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Third World Liberation

Jan 15, 2024, 10 min read

Third World Liberation Comes to San Francisco State and UC Berkeley, Harvey Dong

Involved Organizations

  • ICSA: October 1967 β†’ Chinatown poverty, teen tutorial, youth advocacy, socioeconomics, militancy, education towards community benefit
    • support from Philippine Americans for Collegiate Eneavor (PACE), est. 1967
      • low-income educational opportunities; 3rd world solidarity β†’ humanism β†’ 3rd world control
    • support from SFSC AAPA affiliate to Berkeley; JPAM
  • AAPA: β€œAsian American” collective; shared historical experience and solidarity along pan-ethnic lines
    • CN, PH, JP-AM demographic
      • prev. involvement in Civil Rights, Black Power, antiwar, farmworker union movements
      • 2nd-gen native-born, some foreign-born HK members
      • urban ASAM comms (Chinatown SF) or rural areas
      • common immigration exclusion and inst. racism: Vietnam War, Black Power, ASAM conditions
      • CSC (American born), Chinese Students Association (foreign born), NSC (2nd gen) AAPA leaders
      • Victoria Wong, 2nd gen CNAM from Salina
        • The first time you awaken is when you become politically aware. The second awakening is when you see all these Asian people talking the same way you are. This was the other part of my life which I always felt but could not yet identify […], why I felt a little bit different [being the only Asian] going to Black Panther Support Committee meetings. That’s why the Yellow Symposium was important […] the very concept of political power for Asian Americans was not really expressed before. We were always treated like new immigrants even though some of us were actually fourth and fifth generation.
      • non-regionalism movement towards pan-ethnic
        • AAPA cultural demographic: Eng-speaking post-WWII baby boomers; 1.5/2nd-gen youth
        • desire for self-protection in mainstream society

SFSUTWLF

  • SFSUTWLF strike attended by UCBTWLF
    • model strike for UCB: direct mass action shutdown and forced acknowledgement by admin
    • followed MLK assassination and urban rebellion response; confrontational approach
    • response to unproductive negotiations, agreements, inc. police repression, low legal channels for social justice, failed negotiation with BSU, racism
  • response: BSU β†’ George Murray suspension on allegations as grad. student and instructor for 30 days, October 1968 β†’ TWLF formation
  • TWLF: BSU, Latin American Students Organization (LASO), Mexican American Student Confederation (MASC), ICSA, PACE, AAPA
    • β€œself-determination of third world peoples” principle; white students negligible in decision making, but high support and picket lines/arrests

UCBTWLF

  • peak conditions for protest
    • 1966 race/ethnic survey UCB: poor track record
    • 1.4% percent student body: Black + Chicano + NA
    • 26k students: 226 AFAM, 76 CH, 61 NA vs. 19% CA pop
    • sparse minority appointments to faculty; 1.8% faculty, 2 tenured Black faculty
    • misleading figure for ASAM; over representation
      • upper/middleclass students in ASAM vs enrollment from lower class or poor
      • meager rep for PHAM
      • intl studies for Asian Studies
      • no executive position ASAM
    • TWLF: reinforcements for African American students
      • In the view of the participants, third world solidarity was not an ideal but a necessity whose rationale would develop in process.
  • Fall qtr 1968: AASU + ASAM/CHC forming TWLF; MASC questions of equal representation
    • NASU fourth group to join, formative, five members; formally inducted 1969 January
      • members were subject of relocation program and assimilation into mainstream
    • solidarity was influenced by revolutionary movements, Black Panther party in multiracial unity; SFSUTWLF 3rd world solidarity
      • however, first point was student grievances and lack of administration response
      • β€œThird world anticolonialism. Black Power, and Marxism were ideas that the activists developed to formulate a counter-hegemonic ideology among their ranks.”
    • white support β†’ TWLF support committee
      • broad spectrum of radical left: Students for a Democratic Society, Independent Socialist Club, Young Socialist Alliance
  • Winter quarter 1969: Asian Studies 100X: β€œThe Asian Experience in America”
    • 6 graduate students + sponsor of Franz Schurmann, History, and Paul Takagi, Criminology
    • genesis of larger program
    • intl, 3rd world, community frameworks; historical bg of colonialism; ASAM history and labor; current analysis and present-day issues
    • first week after-class meeting: 20 students participating
      • join AASU and MASC; narrowed into 3rd world strike organization

