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The MALDEF Records collection consists of some 1,500 linear feet of records generated by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund as part of its efforts to define and protect the civil rights of Mexican Americans in the United States. The records contain correspondence, legal briefs, court orders, printed matter, photographs, and audiovisual materials spanning the years from the founding of the organization in 1967 to 1984.
MALDEF is a product of both the modern Civil Rights Movement and the Chicano Movement. The legal victories of the civil rights era combined with an emerging ethnic solidarity movement among Chicanos in the late 1960s to create an environment for its founding in 1967. Though the history of advocacy for the civil and legal rights of Mexican Americans dates back to the nineteenth century, MALDEF stands out as the single most important organization committed to the protection of rights for the nation's second largest ethnic minority group. MALDEF has engaged in litigation, public policy advocacy, and development of programs in a variety of areas critical to the well being of Mexican Americans: educational equity, equal employment, voting rights, immigration legislation, leadership develop-ment, Chicana rights, and others. MALDEF continues to play a key role in defending Mexican Americans against discriminatory treatment and securing equal rights and opportunities for them in American society.
The Texas civil rights attorney Pete Tijerina was appointed the first executive director, and he and his colleagues founded the first MALDEF office in San Antonio. During the first five years of its operation, the organization depended largely on a $2.2 million grant from the ford Foundation. During the early years of its development, the organization relied on a small cadre of committed staff attorneys and other professionals who laid the foudation for litigating several important court cases, primarily involving educational segregation and employment discrimination in Texas and in California.
In 1973 Vilma Martinex, who had worked with the organization since 1968, and who had previously served as a staff attorney for the NAACP Legal Defense fund, assumed the position of president and general counsel of MALDEF. During the decade of Martinez's leadership, MALDEF achieved greater financial stability by attracting more corporate and foundation giving, and expanded the scope of its work. Throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s, MALDEF continued to play a key role in several court cases -- from defending the right of Mexican American students to bilingual education and to voting rights cases.
Martinez's able leadership of MALDEF ended in the early 1980s when Joaquin Avila, an attorney with the organization for several years, assumed the role of president and general counsel. During the periods of change in leadership -- from Martinez to Avila and, after a few years, to the current president, Antonia Hernandez -- MALDEF maintained its primary goal of advocacy and litigation.
Throughout its history, MALDEF either took the lead role in litigating many court cases or joined together with other advocacy and civil rights groups in various legal cases. MALDEF was influential, for example, in advocating for the extension of the Voting Rights Act during the early 1980s, defending the educational rights of children of undocumented immigrants, and together with the U.S. Department of Justice, successfully litigating the case leading to the redistricting of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
The organizational records of the MALDEF collection will provide a rich source of documentation for scholars to examine the complex political history of Mexican Americans and other civil rights advocacy groups during the last third of the twentieth century. The MALDEF collection, together with the other collections housed in the Department of Special Collections at Stanford University relating to the Mexican American experience, constitutes a treasure chest of materials for understanding the history of the largest ethnic group in the western United States.
Albert Camarillo, Professor of History at Stanford
MALDEF's Board of Directors is the organization's governing body; the directors assist the lead staff in program planning, fundraising, and administrative decisions. The frequency of Board meetings has varied over the years, but board subcommittees met at least semiannually. The Executive Committee, the Program and Planning Committee the Fiscal and Fundraising Committee, the Personnel and Nominations committee and the Community Education and Activation Program were the standing subcommittees. In addition, special committees of the Board have been formed on an ad hoc basis.
As MALDEF grew and changed, the Board changed, in size, in demographics, in responsibilities, and in rules governing membership. The original Board was formed through Pete Tijerina's organization of MALDEF committees in several Southwestern states. All of the Board members at that time were male Chicano attorneys, except for Jack Greenberg, from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. In 1970 the Ford Foundation asked the Board to diversify its membership, ethnically, geographically, and occupationally. This was accomplished by adding 16 positions to the Board; the new membership also included two women. In 1971 the Board voted to limit Board membership to two two-year consecutive terms. Some Board members later rejoined the Board after a hiatus; there were also a few individuals who were both staff members and board members at different times.
In addition to the papers in this record group, there are records of board activities in each of the president's files. Those records include correspondence with individual board members, notes from board meetings, and information from the standing committees. Vilma Martinez maintained her own extensive board files. There are a few board documents in her records that are not in this record group, including some from her tenure on the board, from 1970 until 1972.
.5 linear feet
This series of files contains correspondence about contributions, memoranda announcing meetings of board committees, rosters of the Board of Directors and rosters of other committees. Records which make explicit the amount of contributions from specific individuals will be closed until 2009.
1.75 linear feet
These files contain correspondence between MALDEF's presidents and members of the board of directors. The correspondence in this series is dated from 1968 to 1983. In addition to the letters there are minutes from meetings, speeches given by MALDEF's board and officers, and documents filed with or near the correspondence to which they relate.
3.5 linear feet
The files in this series contain correspondence, agendas, minutes, resumés, meeting planning documents, mailing lists, rosters and reports documenting the activities of the MALDEF Board of Directors between 1968 and 1982. The files also document some of the activities of the standing committees and special committees of the Board of Directors, including the Executive Committee, the Fiscal and Fundraising Committee, the Personnel and Nominations Committee, and the Program and Planning Committee. Progress reports, dated from 1976 to 1979, which Vilma Martinez sent to board members between annual meetings are interfiled here.
