"Independence and Enlightenment" Jena, Louisiana — 2007 2

"Independence and Enlightenment" Jena, Louisiana — 2007

This photograph documents a pivotal mass gathering at the Jena Six protest, with a large sign quoting what appears to be a foundational statement about government legitimacy and citizens' rights. The visible text references how government derives authority from "the consent of the governed" and discusses the right of people to alter or abolish governments that become destructive to their rights.

The sign invokes social contract theory—specifically drawing from the "Declaration of Independence and Enlightenment" political philosophy—to justify the movement's resistance and demand for institutional accountability. By citing these founding American principles, protesters assert that when governmental institutions (including the legal system) violate the rights and consent of the governed, citizens possess both the moral right and political obligation to challenge that authority.

This rhetorical strategy is particularly significant: rather than positioning themselves as outside American political tradition, protesters claim to embody its most radical democratic principles. They argue that demanding justice for the Jena Six and challenging systemic racism represent fulfillment of founding ideals, not rejection of them.

The massive crowd visible beneath this sign—with raised fists and visible media documentation—demonstrates how the movement mobilized philosophical and historical legitimacy alongside mass mobilization. By grounding demands in America's own foundational texts, protesters asserted that institutional reform and accountability represented not revolutionary demands but restoration of democratic principles the nation claimed to uphold but systematically violated for Black citizens.