Roots of Justice

With a foreword by Elizabeth Martinez, Roots of Justice recaptures some of the nearly forgotten histories of communities of color. These are the stories of people who fought back against exploitation and injustice--and won. From the Zoot Suiters who refused to put up with abuse at the hands of the Navy, to the women who organized the welfare rights movement of the 1970s, Roots of Justice shows how, through organizing, ordinary people have made extraordinary contributions to change society. "I Never Run Off the Track"
Organizing the Underground Railroad.

"Ang Laka Ay Nasa Pagkakaisa"
Strength is in the Union": Filipino Farmworkers Organize in the1930s.

The "Zoot Suit Riots"
Pachucos vs. the Navy.

"It's Our Union Too"
Chicanas Rescue the "Salt of the Earth" Strike.

Affirmative Action from the Grassroots
Black Americans Demand Jobs in San Francisco.

"Stand on a Street and Bounce a Ball"
Organizing the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.

Unafraid and Dignified
Welfare Recipients Organize for their Rights.

"No Evictions: We Won't Move!"
The Struggle to Save the I-Hotel.

"You Are Now on Indian Land"
Native Americans Occupy Alcatraz.

Participation with Power
Parents Fight for Community Control of New York City Schools.

Back to the Blanket
The Trail of Broken Treaties Marches on Washington.

"Justice, Not Sympathy"
Japanese Americans Fight for Dignity and Reparations. Larry Salomon teaches ethnic studies at San Francisco State University. The stories in this collection are based on his "Movement History" column which appeared in Third Force magazine from 1994 through 1997.