5 linear feet
The Executive Committee was charged with planning board meetings and assisting and advising the president; the committee has also overseen structural and programmatic change at times. When the Ford Foundation recommended in 1970 that MALDEF reorganize, it was the Executive Committee with whom the foundation corresponded, prior to informing the rest of the board. These files contain memoranda, correspondence, audiotapes, and minutes of meetings of the Executive Committee of the MALDEF Board of Directors. There are also schedules, audited financial statements, proposed budgets, presidential progress reports, and reports from other board standing committees and departments dated from 1978 to 1982.
.25 linear feet
These files contain the minutes of the November 1981, April 1975, April 1982 committe meetings. There are also audiotapes of meetings in 1976 and 1977.
.5 linear feet
The Personnel and Nominations Committee was involved in both the selection of new board members, and in the screening of applicants for the presidency of MALDEF. This series contains minutes of meetings of the Personnel and Nominations Committee between 1969 and 1983, and an audiotape of a 1983 meeting. There are also memoranda and correspondence regarding nominees, with their letters of nomination and resumes. Included as well are resumes and rosters of the Board of Directors.
.25 linear feet
This file contains minutes of the August 1981 and April 1982 committee meetings.
.5 linear feet
This series contains the annual reports to the MALDEF Board of Directors produced between 1970 and 1984. The annual reports include information from the regional offices, the legal programs, and the administrative offices, written by their respective directors. The presidents usually included both a summary of the previous years activities, and a goal statement for the coming year. The annual reports to the board do not include the photographs and art that are in the annual reports produced for those outside of MALDEF. They do include much more text, and generally provide information about the rationale, the funding sources, the successes and the problems of MALDEF projects.
From 1968 to 1970, the positions of MALDEF's president and general counsel were held by two people: president Pete Tijerina was responsible for the administration of the organization, while general counsel Mario Obledo oversaw litigation. At the request of the Ford Foundation the positions were merged and assigned to Obledo in 1970. An office administrator was then hired for day to day administrative tasks, and a legal director later managed some of the oversight of litigation. In 1973 Obledo left MALDEF and was replaced by Vilma Martinez, who held the office from 1973 until 1982; during her term MALDEF grew both programmatically and in personnel. Joaquin Avila served as president and general counsel from 1982 until 1985; his tenure followed a large reduction in government support, and so was a time of budget cutting, but also of some programmatic innovations.
In addition to organizational oversight, MALDEF's presidents were ex-officio members of the board of directors. As MALDEF's national presence increased, they were called upon to act as spokespersons for the Latino community, especially with regard to legal issues. The records preserved by the first three chief administrators reflect these several roles, although they differ in size, scope, and organization, because of the presidents' different charges, their differences in individual style and changes in MALDEF. Additional records generated by the first three presidents, and by the fourth president, Joaquin Avila, can be found in each of the other record groups. There are letters, memoranda, speeches, position papers and legal work written by them, as well as directives, policy statements, and research issued at their request. Joaquin Avila's pre-presidential papers are in the Regional Offices record group, in both the San Antonio and San Francisco office sections.
.5 linear feet
Pete Tijerina was one of the founders of MALDEF, and the organization's first president; although he was a lawyer, he served MALDEF as an administrator rather than as a litigator. This series contains correspondence from his presidency: Tijerina received reports from the Los Angeles MALDEF office, and from Jose Angel Gutierrez, who was an investigator for MALDEF. There are also files in the series of correspondence between the main office and the board of directors.
Acosta, Oscar Z. * Ortega, Joe C. * Obledo, Mario
3.5 linear feet
Mario Obledo was general counsel of MALDEF from its inception. In 1970, at the behest of the Ford Foundation, MALDEF's board combined the position of president with that of general counsel; Obledo held that position until mid-1973. When the change was made, the directors moved MALDEF headquarters from San Antonio to San Francisco, and Obledo moved as well.
The files in this series reflect Obledo's activities both within and outside of MALDEF. Among the MALDEF files are reports from the California branch office, conference planning files, and reports to the board of directors. Non-MALDEF files include Obledo's correspondence with other community leaders, and the files from his term as president of the Southwest Intergroup Relations Council, dated 1969 to 1972. The subseries into which Obledo's papers are divided are as follows:
National Institute for Law and Justice * Martinez, Vilma Tijerina, Pete * Ortega, Joe C. * Acosta, Oscar Z. * Gutierrez, Jose Angel * New World Foundation * Stanfield, Edwin * Idar, Ed * Witherspoon, Joseph P. * Eagle, Vernon * Deloria, Vine Jr.
14.5 linear feet
Vilma Martinez expanded MALDEF in several ways during her tenure as president: there was an increase in the amount of money raised, an increase in the number of staff, and several new litigation and community involvement programs. Martinez obtained funding by seeking corporate donations, and pursuing more foundation funding. MALDEF's national stature increased during this time: the new Washington D.C. office made MALDEF visible to the federal government, legal victories with national implications were achieved, and the nation saw increased civil rights legislation. Martinez's role outside of MALDEF grew concommitantly: she was appointed by Carter to the Presidential Advisory Board on Ambassadorial appointments, and was frequently asked to speak. Martinez also served as chair of the U.S. Hispanic-Mexico Commission; the commission's focus was to help Mexican -Americans get involved in trade with Mexico.