TWLF Strikes

  • subject: SFSC and UCB strikes from 1968–1969
    • TWLF organized spring 1968 with AAPA issues forum, UCB
      • Asian American Political Alliance
      • Black Panther, Chicano, SF Chinatown activists from Intercollegiate Chinese for Social Action (ICSA)
    • SFSC: 06/11/68, ICSA (SF Chinatown ethnic comm.)
    • UCB: 22/01/69 AAPA (dispersed pan-ethnic comm.)
    • similar demands
      • SFSCTWLF
        • establish ethnic studies in tandem with 3rd world students of different ethnicities having authority of curricula
        • 50 faculty positions for ethns, 20 for black studies
        • admittance of nonwhite students for spring
        • admittance of all nonwhite students for fall 1969
        • faculty chosen by nonwhite people retain position
      • UCBTWLF
        • allocate funds for β€œthird world college”: asian, black studies as proposed by aasu, chicano, native american studies
        • third world people in positions and power at all levels; immediate implementation of counselors for special services, uc chancellors, placement center counselors, L/S deans, admissions; eventually all levels of university programs
        • aademic assistance to any 3rd world student based on 3rd world assessments
        • 30 work study positions twd Chinatown and Manilatown projects, 10 EOP counselors + full-time Asian coordinator
        • 30+ work study twd AASU East campus Berkeley High School Project
        • center for chicano studies permanent status with funds β†’ programs
        • no disciplinary action due to strike
      • demand for complete program autonomy, solutions within respective communities

Context

  • leading into revolution in late 60s
    • Reagan government in CA; preparation towards presidential nomination, martial law
      • challenge against educational foundation and 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education (intelligence and standardized testing for fitness)
    • β†’ institution of ethnic studies curricula and programs
    • β†’ comparative study on racial discrimination and equality of CNAM history
    • β†’ CNAM shift towards fighting institutionalized racism on college campuses
  • 3rd world revolution, Black Power, ASAM erasure, internal colonialism and 3rd world internal US mindset

Timeline

SFSC before UCB

  • SFSC: picketing and entering classrooms to call for support
  • clashes with SF Police Tactical Unit; on 7th day, clubbing, confrontations, indefinite close of campus
  • issues w/ board of trustees
  • 25/11: Robert Smith-BSU/TWLF convocation on strike + simultaneous LA trustees disc. on crisis
    • β†’ resignation of president, suspension, new president
  • 02/12: force open campus by S.I. Hayakawa (new president), riot
  • 300 professors and campus worker unions + Teamsters and deliveries struck for union and TWLF demands in January

Between SFSC and UCB

  • 11/01/1969 β€œYellow Symposium” β€” β€œThe Asian Experience in America/Yellow Identity”
    • UCB; AAPA, Chinese Students Club (CSC), Nisei Students Club (NSC)
    • high statewide ASAM attendance: CN, JP, PH
    • ASAM studies, community service, ASAM movements, TWLF SFSC strike
    • UCB, Stanford, UCD professor speakers
      • CN JP - AM history, Stanford Lyman
      • US-Asian policy, Paul Takagi, UCB
      • Asian β€œmelting pot”, Isao Fujimoto, UCD
    • identity of community responsibility, George Woo, ICSA/SFSCTWLF
      • pass conference resolution for SFSCTWLF
        • Arguing that identity without action was only a form of β€œmental masturbation,” Woo challenged students to look into the real conditions that people in the communities faced and called for a reversal of the traditional brain drain of educated youth from the community
      • working to change conditions in Chinatown, ICSA: youth rebellion, gangs, Leways and Youth Council
    • resolution in support of SFSCTWLF, ASAM study demand, and establishment of 3rd world colleges
      • non-gradual, certain, radical initiation towards self-determination; β€œSelf meant the community and β€œdetermination” meant political decision-making power
      • β€œno longer wished to seek improvement through individual advancement, which never worked well for the community”
  • 12/01/1969 AAPA statewide meeting to extend Yellow Symposium outreach
    • AAPA national chapter network gathering/establishment: SF, San Mateo, LA, Berkeley, SJ, Sac, NY, HI campus chapters
    • definition of ASAM Studies, community work facilitation, diffusion of movement/knowledge

UCB

  • issues w/ Reagan UC regents and hard line against student protest
    • accusations of TWLF-sponsored violence and property damage
  • variation in support
    • slow progression of support from Academic Federation of Teachers, Local 1570 (Teaching Assistants)
    • inconsistent support from academic faculty
  • difficulties in negotiating between TWLFβ€”chancellor due to intense confrontations
    • Chancellor Roger Heyns
    • increased martial law drew in support

