Finding Aid to the Arthur K. Bierman Papers
Finding aid created by Luca Facchin.
Labor Archives and Research Center
2023
San Francisco State University
J. Paul Leonard Library, Room 460
1630 Holloway Ave
San Francisco 94132-1722
Business Number: (415) 405-5571
larc@sfsu.edu
Title: Arthur K. Bierman papers
Date (inclusive): 1957-1984
Creator:
Bierman, A. K. (Arthur Kalmer), 1923-
Extent:
4.45 Cubic Feet
(12 boxes)
Collection number: larc.ms.0108
Accession number: 1991/026 and 1986/002
Repository:
Labor Archives and Research Center
J. Paul Leonard Library, Room 460
San Francisco State University
1630 Holloway Ave
San Francisco, CA 94132-1722
(415) 405-5571
larc@sfsu.edu
Abstract: The Arthur K. Bierman Papers consist of the papers of San Francisco State University Professor Arthur K. Bierman for the years
1957 through 1984. The collection documents Bierman's early organizing for the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), his
involvement in the 1968-1969 strike at San Francisco State College, his work to abolish the House Committee on Un-American
Activities (HUAC), and his other efforts to defend civil liberties.
Physical Location: Collection available on site.
Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English.
Availability
Collection is open for research.
Restrictions
Some materials are in the public domain; transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed
by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. In addition, the reproduction of some materials may be
restricted by terms of gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks.
Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility
for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Arthur K. Bierman Papers, larc.ms.0108, Labor Archives and Research Center, San Francisco State
University.
Related Collections
The Archive also has an oral history interview with Arthur K. Bierman on the San Francisco State College Faculty Strike conducted
by Peter Carroll, 1992.
Separated Materials
The following title was transferred to the book collection of the Labor Archives and Research Center: President's Commission
On Campus Unrest. The Report of the President's Commission on Campus Unrest. Washington: GPO, 1970.
Acquisition
Arthur K. Bierman donated this collection to the Labor Archives and Research Center in 1986 (accesion number 1986/002) and
1991 (accession number 1991/026); additions to the collection were made in 2022, following Bierman's death.
Processing Information
Processed by Labor Archives and Research Center staff; reprocessed by Luca Facchin in 2023 to incorporate larc.ms.0036 and
a donation of newspaper clippings.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into four series: Series 1: Civil Liberties Campaigns; Series 2: American Federation of Teachers
(AFT); Series 3: United Professors of California (UPC); and Series 4: Newspaper Clippings.
Biographical Notes of Arthur K. Bierman
Arthur K. Bierman was professor in the philosophy department at San Francisco State College, where he also became a leader
in the faculty strike of 1969. He was a political activist on a variety of levels and author of numerous books on philosophy.
In 1959, 140 California teachers were subpoenaed by House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC). Though this hearing
was later postponed and ultimately canceled, Bierman was instrumental in forming a group called San Franciscans for Academic
Freedom and Education (SAFE) to protect the civil rights of the subpoenaed teachers. The following year, in May 1960, HUAC
again focused on California and held hearings at San Francisco City Hall which provoked mass opposition from students, teachers
and other groups who demonstrated at City Hall. The Committee limited attendance at the hearings by issuing passes; on the
second day, the demonstrators were attacked with water hoses and the resulting riot was a dramatic beginning of the 1960s,
a forerunner of the student "Free Speech" movement and the anti-Vietnam War protests which followed. Bierman collected material
reflecting the acceleration of opposition to HUAC following the 1960 City Hall riots with the goal of abolishing HUAC. His
participation is recorded as a member of many different groups, and his name appears on public petitions. There are also papers
from other campaigns for civil liberties from the early 1960s: Californians Against State Executions (1960-1961); an ad opposing
Richard Nixon's campaign for California governor (1962); support to Pacifica Foundation (KPFA), an investigative target of
the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee (1963), and support to victims given harsh sentences in the San Francisco sit-in
trials (1964).
Bierman's papers on union organizing on California State University campuses include the major issues of collective bargaining
for teachers, the organizing of state college professors, studies on teachers' salaries, and academic freedom. The focus of
the collection is the organizing of San Francisco State College Federation of Teachers, Local 1352. There is additional material
from the AFT State College Council which reflects organizing activity throughout the state college system during that time.