This series of records is as varied as Martinez's activities. The annual reports summarize the activities of the previous year, and plans for the following year. The correspondence files include mailing lists, press clippings, MALDEF by-laws, activities reports, memoranda and correspondence arranged by office: Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Antonio and Washington. There are also proposals for funding, position papers, lists of Congressional committee members, budgets, and indexes of materials forwarded from regional to central offices. The judicial selection file contains correspondence, press clippings, mailing lists, petitions, memoranda, and supporting material for federal and local judicial appointments. The trip files contain correspondence, memoranda, financial statements, fiscal reports, salary schedules. There are also resumes, rosters and agendas for the MALDEF Board of Directors' Executive Committee. The subject files include organizations and issues of interest to the organization. The subseries into which Martinez's files are arranged are as follows:
Public Interest Public Relations * Roos, Peter D. Estrada, Esther * Brown, Susan E. * Couch, Jane * Manzano, Angel * Huerta, John E. * Vera, Ron * Soria, Juan * Estrada, Carmen * Navarro, M. Susana * Hurtado, Ralph * Contreras, Joel G. * Martinez, Virginia * Booth, Margaret * Avila, Joaquin G. * Perez, Abelardo I. * Markham, Rosemary * Rocha, Juan Jr. * Hernandez, Mike, Jr. * Solis, Norma V. * La Raza National Lawyers Association * Cranston, Alan * Baller, Morris J. * Velarde-Muñoz, Felix * Simmons, Robert L. * Cohn, Nathan * Goldstein, Leonard * Green, Robert *Krebs, Robert * Bilingual Education * Immigration * Ford Foundation * National Economic Development Association * Hernandez, Eduardo * Dimas, Nicasio * Presidential Advisory Board on Ambassadorial Appointments * LCLAA * Rockefeller Foundation * IMAGE National Convention * Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources * Los Angeles County Bar Association * Carnegie Corporation * World Affairs Council * Commonwealth Club of California * Southwest Voter Registration Project * Bay Area Urban League * American Jewish Committee * U.S. - Mexican Relations Workshop on Immigration * Women and the Law Conference * Hispanic Women's Conference * American College Personnel Association * Latin Businessmen's Association * Padres Asociados
In 1978 the Accounting and Administration Department was formed by combining many of the administrative tasks of the President's office with the work done by the accounting office. Papers in this record group were generated by the two antecedents to the department as well as by the department itself. They include MALDEF tax records, correspondence from MALDEF presidents, and memoranda related to the running of the San Francisco office; there are also personnel files and grant proposals for the San Francisco office.
4 linear feet
This record subgroup includes papers generated by several sources, because the structure of MALDEF's administration changed as the organization grew. They are the papers of the main office and so document the activities of the head-quarters' staff in particular, but they also include information about the hiring, training and relationships of MALDEF staff in all of the offices.
.25 linear feet
This series contains the MALDEF articles of incorporation, a certificate of incorporation and the MALDEF bylaws.
Tijerina, Peter * Padilla, Roy * Pena, Albert Jr.
.25 linear feet
This series contains correspondence in folders arranged by year. Most of the correspondence is signed by one of the MALDEF presidents, and is addressed to MALDEF staff. There is also correspondence with people and groups outside of MALDEF. The series includes summaries of pending cases, affidavits, memoranda, minutes of meetings, and invitations.
Tijerina, Peter * Obledo, Mario * Rocha, Juan Jr. * Lopez, Gerald R.* Villareal, Rebecca * Heidelberg, James * Sandoval, Ruben * Weisberg, Eric * Urist, Carl H. * Mendez, Miguel A. * Moya, Clarence Benjamin * Rosen, Sanford * Moreno, Mercedes U. * Martinez, Vilma * Roos, Peter D.
1.5 linear feet
These files contain MALDEF memoranda, filed under the names of the respective administrative assistants. There are also date books, correspondence and planning information for MALDEF's annual attorney training conferences.
Sandoval, Ruben * Weisberg, Eric * Kelly, Tyler * Cañas, Joseph * Williams, Hilary J. * Velarde-Muñoz, Felix * Gee, Carolyn L. * Blomquist, Theresa
1.75 linear feet
In this series are papers which document the planning, activities and evaluations of conferences sponsored by MALDEF. There are itineraries, information about conference locations, legal briefs for training, conference materials, internal memoranda, correspondence, agendas, attendance records, grant proposals, contracts, budgets and evaluations. Records for the National Conference on the Administration of Justice and the Mexican American are dated 1970 to 1972, while the attorney training conference files cover annual conferences from 1976 to 1982.
.25 linear feet
This file contains masters of MALDEF forms, information regarding bulk mailings, trip itineraries of MALDEF personnel from 1977 to 1979, and business census forms.
1.5 linear feet
Prior to 1978, the office which handled MALDEF's financial affairs was called the accounting department. The records of that office are included in this record subgroup, along with those of the successor Finance Office.
.5 linear feet
This series contains auditor's reports, expense requests, grant proposals, cash receipts, and a financial analysts' workplan.
1 linear foot
This series contains MALDEF's U.S. tax returns from 1973 to 1980, California tax records, payroll tax records, and ERISA information. It also contains information about the 1969 Tax Reform Act, press clippings, census reports, California Charitable Trust returns, and payroll records.
2.5 linear feet
This record subgroup is comprised of the main office records of hiring, benefits, and applicants. Each regional office keptsimilar records. Evaluations made during the hiring process and in the course of an employee's work are not available until 2068, regardless of whether the evaluator's comments were positive or negative.
.10 linear feet
This file contains 1978 MALDEF personnel manuals, an orientation packet and memoranda regarding staff policies
.10 linear feet
This file contains Kaiser contracts for employee insurance to 1979
.10 linear feet
This file contains CETA job proposals, materials related to paralegal supervision and documentation of paralegal training sessions.
