The Ellie Schnitzer Collection is divided into five series: PARTY BUILDING, LINE OF MARCH, FRONTLINE POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS (FPO), CROSSROADS, and OTHER POLITICAL INTERESTS.

Ellie Schnitzer (1922-1996), a lifelong, political activist, was born in Munich Germany. She and her family fled the Nazi regime, settling in California in 1937. She attended Pasadena City College, U.C. Berkley, and Columbia University, graduating with an MSW. For 35 years she worked with children in Los Angeles as a social worker for Vista del Mar and other Jewish family agencies. She retired in the early 1980's to become, in her own words, "a full-time revolutionary."

Copyright has not been assigned to the Southern California Library for Social Studies and Research. Researchers may make single copies of any portion of the collection, but publication from the collection will be allowed only with the express written permission of the Library's director. It is not necessary to obtain written permission to quote from a collection. When the Southern California Library for Social Studies and Research gives permission for publication, it is as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

The collection is available for research only at the Library's facility in Los Angeles.  The Library is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Researchers are encouraged to call or email the Library indicating the nature of their research query prior to making a visit.