Scope and Contents of Collection
The Arthur K. Bierman Papers consist of the papers of San Francisco State University Professor Arthur K. Bierman for the years
1957 through 1984. The collection documents Bierman's early organizing for the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), his
involvement in the 1968-1969 strike at San Francisco State College, his work to abolish the House Committee on Un-American
Activities (HUAC), and his other efforts to defend civil liberties.
The bulk of the collection documents the organizing of San Francisco State College Federation of Teachers, Local 1352, and
Bierman's organizing activity on the AFT State College Council. Additional materials in the collection pertain to the United
Professors of California (UPC), the newly formed organization that was founded in 1970 as the result of an alliance between
the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the Association of California State College Professors (ACSCP) and of which
Bierman served as one of the first presidents.
Series 1, Civil Liberties Campaigns, documents Bierman's campaigns against the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC),
and is comprised of the records of an organization called San Franciscans for Academic Freedom in Education (SAFE), including
correspondence, fund raising actions, bank statements, mailing lists, and a survey made of subpoenaed teachers. Also included
in this series are correspondence, drafts of articles and reports, and other materials related to Bierman's activities with
anti-HUAC groups, as well as printed materials from these groups. There are two additional folders on films: HUAC's "Operation
Abolition," and a proposed video series for PBS titled "The Vocal Generation" (not produced). Additional materials in this
series pertain to other civil liberties campaigns from the early 1960s, in which Bierman participated concurrently with his
anti-HUAC activities.
Series 2, American Federation of Teachers, includes Bierman's papers on union organizing on California State University campuses.
The papers document issues of collective bargaining and organizing, studies on teachers' salaries, and academic freedom. The
focus of the series is on the organizing of Local 1352, the San Francisco State College Chapter of the American Federation
of Teachers, of which Bierman was college council member. Additional material reflects organizing activity throughout the
state college system. It includes a draft constitution, correspondence, circular letters, and membership and faculty lists.
There is also printed material and publications generated by the California Federation of Teachers and two files of newspaper
clippings.
Series 3, United Professors of California (UPC), pertains to the newly formed organization that was founded in 1970 as the
result of an alliance between the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the Association of California State College Professors
(ACSCP) and of which Bierman served as one of the first presidents. The series presents a number of UPC union activities from
1970 to 1984. Both basic academic concerns for this period and a wider union-oriented perspective emerge from these files.
Grievance cases related to promotion and retention, matters of tenure, of academic freedom, of legal counsel services and
of affirmative action and discrimination reveal the newly discovered support for a more labor-oriented approach within the
academic community. Additional materials include correspondence on the San Francisco State College strike, documents on the
Constitutional convention, on the California State University budget, on political activity, and on the organizing of San
Francisco State College Federation of Teachers, Local 1352.
Series 4, Newspaper Clippings, contains articles from local newspapers on the 1968-1969 San Francisco State College strike
of which Bierman was one of the faculty leaders.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
San Francisco State College -- Faculty.
College teachers' unions
San Francisco State College -- Student strike, 1968-1969.
San Francisco State College -- Faculty -- Political activity.
San Francisco State College -- Faculty -- Civil rights.
College teachers -- Civil rights -- California.
Collective bargaining -- College teachers -- California.
American Federation of Teachers. Local 1352 (San Francisco, Calif.)
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Un-American Activities
United Professors of California
Series 1:
Civil Liberties Campaigns
1958-1967
Scope and Contents
This series includes materials from San Franciscans for Academic Freedom in Education (SAFE.) Records comprise correspondence,
fund raising actions, bank statements, mailing lists, and a survey made of subpoenaed teachers. Also included are correspondence,
drafts of articles and reports, and other materials related to Bierman's activities with anti-HUAC groups, as well as printed
materials from these groups. There are two additional folders on films: HUAC's "Operation Abolition," and a proposed video
series for PBS titled "The Vocal Generation" (not produced), and several folders of clippings collected by Bierman, covering
the years 1959-1966. Additonal materials pertain to other civil liberties campaigns from the early 1960s in which Bierman
participated concurrently with his anti-HUAC activities. These campaigns included Californians Against State Executions (1960-1961);
an ad opposing Richard Nixon's campaign for California governor (1962); support to Pacifica Foundation (KPFA), an investigative
target of the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee (1963), and support to victims given harsh sentences in the San Francisco
sit-in trials (1964).