2 linear feet
This series is the application files for attorney positions, including resumes, legal briefs, and correspondence arranged chronologically from 1975. It also includes resumes for the positions of office administrators, secretaries, and paralegals, blank application forms for these positions, and documentation of summer youth employment, in the form of memoranda, correspondence and financial records.
The Department of Development and Public Relations began in 1976 with a dual task: to present the public face of MALDEF and to raise funds. The Development Department solicited donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations through fundraising events, direct mail campaigns, and grant applications. The Communications Department achieved visibility through benefit dinners, fiestas, public appearances by MALDEF's officers and press releases. MALDEF shared information regarding their work, and the rights and resources available to the Chicano community through brochures, newsletters, annual reports, and thematic special events. Prior to 1976 James Perez was director of fundraising
25.5 linear feet
This record subgroup is comprised of the files of Jane Couch who served as Director of Development and Public Relations from 1976 to 1980, and as Vice-President of Research, Development and Public Affairs from 1980 to 1982.
6.5 linear feet
This series of files contains correspondence from the Development and Communications Office. The correspondence is with several individuals and entities: Vilma S. Martinez, the MALDEF Board of Directors, potential contributors, various government officials, and the media. It also contains lists of MALDEF donors, press releases, project funding proposals, grant applications, reports, résumés of MALDEF employees, information on conferences and meetings, and internal memoranda.
Avila, Joaquin * Barron, Rebecca * Campos, Sara * Couch, Jane A. * de Leon, Armando * Dimas, Nicasio * Estrada, Esther * Hernandez-Camara, Eduardo * Hunter, David R. * Hurtado, Ralph * López, Alba M. * Marenco, Eduardo * Martinez, Vilma S. * Olivarez, Graciela * Oliveira, Annette * Rubio, Roberto * Soria, Juan * Williams, Hillary
18.5 linear feet
This series consists of the records and information collected by Jane Couch and her staff in support of grant applications for projects for which MALDEF needed funding. They organized the files into the following subseries:
30 linear feet
This record subgroup is comprised of the several kinds of materials that the Development Office needed to raise funds for MALDEF's legal and educational activities. In the course of fundraising, the office collected information on MALDEF's personnel and activities to share with potential donors, as well as information on the potential donors. They also retained records regarding fundraising mailings, events and those from whom they had received contributions. There are also records of the trips made by department personnel, as they sponsored fundraising events, made fundraising presentations to corporations and foundations, and gathered information for future fundraising.
4 linear feet
This series of files contains the chronological files of the Development Office from 1976 to 1980. Included is correspondence with Vilma S. Martinez, the Board of Directors, potential donors, government officials, and the press. The series also contains requests for help from MALDEF by Mexican American, African American, and American Indian community groups, as well as press releases, grant applications, funding proposals, project reports, résumés of MALDEF employees, and information on conferences and meetings.
Avila, Joaquin * Campos, Sara * de Leon, Armando * Dimas, Nicasio * Estrada, Esther * Hernandez-Camara, Eduardo * Hunter, David R. * Hurtado, Ralph * López, Alba M. * Marenco, Eduardo * Martinez, Vilma S. * Olivarez, Graciela * Oliveira, Annette * Rubio, Roberto * Soria, Juan * Williams, Hillary
1 linear foot
This series contains plans for direct mail campaigns, projected income reports, expenditure reports, donation reports, appeals for specific projects, donor lists, and mailings to potential corporate sponsors. The direct mail files contain appeal letters signed by several public figures: Cesar Chavez, Edward M. Kennedy, Jim Plunkett and Joseph L. Alioto. Files containing information about individual donor contributions are restricted until 2069.
Aguirre, Hank * Chavez, Gilbert * Cranston, Alan * Gonzales, Vicente G. * Haas, Walter A. * Hesburgh, Theodore M. * Katzenbach, Nicholas *Saldaña, Lupe * Shetterly, Robert B. * Stark, Fortney H., Jr. * Ximenes, Vicentes T.
.5 linear feet
Included in this series are correspondence, donor mailings, fundraising reports, and lists of contributors generated by the Development Office through the solicitation of individual contributions. Files containing information about individual donor contributions are restricted until 2069.
Clark, Ramsey * Luna, Gregory
21.5 linear feet
These files contain correspondence, funding proposals, federal grant applications, project reports, annual reports of potential corporate donors, expense reports, and press clippings documenting MALDEF's fund raising efforts. Most of these records date from Jane A. Couch's tenure.
United States Commission on Civil Rights * U.S. Department of Education. Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education * United States. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission * U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare * Office of Education. U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare * National Institute of Education * U.S. Department of Justice * Law Enforcement Assistance Administration * U.S. Department of Labor * Employment and Training AdministrationUnited States. Department of Labor * CETA * Commission on Religion and Race * John Hay Whitney Foundation * Campaign for Human Development, U.S. Catholic Conference * Foley, Lee * Haas, Walter A., Jr. * Howe, Harold, II. * Kopp, Quentin L. * Olivarez, Graciela * Price, Willie R. * Ryan, Leonard * Shaw, Carl
1.5 linear feet
This series is comprised of correspondence with consultants, proposals for grants, and information on fundraising efforts and events. Files containing information about individual donor contributions are restricted until 2069.
Barnett, Peggy Hynd * Oram, Harold L.
.75 linear feet
These files contains records of trips to various cities for meetings with government and private organizations. They include notes, memoranda, information on local media, news clippings, schedules of meetings, lists of appointments, and correspondence with local contacts. Most of the trips were made to attend fundraising events or to maintain contact between the Development office and various MALDEF projects.
