Nancy Elliott United Farm Workers papers

Collection

Identifier: MS-013

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection documents Nancy Elliott's volunteer work with the United Farm Workers from 1972 through 1976. Materials document Elliott’s work as a reporter and distributor of El Malcriado, the unofficial newspaper of the United Farm Workers. Also included are materials related to Elliott’s work during the 1973 strike administering financial aid to the striking workers, her work with Fred Ross, Sr. on boycotts from 1974-1975, and her work as Field Office Director in Coachella, King City, and Soledad from 1975-1976. Materials include newsletters, leaflets, ephemera, newspapers and newspaper clippings, volunteer and membership information, memos, correspondence and research for various organizational campaigns.

Please note this collection contains outdated and potentially harmful language. This includes some of the creator’s original folder labels, which have been retained for historical context.

Dates

1965-1981

Creator

Elliott, Nancy (Creator, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is available for research by appointment only. Please contact Archives and Special Collections staff in advance to request access.

Conditions Governing Use

California State University, Monterey Bay does not hold copyright to this collection. Archives and Special Collections recognizes that it is incumbent upon the researcher to procure permission to publish information from this collection from the owner of copyright

Biographical Note

Nancy Elliott began volunteering for the United Farm Workers (UFW) in early 1972, when she was assigned to lead the distribution efforts of the recently formed newspaper, El Malcriado, which was founded by Cesar Chavez and served as the UFW’s unofficial newspaper. The publication was dedicated to bringing awareness to labor issues and Union activities. Elliott spent her first nine months following the harvest around California, taking newspapers to workers and also working as a reporter for the paper, documenting strikes and other events. Elliott briefly left the UFW to attend an intensive Spanish language course for two months in Cuernavaca, Mexico. When Elliott returned to the UFW in April of 1973, she was assigned the task of administering financial aid to the thousands of striking farm workers from Coachella to Delano. The strikes were eventually called off by Cesar Chavez following the murder of two striking workers. When the strike ended in 1974, Elliott was sent to Marin County to work on the boycotts, where she worked with community organizer Fred Ross, Sr. In 1975, Elliott was assigned to serve as the director of a field office in Coachella, where she administered contracts, handled grievances, and helped workers with their contracts. During this time she also campaigned for the passage of the Agricultural Labor Relations Act (ALRA), a state law guaranteeing California farm workers the right to organize, vote in state-supervised secret-ballot elections, and bargain with their employers. The bill passed and Elliott moved to field offices in King City and Soledad, where she also served as director. One of Elliott’s final activities with the UFW was campaigning for Proposition 14, the Agricultural Labor Relations Board Initiative, in 1976. The UFW collected signatures to place Proposition 14 on the November ballot to restore funding to the Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB), the body responsible for enforcing the ALRA. The proposition was defeated, and shortly after Elliott left the UFW.

Extent

2.1 Linear Feet (5 file boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Spanish; Castilian

Additional Description

Abstract

This collection documents Nancy Elliott's volunteer work with the United Farm Workers from 1972 through 1976, including her involvement as a reporter and distributor of El Malcriado, the unofficial newspaper of the United Farm Workers. Elliott also worked as financial aid administrator for striking workers, boycott organizer, and field office director. Materials include newsletters, leaflets, ephemera, newspaper clippings, volunteer and membership information, memos, and research for various organizational campaigns.

Please note this collection contains outdated and potentially harmful language. This includes some of the creator’s original folder labels, which have been retained for historical context.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged alphabetically by series, which are based on the creator’s original organization. Materials within each section are arranged chronologically, except where materials are spread across multiple folders and the dates vary within those folders.

Boycott, 1971-1975, undated: Includes memos, reports, newsletters, press releases, research, fliers.

Convention, 1973, 1976-1977, 1981: Includes conference agendas, programs, reports, and news clippings.

Ephemera, 1973-1977, undated: Includes informational leaflets, brochures, press releases and pamphlets addressing strikes, boycotts, elections, and legislation. Also includes Teamster leaflets, 1974 calendar, bumper stickers. Note: Additional ephemera is spread throughout the collection.

Field Office files, 1972-1975: Materials related to Elliott’s work and training as a Field Office director.

Illegal Aliens, 1973-1975: Newspaper clippings, articles, correspondence, memos documenting UFW efforts to prevent the use of undocumented immigrants as “strikebreakers.” Please note the term “illegal alien” was widely accepted and used to describe undocumented immigrants during the time these materials were created. We have retained the creator's original folder labels to maintain historical context.

Legal, 1966, 1970-1978, undated: Includes contracts and agreements between the United Farm Workers of America AFL-CIO and various companies. Also included are documents related to the arbitration of a grievance case filed by union members.

Legislation, 1966, 1972, 1974-1977: Includes newspaper clippings, memos, correspondence, UFW position statements regarding legislation. Material related to Arizona HB 2134, Proposition 22, AB 3370, the Agricultural Labor Relations Act (ALRA), and Prop 14.

Media, 1966, 1968-1981, undated: Bulk is newspaper clippings, some newsletters and articles. One open reel audio tape labeled “United Farm Workers Radio Spots” and includes the following list of tracks with duration: Hope :30, Hot & Difficult :60, Justice :28, Boycott :53, Critical Period :58, We Speak Their Language :60, Really Very Simple :55, America’s Farmworkers :30, You Can Make a Difference :30, La Vida :60, Justicia :29, Calor :60, La Union :30, Boycoteo :60. Also nine reprints of black and white photographs showing the living and working conditions of farmworkers, including children.

Reference, 1961, 1964-1965, 1969-1979: Materials used for general reference and training. Includes articles, manuals, interviews on topics such as arbitration, fundraising, strikes, and pesticides. Also includes original documents and forms used by the UFW.

Religious, 1957, 1963-1981: Bulk of material contains newsletters, leaflets, press releases, correspondence from the National Farm Worker Ministry (previously the California Migrant Ministry and National Migrant Ministry) documenting their support and activities associated with the farm worker labor movement. In addition, some items related to UFW support from Jewish organizations and a ‘Statement on Israel’ by Cesar Chavez. Two issues of the journal ‘Christainity and Crisis’ (v. 30 no. 22 January 11, 1971; v. 32 no. 3 March 6, 1972) and an issue of St. Anthony Messenger (v. 81 no. 11, April 1974) Teamsters Union, 1970-1975: Literature produced by the Teamsters Union, or their supporters, most arguing against the actions of the UFW. Material includes news clippings, articles, booklets, pamphlets, leaflets, posters, and contract information.