Jump to Content

Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Erlich (Reese) papers
M2508  
View entire collection guide What's This?
Search this collection
Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Conditions Governing Access
  • Biographical / Historical
  • Preferred Citation
  • Scope and Contents
  • Conditions Governing Use
  • Related Materials

  • Language of Material: English
    Contributing Institution: Department of Special Collections and University Archives
    Title: Reese Erlich papers
    Creator: Erlich, Reese, 1947-2021
    Identifier/Call Number: M2508
    Physical Description: 30 Linear Feet (61 boxes)
    Date (inclusive): 1931-2017
    Abstract: Files, photographs, and recordings pertaining to Bay Area journalist Reese Erlich's career reporting on local stories and US foreign policy from the late 1960s through 2010s.

    Conditions Governing Access

    The collection is open for research. Note that material is stored off-site and must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use. Audiovisual and born-digital materials are not available in original format, and must be reformatted to a digital use copy.

    Biographical / Historical

    Reese Erlich (1947-2021) was an author and freelance journalist living and working in the Bay Area for much of his career. Erlich graduated from UC Berkeley in 1970 with a BA in Political and Social Change. He worked as a staff writer and research editor for Ramparts, an investigative reporting magazine published in San Francisco. In his later life, he worked as a full-time print and broadcast, freelance reporter. He reported regularly for National Public Radio, ABC (Australia),and Radio Deutsche Welle; his articles appeared in Vice News and Foreign Policy; and his television documentaries aired on PBS stations nationwide.In addition to his reporting work, Erlich taught journalism courses at University of San Francisco, San Francisco State University, San Francisco Community College, and California State University East Bay.
    In addition to his broadcast work, Erlich also published a number of books on US foreign policy including Target Iraq: What the News Media Didn't Tell You, co-authored with Norman Solomon, in 2003; The Iran Agenda: The Real Story of US Policy and the Middle East Crisis in 2007; Dateline Havana: The Real Story of US Policy and the Future of Cuba in 2009; Conversations with Terrorists: Middle East Leaders on Politics, Violence and Empire in 2010; and Inside Syria: The Backstory of Their Civil War and What the World Can Expect in 2016.
    Erlich shared a Peabody Award in 2006 as a segment producer for Crossing East, a radio documentary on the history of Asians in the US. He also received several accolades from the Northern California Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists through the years. His article about the US use of depleted uranium ammunition was voted the eighth most censored story in America for 2003 by Project Censored at Sonoma State University. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors declared Sept. 14, 2010, to be "Reese Erlich Day" in honor of his investigative journalistic work.
    Adapted from: https://reeseerlich.com/about/

    Preferred Citation

    [identification of item], Reese Erlich papers (M2508). Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

    Scope and Contents

    The collection contains Reese Erlich's journalism research materials as well as historical leftist material, primarily focusing on the San Francisco Bay Area. The materials include newsletters, pamphlets, correspondence, fliers, leaflets, internal memos, news releases, newspaper clippings, publications, interview transcripts, and research notes. For stories he reported on for radio broadcasts, scripts are also included.
    Erlich's journalism research covered topics such as toxic pollutants from the electronics industry, garment workers in California, the prison-industrial complex, workers compensation, Watsonville, utilities deregulation, technology, civil and disability rights, and natural resources.
    Some of the organizations covered in the collection include: August 29th Movement, Black Panther Party, Communist Party of the USA, the Free Speech Movement, I Wor Kuen, League of Revolutionary Struggle, the Oakland 7, the October League, Peace and Freedom Party, Revolutionary Communist League, Students for a Democratic Society, Stop the Draft Week, United Farm Workers, and Venceremos.

    Conditions Governing Use

    While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns. See: http://library.stanford.edu/spc/using-collections/permission-publish

    Related Materials

    Stanford's Archive of Recorded Sound holds material related to Erlich's music journalism:
    Reese Erlich Jazz Programs and Interviews Collection (ARS0195)
    https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/13639890
    Jazz archives: Reese Erlich (ARS0195_b06_31)
    https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/fy189gg0526

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Photojournalism
    Journalism -- United States.
    Radio journalism
    International relations.
    San Francisco Bay Area (Calif.)