UCB Timeline

  • 22/01: informational picket lines
  • 22/01–27/01: Local 1570 work stoppage
    • 27/01: no support given for strike vote
  • 27/01: public support from 3rd world faculty
  • 29/01: police misconduct: arrest of TWLF member Abercrombie
  • 30/01: UCB announcement of disciplinary action
    • β†’ Associated Students of the University of California Senate condemnation and support of ethnic studies college
  • 04/02: TWLF picket line blockage of Sather Gate Bridge/thoroughfare
    • symbolic picket-line disruption of traffic flow
    • β†’ police overreaction from undercover officers, sheriff and police confrontations β†’ 15 arrests, 20 injuries
      • declaration of illegal assembly in Sproul Plaza
  • 05/02: serpentine-formation picket line protest march on campus vs. police presence
    • 05/02: reluctance from Academic Senate to endorse
    • cancel of noon rallies on possibility of violence
    • Reagan declaration of β€œstate of extreme emergency” on campus and surroundings β†’ CA Highway Patrol leeway to enter campus
  • 08/02: Chancellor’s Office and TWLF tentative agreement; repudiated immediately with counterclaims
  • 10/02: Subcommittee of Dean Knight’s Committee on Ethnic Studies (w/ George Devos) recommends 3rd world faculty create proposals for college
    • criticism for student exclusion and ex-officio of TW vs. regular administration
  • 13/02: clear and arrest of TWLF picket line, open violence; + arrest of Local 1570 picket line
    • expose of violence against leadership, public editorial
    • β†’ 18/02: Local 1570 strike vote passed
  • 19/02: broke down negotiations due to discussion of implementing committee
  • 20/02: emergency AAPA meeting over police confrontation conduct; polarization between β€œsoft-liners” and β€œhard-liners”
    • soft-liners: invasion of β€œcrazy white radicals” and fear of military martial law
    • hard-liners: mass pressure on strike lines, defeat military power structure that led to Vietnam slaughter
    • vote: 20 β€œcool it” ←→ 7 continue; telegrammed to TWLF leaders
  • 21/02: β€œno violence” monitoring of next strike
  • 22/02: peaceful 3,000 strike/protest rally outside of regents + Reagan meeting
    • β€œbe cool, no rock-throwing and don’t give Reagan an excuse to call out the guard”
    • largest show of organized law enforcement in Berkeley history:
      • 20 agencies β†’ 600 police/patrol mutual-aid force
      • 300 riot police in view of protest + 300 in parking
      • 50 armed National Guardsmen w/ vehicles and helicopter + 1000 in Alameda military camp
    • regents voted to suspend for reasonable cause to believe violations
  • 22/02: reports of 127 arrests
    • β†’ interim suspension and bar from strike participation
  • 26/02: broke off negotiations due to student β€œviolence”
    • violent arrest of MASC β€” Delgado, and Macias β†’ student confrontation with clubs and teargas
  • 27/02: National Guard used on campus, drove off with teargas
  • 04/03: endorsement from Academic Senate, 550β€”4
    • interim Ethnic Studies Department with 3rd world student participation to develop curricula andd evolve into a college
    • immediate offer of B.As in ethnic studies with separate divisions for Black, Mexican, Asian, Native studies
    • approval to begin in fall qtr 1969
    • suspension of all strikes with stipulation of reactivation over negotiation impasse

SFSC after UCB

  • three semesters
  • acknowledgement of 3rd world frustrations and ethnic studies
    • distinction between inclusion vs. New Left ideologies: β€œThe assumption here was that third world students were willing to work for reforms whereas many of the white students were members of leftist organizations whose goals did not include reforms.”

Outcomes

  • SFSC: first US school of ethnic studies: degrees for ethnic studies, American Indian, Asian American, Black, La Raza
  • UCB: budget for department with subdivisions; stalemate
  • training ground and learning tools for community activism
    • balancing act of bridging campus and community and legitimization on campur
    • uplifting of 3rd world student movement
  • establishment of ethnic studies β†’ 250+ ethnic studies programs in secondary and post-secondary
  • modern UCB/SFSU: under/graduate programs for ethnic studies
  • β€œStill, the most important but often forgotten legacy of the stakes was the building of solidarity among the different racial and ethnic groups that truly wished to change the educational environment. This solidarity found value in future struggles such as the International Hotel antieviction movement and the Alcatraz Island Native American movement, when many former TWLF participants were involved in struggles within their own ethnic communities but were linked in cooperation.”

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