Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Fred Ross, Sr.
- Abstract:
- The Fred Ross, Sr. Papers consist of correspondence, photographs, book manuscripts and other materials pertaining to community organizer, Fred Ross, Sr. The date range of this collection is 1945-2003, which encompasses the later decades of Fred Ross Sr's life, as well as the years following his death.
- Extent:
- 2 boxes (1.21 linear feet)
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
-
Ross, Sr. (Fred) Papers, MSS-2019-01-30, San Jose State University, Special Collections & Archives.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
Correspondence, photographs, book manuscripts and other materials pertaining to Fred Ross, Sr. (b. 1910-d. 1992), an influential community organizer who founded the Community Service Organization (CSO) in San Jose in 1948. Ross was a mentor to Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, among other key figures in the U.S. labor and civil rights movements. The majority of this collection is Fred Ross Sr.'s correspondence, handwritten notes, and book manuscripts. The date range for this collection is 1945-2000, but the bulk of the material falls between 1970-1992, the last few decades of Ross' life.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Fred Ross, Sr. born on August 23, 1910 in San Francisco, California, was one of the most influential community organizers in American history. His activism began alongside Dust Bowl migrants, where he managed the same labor camp that inspired John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. During World War II, Ross worked for the release of incarcerated Japanese Americans forced into concentration camps, and after the war, he dedicated his life to building the political power of Latinos across California. Fred Ross Sr. trained a myriad of successful organizers during his lifetime, including renowned organizer Cesar Chavez, whom he met in San Jose. Ross also trained Dolores Huerta, and his son Fred Ross Jr.
His final organizing project was with Neighbor to Neighbor, a group headed by Fred Ross, Jr., which successfully pressured the Congress in 1987 to cut U.S. military aid to the Contras in Nicaragua. Fred Ross Sr. died on September 27, 1992 in San Rafael, California.
- Processing information:
-
Collection processed by Elena Castaneda in November 2021.
- Arrangement:
-
This collection is arranged by form/genre, in alphabetical order.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Collection is open for research.
- Terms of access:
-
Copyright has not been assigned to the San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Special Collections & Archives as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader. Copyright restrictions also apply to digital reproductions of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
- Preferred citation:
-
Ross, Sr. (Fred) Papers, MSS-2019-01-30, San Jose State University, Special Collections & Archives.
- Location of this collection:
-
One Washington SquareSan Jose, CA 95192-0028, US
- Contact:
- 408-808-2062