Arrangement
The Civil Liberties Campaigns series is arranged chronologically.
box 1, folders 1-5
Correspondence, Petitions and Drafts
1960-1967, undated
box 1, folder 6
"Operation Abolition" Film Documentation
1960
box 1, folder 7
"The Vocal Generation", Film Proposal for KQED/PBS Series
1960
box 1, folders 9-11
Pamphlets and Printed Materials
1958-1967
box 2, folder 1
Pamphlets and Printed Materials - Collection of Editorials & Resolutions..."
1960-1961
box 2, folders 2-3
San Franciscans for Academic Freedom in Education (SAFE)
1959-1960, undated
box 2, folder 8
Survey of Subpoenaed Teachers
1959
box 2, folders 9-11, box 3, folders 1-2
box 3, folder 3
Californians Against State Executions (CASE)
1960-1961
box 3, folder 4
Nixon for Governor, Ad Protesting His Attack on 5th Amendment
1962
box 3, folder 5
Senate Internal Security Subcommittee - Investigation of Pacifica Foundation
1963
Series 2:
American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
1957-1966
Scope and Contents
This series includes Bierman's papers on union organizing on California State University campuses. Documents pertain to issues
of collective bargaining and organizing, studies on teachers' salaries, and academic freedom. The focus of the series is on
the organizing of Local 1352, the San Francisco State College Chapter of the American Federation of Teachers. Additional material
reflects organizing activity throughout the state college system. It includes a draft constitution, correspondence, circular
letters, and membership and faculty lists. There is also printed material and publications generated by the California Federation
of Teachers and two files of news clippings.
Arrangement
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) series is arranged chronologically.
box 3, folder 7
Association of California State College Professors (ACSCP)
1963-1966
California Federation of Teachers
box 3, folder 8
College Council
1964-1966
box 3, folder 9
Publications - Sacramento Bulletin
1963-1964
box 3, folder 11
Academic Freedom - Articles, Statements, Clippings
1957-1963
box 3, folder 12
Lieberman for AFT President
1958-1962, undated
San Francisco State College Federation of Teachers, Local 1352
box 3, folder 13, box 4, folders 1-4
box 4, folder 7
Membership Roster
1965, undated
box 4, folder 10
Clippings, Collective Bargaining
1959-1965
Series 3:
United Professors of California (UPC)
1966-1984
Scope and Contents
This series includes materials pertaining to the United Professors of California (UPC), the statewide college faculty union
emerging from an alliance between the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the Association of California State College
Professors (ACSCP) in 1970. The effort to organize the California college was driven by the AFT, which began a collective
bargaining campaign, in conjunction with its locals at San Francisco State, San Jose State and Long Beach State. From 1970
to 1978, UPC worked on a collective bargaining bill for college faculty passed through the California state legislature. Bierman,
former AFT College Council member, served as one of the first UPC presidents. Included in this series are materials pertaining
to the San Francisco State College strike, to a number of bills reflecting faculty concerns, to the state budget and educational
budget cuts, to rival organizations, and more.
Arrangement
The United Professors of California (UPC) series is arranged chronologically.
box 4, folder 11
1966-1967
Contents
Correspondence regarding articles appearing in local news outlets about the San Francisco State College Strike, opinion ballot
of Associated Students SFSC, memos on administrative reorganization of SFSC, and statements on pressing issues at SFSC.
box 4, folder 12
1968
Contents
Editorials by KCBS News Radio 74 on the San Francisco State College strike, Bierman's correspondence with S. I. Hayakawa,
Willie L. Brown Jr., and clippings regarding California State University system budget issues.
box 4, folder 13
Questionnaires on Teaching Conditions
undated
box 4, folder 14
San Francisco State College Strike Correspondence
1969
box 5, folder 1
San Francisco State Strike Aftermath
1969
box 5, folder 2
Constitutional Convention - Faculty, Senate
1969
box 5, folder 3
1969
Contents
Press releases, AFT newsletters, memos, clippings, and comments on Governor Reagan's budget proposal by the College Council,
AFT.
box 5, folder 4
1970
Contents
Includes pamphlets and clippings on San Francisco State College Strike, and AFT Local newsletter. Other mixed materials are
foldered and labeled "Urban Existence".
