"Silence = Death" poster

Six years after discovery of the disease, HIV/AIDS and its victims, primarily gay men, continued to be vilified, ostracized, and ignored by the government. But by now there were also AIDS-focused organizations that raised money, provided legal support, pushed for research, and confronted those in power. One of the most visible groups that emerged during these years was the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP), founded in 1987, and which had many arms and affinity groups. Some of its major initiatives included advocacy for a greater focus on women with AIDS; the artists’ collective Gran Fury, which conceived the “Silence = Death” poster, drawing a visual comparison through the pink triangle to Nazi attacks on gay people; the creation of Housing Works, a nonprofit organization fighting AIDS and homelessness; advocacy for needle exchange programs; and numerous confrontational protests. Through these actions, the group sought to fight back against silence and being silenced.

Teach with this item from Unit 3 of the curriculum guide, Reading Dangerously: Censorship and the Freedom to Read in 20th Century America.