an underlying motif of solidarity throughout. It makes you think that the photos of the current #occupy movement might not seem all that different.

Check out some highlights of the BPL's demonstrations gallery below and feel free to draw your own parallels.