box 5, folder 6
Student Evaluation - Faculty Reappointment and Advancement
1970-1972
box 5, folder 7
1971
Contents
Memos, comments on tenure proposals, clippings on grievance procedures, senate bills regarding public employees, correspondence,
and news releases on issues of higher education.
box 5, folder 8
Meetings and Conventions
1971-1972
box 6, folder 1
1972
Contents
Memos, correspondence and reports on UPC internal business and membership, California Community Colleges, lobbying activities
against Reagan's veto of salary increase and other proposed legislation and executive actions, grievance procedures, salary
structure revisions, effective representation of California State College Faculty, and more.
box 6, folder 2
Stanislaus State College
1972
box 6, folder 3
Correspondence
1971-1972, undated
box 6, folders 4-5
California State University Budget
1971-1973
box 7, folder 1
Political Action
1972-1973
box 7, folder 2
Survey of Faculty Attitudes
1972-1973
box 7, folders 5-6
1974-1975
Contents
Correspondence, memos, administrative reviews, newsletters, news releases. Topics include resignations, educational policies,
definition of roles within the organizations, salaries, leadership, and more.
box 7, folder 7
1975-1976
Contents
Memos, correspondence and newsletters. Topics include part-time and temporary faculty, meet and confer between UPC and the
Governor, procedural matters, M & O Growth Program, collective bargaining law for public employees, affirmative action, and
more.
box 7, folder 8
State Election Campaign
1976
box 7, folder 9
Internal Business and Planning
1976
box 7, folder 10
Executive Council, California Federation of Teachers (CFT)
1976
box 7, folders 12-13
Academic Freedom Committee - Legal Materials
1976-1977
box 7, folder 14, box 8, folder 1
1977
Contents
Newsletters, correspondence, memos and proposals. Topics include cooperation with the National Education Association (NEA),
accountability, auditing, amendments of the Government Code, Sam Wellbaum vs. the Trustees of the California State Colleges,
proposed meeting between AFT and Governor, and more.
box 8, folders 3-4
AB 1091 - Bargaining on the Law
1977-1978
box 8, folder 5
United Professors of California San Francisco State University Local 1352, AFT-AFL/CIO
1977-1978
box 8, folder 6
Personnel Report
1977-1978
box 8, folder 8
1978
Contents
Correspondence, memos, newsletters, reports, news releases, clippings. Topics include internal procedural issues, membership,
elections, legal services, UPC/OPEU contract, revisions of executive order 240 on grievances, Proposition 13 and faculty organizing,
AB 1091, and more.
box 8, folder 9
Affirmative Action and Anti-Discrimination Conference
1978
box 8, folder 10
State Election Campaign
1978
box 8, folder 11
"Unit Determination" Issue
1978
box 8, folder 13
State Budget - Proposed Educational Budget Cuts
1978-1980
box 8, folder 14, box 9, folder 1
1979
Contents
Newsletters, draft proposals, memos and correspondence. Topics include Senate Bill 91, contract development, Meet-and-confer
session with SFSU, layoff procedures, teaching quality legislation, collective bargaining petition drives at Cal Poly, Ponoma,
retroactive pay update, budget cut-backs proposed by Governor, and more.
box 9, folder 3
Proposition 9, Jarvis Tax Initiative (Campaign Against)
1980
box 9, folder 4
1980
Contents
Memos, newsletters and correspondence. Topics include legislative and political action, rules for contribution requests, procedure
for settlements of internal disputes, and more.
box 9, folder 5
Contract Development Survey
1980
box 9, folder 6
1981-1982
Contents
Newsletters and clippings.
box 9, folder 7
1983-1984
Contents
Proposals, reports, news release, memos and correspondence. Topics include state council meeting, cash flow, election procedures,
assets and liabilities, membership, faculty early retirement program, merit and faculty development, grievance and arbitration
procedures, and more.
box 9, folder 8
California Faculty Association and Other Rival Organizations
1984
box 9, folders 10-11
City and College: Their Culture
1966, undated
Series 4:
Newspaper Clippings
1968-1972
Scope and Contents
News clippings covering the 1968/1969 student and faculty strike at San Francisco State College.
Arrangement
The News clippings series is arranged chronologically.
