'Protest' explores how peaceful activism has shaped our world—and why protecting it matters more than ever

Leading activists Annie Leonard and André Carothers celebrate the power of peaceful protest and encourage readers to engage in this essential-and increasingly threatened- democratic right

For more than 50 years, Patagonia has championed its employees' right to peaceful activism-offering time off for volunteering, providing nonviolent direct action training, and even helping with bail when someone is arrested at a protest.

Now, continuing that legacy, Patagonia will publish Protest: Respect It, Defend It, Use It (April 28, 2026, hardcover) by leading activists Annie Leonard and André Carothers. Rather than a how-to guide, Protest is an invitation to explore the impact of peaceful protest, to celebrate what people have and can accomplish together, and to inspire readers to take action in defense of this essential democratic right by recognizing it and participating in it.

Coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence-one of history's most consequential acts of protest-the book highlights 42 protests, spanning 1738 to 2025. From the Boston Tea Party and Rosa Parks' stand on a Montgomery bus to the first Earth Day, the fight against South African apartheid, Youth Climate Strikes, Colin Kaepernick's protest, Standing Rock, and Yosemite's El Capitan protests, the collection traces moments when peaceful dissent has driven lasting change. The strategies and tactics presented include protests from around the world, including India, Australia, French Polynesia, South Africa, Germany, Sweden, and more. Together, these stories show how many rights now taken for granted-such as weekends off, women's suffrage, marriage equality, cleaner air and water, and wheelchair-accessible sidewalks-were advanced through protest.

"When Americans see photos of women suffragettes or Martin Luther King Jr. marching down a street, we see them as bravely advancing equality," says Leonard, former Executive Director of Greenpeace US. "But too often we don't share that respect for contemporary protesters. This book aims to help readers see contemporary protest in a new light-to see it as a core democratic right and a powerful catalyst for change."

"Launched at the margins by those who are marginalized, protest is often the fuse that ignites the public conscience and the fulcrum that helps pry open a better future," says Carothers, a longtime activist and former Greenpeace US leader.

Alongside powerful photographs and historical artifacts, the book features perspectives of 12 committed protestors, including Jane Fonda, Tennessee Representative Justin Pearson, Dolores Huerta, bestselling author and activist Rebecca Solnit, and Indigenous rights leader Nemonte Nenquimo, among others, reflecting on how protest has shaped their work for justice and change.

In addition to inviting readers to engage in public dissent, the authors sound an urgent warning: the right to protest is under unprecedented attack worldwide, including in long-standing democracies. In the U.S., SLAPP lawsuits and a surge of anti-protest legislation-more than 350 bills introduced since 2017, with 55 now law-are increasingly used to intimidate and punish those who speak out, even as anti-democratic violence often goes unchecked. Around the world, governments are criminalizing protest and silencing demands for change.

An afterword by Robert Reich, professor at UC Berkeley, former Secretary of Labor, and co-founder of Inequality Media, provides a rallying call to action: "If you wonder whether your voice matters, remember this: In every pivotal era of history, small groups of dedicated people-sometimes ridiculed, sometimes despised, and often threatened-have raised an alarm, gathered allies, and changed the course of events. This book reminds us that we have the power to do the same today."

Annie Leonard is a lifelong activist who has protested globally. She led Greenpeace US as Executive Director (2014-2023), created The Story of Stuff, co-launched the Jane Fonda Climate PAC, and campaigned against pollution. Annie frequently speaks and writes on environmental and democracy issues, including pollution, waste, consumerism, and climate change. She has appeared widely in the media, testified before Congress, and received honors such as an honorary degree from Vermont Law School and inclusion in Time magazine's Heroes of the Environment.

André Carothers (andrecarothers.com) is an activist, writer, and organizer who has been involved in campaigns and protests on issues of climate change, human rights, environmental protection, and nuclear disarmament for over four decades. He worked for Greenpeace US for 13 years, including serving on the board of directors. He is the cofounder of the Rockwood Leadership Institute, a training organization for activists, and works as an organizational development consultant and coach for leaders in the social change sector. He has served as an adviser and board member of numerous organizations, including the Center for Investigative Reporting (which includes publications such as Mother Jones), International Rivers, the Center for Environmental Health, the Furthur Foundation, and Rainforest Action Network.

Protest: Respect It, Defend It, Use It
By Annie Leonard and André Carothers, published by Patagonia
April 28, 2026 | Author tour May-June 2026 | ISBN 9781952338335 | $40 US
Hardcover | 276 pages | 7 x 10 in. | Distributed by Ingram / PGW
Printed on 100% post-consumer-waste paper
PRESS CONTACT: [email protected], 512-810-9238