The charge of the Communications Office was to communicate with the media and with MALDEF's community of supporters about what MALDEF was doing in the courts and in the community at large. This record subgroup therefore contains the research that preceded those communications, lists of addresses for those with whom they communicated, and records of some of the communications.
1 linear foot
In this series are lists of board members, recipients of annual reports, media contacts, foundations, donors, and individuals in the Bay Area interested in MALDEF dating from the early 1970s.
4.5 linear feet
This series consists of both information about and representation in various media outlets; MALDEF collected information about periodicals, radio stations and television stations, and also documented some coverage of MALDEF. MALDEF also made some television commercials regarding their work which are documented here.
.5 linear feet
This file contains press releases generated by the Development and Communications Department to publicize MALDEF's position on a variety of social issues.
6 linear feet
This series contains comprehensive news clippings from national, local, student, and Spanish-language newspapers, as well as transcripts of television and radio programs. The news clippings are filed by both year and subject. Topics include reapportionment, voting rights, immigrant rights, labor, farmworkers, employment issues, political appointments, elections, Chicano leadership; student organizations, educational issues, desegregation, police brutality, the census, health issues, women's issues, and business and economic development.
.5 linear feet
This file contains photographs for use by the public relations office. Most photos are of Vilma S. Martínez.
3 linear feet
This file contains video cassette tapes of interviews with various Mexican American citizens from California addressing such topics as the Hispanic vote in Californa, California politics, La Raza Unida, and the education of Chicano students.
La Raza Unida Party * Carr-Casanova, Rosario * Cruz, Juan * Dwight, Robert * Gross, Adriana * Herrera, Irma * Lebron, José * Medina, Lilian * Ramirez, John * Ramos, Carlos * Ramos, Don * Sevilla, Richard * Talavera, Esther * Torres, Miguel
2.5 linear feet
The Publications Office produced the printed matter about or in support of MALDEF's programs. Publications were intended for MALDEF's supporters and the general public. This record subgroup contains examples of what MALDEF published through 1983, as well as some of the related research and correspondence.
.25 linear feet
This series consists of MALDEF's annual reports and correspondence related to the writing of the reports.
.25 linear feet
This series is in-house brochures produced for a variety of MALDEF projects, including educational programs, employment discrimination, the Chicana Rights Project, and legal programs.
.25 linear feet
In this series are the Texas Women's Voting Rights handbook, and a Spanish-language handbook on voting.
.25 linear feet
This series contains a published study on law school admissions, a ten year retrospective on MALDEF, and a voting rights handbook.
Brown, Susan * Marenco, Eduardo * Martinez, Cesar Augusto
1 linear foot
In this series is correspondence, dated 1977 to 1979, between MALDEF and interested individuals, organizations, and media contacts. There are also summaries of MALDEF programs, strategies for different newsletters, drafts and plans for each issue of the newsletter, internal memoranda, information on defamation law, and material on newsletter staff, interns and translators.
Oliveira, Annette * Perez, Abelardo I. * Baller, Morris J.
.5 linear feet
This series is newsletters dated 1971 to 1986 (mostly1973 to 1981) which were generated by the Publications Office of the Department of Development and Communications.
.25 linear feet
This is a poster with a brief history of MALDEF and a request for contributions to the Educational Grants Program.
.25 linear feet
This file contains reports on elections, CETA, educational grants, bilingual elections, and scholarship programs from 1969 to 1980.
When MALDEF began in 1968, General Counsel Mario Obledo oversaw litigation. Obledo continued his oversight when his job grew to include the presidency of MALDEF in 1970. By 1972, the organization comprised five offices, several more lawyers, and more cases. Obledo appointed Sanford Jay Rosen Legal Director; and he remained in that position from 1972 until 1976. In 1976 Morris Baller was appointed Director of Developmental Litigation, a position he held until he became Coordinator of Litigation in 1979. In 1980 Vilma Martinez restructured MALDEF so that there were three vice presidents, and Baller was named Vice President of Legal Programs. This record group includes the files generated and collected by Rosen and Baller from 1972 until 1983, as they directed and developed MALDEF's litigation.
MALDEF's legal programs department was organized both by site and by project. Each of the regional offices litigated, while separate legal projects operated from the main office or from regional offices. The legal projects staff sometimes assisted or directed regional office staff, but generally worked separately, or handled regional office cases when they reached the appellate level. Much of the funding for the legal projects came from earmarked foundation funds, while most of the regional office budget came from general funds. The Chicana Rights Project began in 1974, a director of employment litigation was named in 1975, and in 1976 Martinez appointed a director of education litigation, a director of voting rights / political access and launched the Public Employment Project.
In this record group are many of the papers generated by the attorneys and staff engaged in litigation. They are organized by regional office or by litigation project. Related papers can be found in the regional offices record group, and in the files of the president and general counsel record group. Because some cases were handled by different lawyers at different appellate levels, files from the same case can be found in several places.
1.5 linear feet
MALDEF issued litigation dockets to provide board members, staff and supporters with a comprehensive list of cases being litigated. Some early docket lists were part of the annual report to the Board of Directors, but most were published separately. Information included in the dockets varied from year to year: some years the listings state the names of all involved counsel, an explanation of the issues, and a synopsis of the prior movement of the case through the courts, while other years there is less information. This series contains the dockets issued semiannually or annually from 1968 to 1983.
486 linear feet
This series consists of the litigation files of the seven regional offices operating between 1968 and 1982; the extent of each regional office's files reflects the size, activity and life span of each office, as well as the particular scope of some cases. The San Antonio and Los Angeles offices opened in 1968, the San Francisco office opened in 1970,Denver opened in 1971, and Albuquerque and Washington D.C. opened in 1972. The Albuquerque office was closed in 1975. The Chicago office opened as a regional office in 1980, replacing a small program office which did not engage in litigation.
