Collection Guide
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Ross, Sr. (Fred) Papers
MSS.2019.01.30
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Title: Fred Ross, Sr. Papers
creator:
Fred Ross, Sr.
Identifier/Call Number: MSS.2019.01.30
Physical Description:
2 boxes
(1.21 linear feet)
Date (inclusive): 1945-2003
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.
This collection is arranged by form/genre, in alphabetical order.
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.
Collection is open for research.
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.
Ross, Sr. (Fred) Papers, MSS-2019-01-30, San Jose State University, Special Collections & Archives.
Collection processed by Elena Castaneda in November 2021.
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.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Fred Ross, Sr.
Civil rights -- United States
Agricultural laborers--Labor unions
Labor
Strikes and lockouts -- Agricultural laborers -- California