History
History
The Salem Award Foundation for Human Rights and Social Justice was established in 1992, the tercentenary of the Salem Witch Trials. In 2018, we changed our name to Voices Against Injustice to better reflect our mission and our work. We focus on promoting awareness of social injustice issues, recognizing and celebrating individuals and organizations who work to confront fear and social injustice with courage, and creating programs and events that help foster tolerance, understanding and reconciliation within the communities we serve.
Voices Against Injustice focuses on promoting awareness of human rights and social justice in contemporary society as a way of keeping alive the lessons of the Salem Witch Trials. We work to foster tolerance, empathy and reconciliation in three key ways:
We publicly recognize individuals or organizations working to help those who suffer discrimination and injustice; Supporting the Salem Witch Trial Memorial, a public monument honoring those who died in 1692; and offering educational programming that broadens the community’s awareness and understanding of current issues of human rights and social justice.
For those interested in understanding how our shared past can influence our present and drive future change, Voices Against Injustice uses the lessons of the Salem Witch Trials to inform and inspire individuals and communities to advance social justice and celebrate today's defenders of human rights.
Remember
Voices Against Injustice maintains the Salem Witch Trials Memorial in partnership with the City of Salem and Peabody Essex Museum and uses lessons to inspire action. Visited by over six million people since its opening in 1992, this monument is nationally acclaimed by the American Institute of Architects.
Honor
Voices Against Injustice recognizes individuals and/or organizations working to help those who suffer discrimination and injustice.
- The Salem Award for Human Rights and Social Justice: This cash prize award is conferred upon those engaged in the heroic work of taking action to alleviate discrimination, promote tolerance and achieve justice for contemporary victims of social injustice. We acknowledge the powerful significance and practical consequence of award recipients’ work and join them in fostering tolerance, compassion, and reconciliation within the community.
- The Rising Leader Awards: These awards publicly recognize local high school students for leadership in human rights and social justice with a book award and a cash prize.
- The Salem Advocate for Social Justice: This award is presented in collaboration with Salem State University. It is awarded periodically to luminaries in their field who use their platform to champion social justice issues and advocate for the underrepresented.
Act
Voices Against Injustice partners with schools, community groups and other organizations to create, commission, and implement programming to educate and compel to action based on the lessons of the Witch Trials.