MALDEF organized case files according to whether cases went to court or not: those that went to court were assigned docket numbers and organized accordingly. Cases which were dropped by clients, resolved, or referred were arranged alphabetically. Most Los Angeles office files are in alphabetical order, because a numbering mistake compelled them to change their system.
The case files include legal research, evidentiary research, legal memoranda, maps, photographs, audiotapes and depositions gathered on behalf of clients. There are also bound and unbound copies of pleadings, motions and decisions at various appellate levels. Because cases were often handled by several attorneys, and by more than one office, some cases will have files in different subseries, series, or record groups. The subseries by which the litigation files were organized are as follows:
12 linear feet
In 1980 Vilma Martinez changed the organizational structure of MALDEF, by creating three vice presidential positions. Morris Baller, who had been coordinator of litigation, was named Vice President of Legal Programs. In both positions Baller oversaw and coordinated MALDEF's litigation. His previous position with MALDEF was director of development litigation: his charge was to research and pursue new and appropriate litigation. He also was responsible for organizing MALDEF's opposition to federal legislative programs which compromised Mexican-American rights.
This subgroup contains files generated through national litigation activity; the regional offices kept the case files of most of the work that they did. Some cases have files in both this subgroup and in the files of the regional offices, reflecting the movement of the case or the issue through appellate courts.
1.5 linear feet
These are the files of Anthony Walker, who assisted both Morris Baller and Joel Contreras, from 1979 to 1981. Included are case files and materials on the following subjects: the census, employment discrimination, prisoners, peonage, illegal immigration, and sex discrimination.
3.5 linear feet
The files in this series contain correspondence and memo-randa received and generated by Morris J. Baller between June 1976 and December 1981, arranged chronologically. There are also drafts of letters prepared for the signature of Vilma Martinez.
1 linear foot
These files contain correspondence generated and received by Sanford Jay Rosen between February 1973 and December 1975, arranged chronologically. They also contain correspondence from the Los Angeles and Denver regional program offices, and inter-office memoranda from 1975 to 1976.
2 linear feet
These files contain case files, proposed litigation, dockets, policy manuals, and memoranda collected by Sanford Jay Rosen and arranged alphabetically by subject.
Associacion Mixta * Heidelberg, James
2.5 linear feet
This series consists of files of cases handled by various programs, offices, and attorneys who worked with the help of and under the supervision of Morris Baller or Sandy Rosen. There are files from Plyler vs. Doe, Pilliod vs. Illinois, and several other important cases.
1.5 linear feet
This series includes files, arranged alphabetically, with articles, government documents, and legal memoranda on several subjects: illegal aliens, MALDEF's relations with Mexico, police brutality, and official violence.
United States Department of Justice, Hispanic Advisory Committee * 1980 Asilomar attorney training conference * Baller, Morris J.
39 linear feet
The Chicana Rights Project was initiated in the San Antonio office in 1973, with funding from the Ford Foundation, to address issues pertinent to Mexican American women; immigration, housing, birth control, access to abortion, and violence toward women were among the issues that the project addressed through litigation, lobbying and community outreach. CRP was directed by Patricia Vasquez from 1973 to 1979, by Carmen Estrada until mid-1981, and by Virginia Martinez through 1982. Project staff publicized Chicana issues through MALDEF-sponsored publications, legislative testimony, conference presentations, and radio and television shows. The project also worked with other women's groups to effect federal and local change through legislation. CRP also pursued social and economic justice through the courts, against employment discrimination, for a ban on involuntary sterilization, and for other issues affecting Chicana women.
The Chicana Rights Project operated from the San Antonio office between 1973 and 1980. In 1980 and 1981 it was in both San Antonio and Los Angeles. In 1981 and 1982 the CRP was directed from the Chicago Regional Office. There are also CRP papers in the regional offices record group, in the aformementioned city subgroups, and in the main office files.
6 linear feet
Files in this series contain correspondence, memos, articles, reports, conference proceedings, bibliographies, speeches, press releases, mailing lists, newsletters and news clippings collected by the Chicana Rights Project during its first four years of operation. The materials concern several topics: abortion rights; education issues; health care; prisoners' rights; pending legislation; rape; legal resources for Mexican American women; sterilization and birth control and employment discrimination on the basis of sex, age, ethnicity and race. The materials in these files are from several sources; there are papers generated by the project in support of both legal and nonlegal work, but there are also many materials gleaned from other sources, to be used in research, policy formulation, coalition building and in CRP publications.
Abortion, Law and legislation * Mexican American women * Levi-Strauss & Co. * National Council of La Raza * National Chicana Foundation * N.A.A.C.P. * Estrada, Carmen A. * Funari, Emily * Nieto Gomez, Ana * Vasquez, Patricia M.
5.5 linear feet
When Congress first wrote the legislation that created the Federal Comprehensive Education and Training Act, they wrote it in a way that did not address the situation of most unemployed women. The CRP worked with NOW lobbying to reopen hearings on the act. They succeeded in broadening the scope of who was helped by the legislation. These files contain CETA guides, and documentation of the work that CRP and NOW did. There are complaint notes, legal research, surveys, statistics, sample complaints, client profiles, exhibits, government publications, clippings, and correspondence.
