America's social arsonist
Subtitle: Fred Ross and grassroots organizing in the twentieth century
By: Gabriel Thompson
Publisher: University of California Press
Published: 2016
Language: eng
Number of pages: 279
ISBN-13: 9780520280830
Copyright date: 2016
Subjects: Community activists; Community organization; Civil rights; Immigrants; Community Service Organization; Biography; History
Other titles: Fred Ross and grassroots organizing in the twentieth century
Description: "Raised by conservative parents who hoped he would "stay with his own kind," Fred Ross instead became 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 interned Japanese Americans, and after the war, he dedicated his life to building the political power of Latinos across California. Labor organizing in this country was forever changed when Ross knocked on the door of a young Cesar Chavez and encouraged him to become an organizer. Until now there has been no biography of Fred Ross, a man who believed a good organizer was supposed to fade into the crowd as others stepped forward. In America's Social Arsonist, Gabriel Thompson provides a full picture of this complicated and driven man, recovering a forgotten chapter of American history and providing vital lessons for organizers today."--Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 259-263) and index.
Table of contents: title: The education of an organizer (1910-1947). All that you do, do with your might ; Dealing firsthand with the rotten system ; Witness to The grapes of wrath ; Doing penance ; The Mexican problem ; Red Ross; title: Organizing a movement (1947-1963). Viva Roybal ; Bloody Christmas ; Finding Cesar ; On the road ; Growing pains ; The life and death of the CSO; title: Organizer as teacher (1964-1992). Poverty fiasco ; David vs. Goliath ; Don't buy grapes ; The battle of the butcher paper ; Blind spot ; The forever project; title: Appendix. Axioms for organizers.