Alamo Manpower * Girón Nava, Elsa * Vasquez, Patricia M. * Chevarria, Maria * National Organization for Women (NOW)
3 linear feet
This series consists of chronologicallly arranged correspondence between Patricia M. Vasquez and the public relating to the activities of the Chicana Rights Project. The files also contain internal memoranda between Vasquez in the San Antonio office and Vilma Martinez, Morris J. Baller, Sanford Rosen, and Sandra Salazar in the MALDEF national headquarters.
1 linear foot
These files contain correspondence, proposals, grant applications, reports, and budgets generated by the Chicana Rights Project to secure funding for both operating expenses and special projects.
Ford Foundation * Levi Strauss Foundation * Norman Foundation * Ms. Foundation * Trull Foundation
3 linear feet
These files contain correspondence, memoranda, statements, court transcripts, legal briefs, notes and administrative hearing reports collected through the litigation and advocacy efforts of the Chicana Rights Project. Most of the cases concern employment discrimination, but there are cases concerning other issues as well. These files contain cases which were closed. Cases which MALDEF pursued to a judicial conclusion are filed by case number in the Litigation Files subgroup of the Legal Programs record group.
Nava, Elsa Giron * Kauffman, Albert * Ramey, Drucilla S. * Vasquez, Patricia M.
1 linear foot
These files contain correspondence with and research regarding schools with programs in Licensed Vocational Nursing. There is also information regarding the selection of the local Health Services Administration Board and the brief from a suit by Texas Acorn against the HSA, charging that the Board does not reflect the community as per the HSA mandate.
Health Services Administration * Texas ACORN * Canales-Janssen, Irene * Morales, Maria Elena * Vasquez, Patricia M.
1 linear foot
These files contain brochures, handbooks, monographs, drafts, and press statements produced by the Chicana Rights Project to educate Mexican American women in Texas and throughout the United States about their civil and other legal rights. They focus on issues of education, employment, immigration, housing, mental health, and access to legal services.
19 linear feet
The files in this series have articles, correspondence and legal papers that were gathered by the CRP to explore and defend issues of interest to Chicanas. The files are organized into the following subseries:
Welfare files
53 linear feet
The Educational Programs Office administered both legal and nonlegal programs as part of its charge to broaden educational opportunity for Mexican Americans. Nonlegal programs included a loan and scholarship program for law students, a program to introduce junior high school students to college, and a legal intern/extern program. The legal work of the Educational Programs Department was aimed at promoting desegregation, upholding affirmative action programs in higher education, maintaining the right to education regardless of parental citizenship, and promoting bilingual education.
The educational grant program was part of MALDEF's plan from the beginning. A percentage of the original Ford Foundation grant was earmarked for grants to Chicano law students; the rationale for this part of the grants was that scholarships would help to increase the pool of Chicano lawyers, and that Chicano lawyers would serve the same needs that MALDEF was created to serve. The program was administered by several people: Jaime Cervantes, Roberto de la Rosa, Victor Chavez, and Margarita Recinos were among the coordinators.
Bakke vs. University of California Board of Regents * Plyler vs. Doe * Loan Forgiveness Program
2 linear feet
These files contain correspondence and memoranda dated from 1979 to 1981, generated or received by Peter D. Roos in his capacity as Director of Educational Litigation for MALDEF.
31 linear feet
This series of files contain the research on which education litigation at MALDEF was based. There are collections of articles, photocopies of related cases, legal memoranda, copies of education bills from California and other states, copies of speeches made by MALDEF staff and others, and a good deal of information on effective schooling. The areas covered are those which the organization determined would most help Chicano children in schools, and those which could be affected by litigation. There is also a record of what educational legislation was being considered by the California legislature, and what bills passed. The files are organized into the following subseries:
2.5 linear feet
These files contain correspondence, printed matter, legislative bills, legal briefs, speeches, and reports collected by Carlos M. Alcala in his role as Interim Director of Educational Litigation for MALDEF from 1974 to 1975 and as staff attorney from 1973 to 1975.
Ability grouping in education * Education, Higher * Vocational education * Discrimination in employment * Mexican Americans, Employment
4.5 linear feet
The Loan Forgiveness Program granted loans to Mexican American law school students who agreed to provide low-cost legal services for at least one year to Mexican American communities. The program was part of the Education Programs Department, which later merged with the Educational Litigation Office of the Legal Programs Department. The files contain correspondence, application forms, and photographs of applicants to MALDEF's Loan Forgiveness Program. Confidential materials have been removed and are not accessible without the written permission of the applicant. The files are arranged alphabetically by the name of applicant.
8 linear feet
These files contain correspondence, application forms, and photographs of applicants to MALDEF's law school scholarship, as well as in-house memoranda and documents relating to the scholarship and educational loans programs. There are also some materials about other scholarship programs. Confidential materials have been removed and are not accessible without the written permission of the applicant. The files are arranged alphabetically by applicant name
1 linear foot
These files contain correspondence, applications, legal documents, and letters of recommendations collected by MALDEF's Intern/Extern Program, which assisted recent Hispanic law school graduates in entering the legal profession by providing advice or placing them as interns in various MALDEF offices. The files also include applications for summer law clerk positions within MALDEF. Access restricted until 2004.Arranged first into interns/extern applications and second into law clerk applications, thereunder alphabetically by applicant's family name.
.5 linear feet
These files contain correspondence, articles, printed matter, speeches, drafts of legislation, logs of public hearings, and contact lists relating to Ronald T. Vera's efforts to lobby congressional support for the Higher Education Act of 1978.
3.5 linear feet
These files contain computer printouts listing the results of a county-by-county survey conducted in 1973 by MALDEF throughout California to determine the state of student's civil rights in California public schools
1 linear foot
This series of files contains correspondence, contracts, articles of incorporation, statements, testimonies, mailing lists and research materials generated by the American Coalition for Bilingual Education. The series also includes correspondence with James Lyons of Stanford University, Lita Taracido of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and Olivia Martinez. The American Coalition for Bilingual Education was organized and founded by professionals in education and civil rights. Peter D. Roos and Susanna Navarro of MALDEF were two of the founding members of ACBE, along with James Lyons, Lita Taracido, and Olivia Martinez. ACBE acted as an advocate for bilingual education throughout the United States.
41 linear feet
MALDEF's employment litigation section strove to broaden Mexican-Americans' opportunities for employment and to fight discriminatory practices The project was directed by Joel Contreras from 1975 until 1980, by Carmen Estrada from mid 1980 until 1982, and then by Antonia Hernandez. The Public Employment Project was a sub-project, the goal of which was to address the paucity of Mexican-Americans in public sector jobs. PEP began in 1976, with Ford Foundation funding, directed by Mary Rebecca Mendoza. From 1978 to 1980 Felix Velarde-Munoz was PEP's director. Between 1973 and 1978, MALDEF operated employment projects under contract with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, in the San Antonio, Los Angeles, and Denver offices. When the EEOC services contract ended, MALDEF attorneys referred Title VII cases to private attorneys, and provided training and support to these attorneys through the EEOC-funded Area Bar Assistance Referral (ABAR) project.
3 linear feet
The files in this series contain correspondence and memoranda from Joel G. Contreras' tenure as Director of the Employment Litigation Program. The records relate primarily to Contreras' work overseeing MALDEF's employment-related litigation from 1975 through mid-1980.
6 linear feet
This series contains files of correspondence, memoranda, reports, articles, legal briefs, case materials, testimonies, and clippings from the years that Joel G. Contreras was Director of the Employment Litigation Program. The records are arranged alphabetically
3 linear feet
These files contain correspondence, legal briefs and other case materials collected by Joel G. Contreras in his role as Director of Employment Litigation. Much of the correspondence in the series is memoranda from Contreras to other attorneys detailing legal strategies and administrative approaches. The files are arranged alphabetically
3.5 linear feet
The subject files series contains correspondence, articles, mailing lists, referral lists, case documents, and other materials compiled by the Employment Litigation Department from 1973-1982, with most of the materials from 1980 through 1982. Topics covered include the Area Bar Assistance Referral (ABAR) program, the Alyeska Pipeline case, comparable worth, employment discrimination, etc. The series also includes the chronological files of Valerie Anderson, a staff member of the Employment Litigation Department.
6 linear feet
Beginning in 1973, MALDEF worked together with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to represent clients in Title VII employment discrimination cases. Three regional MALDEF-EEOC offices, San Antonio, Denver, and Los Angeles, prosecuted these cases until 1978, when MALDEF began to refer these cases to private lawyers through the ABAR project.These files contain correspondence, contracts, reports, and other legal materials relating to the MALDEF-EEOC project. They also Include materials documenting the contract between MALDEF and the EEOC regarding the prosecution of these cases, and organizational records relating to attorney training conferences organized by MALDEF under the EEOC contract
7.5 linear feet
Beginning in 1978, MALDEF began to refer Title VII employment discrimination cases to private sector attorneys, under a new contract with the EEOC . Among the services MALDEF provided through ABAR were attorney training and help with legal research through MALDEF's brief bank. These files contain correspondence, reports, EEOC documents, attorney referral lists, mailing lists, surveys, notes, and other records generated by MALDEF's Area Bar Assistance Referral (ABAR) project between 1979 and 1981; the project identified and trained lawyers throughout the United States to handle civil rights cases, especially employment discrimination suits. These files also include conference materials from ABAR lawyer training conferences. They are arranged in the following subseries:
2 linear feet
This series consists of correspondence, legal briefs, and other case materials relating to cases which MALDEF referred to other lawyers, but for which MALDEF continued to provide technical assistance. These files are arranged by case docket number.
3.5 linear feet
This series contains legal briefs and pleadings collected by MALDEF's ABAR Project as examples for use in writing similar documents. These materials were maintained as reference and training tools for local lawyers working with the project on employment discrimination cases.
3.5 linear feet
This series supplements the above ABAR Referral pleadings/brief bank files series.
4.5 linear feet
In this series are correspondence, memoranda, case files, articles, reports, funding requests, research files and organizational records which document MALDEF's efforts to address discrimination against Mexican Americans in state, municipal and federal government jobs. The series includes extensive information on the impact of California's Proposition 13 on the hiring of minorities to state-funded positions.
Contreras, Joel G. * Velarde-Muñoz, Felix
1.5 linear feet
This series contains correspondence, memoranda, legal briefs, legal opinions, research materials, and other case materials generated by the Employment Litigation Project in litigating employment-related lawsuits. It includes case materials from Minnick vs. California Department of Corrections as well as materials gathered in investigations of potential suits.
.5 linear feet
This series is comprised of the Civil Rights Monitor, dated 1977 to 1981, which was published jointly by the Employment Litigation Project and the MALDEF-EEOC offices in Los Angeles, San Antonio and Denver.
15.5 linear feet
MALDEF initiated its Voting Rights Project in 1976 in response to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1975. Joaquin Avila served as both director of the Voting Rights Project and Regional Counsel for the San Antonio Office. As a result, although the Voting Rights Project was part of the Legal Programs Department, many of the records were generated and maintained in the San Antonio office and may still be found in the San Antonio regional office files.
.25 linear feet
The files in this series contain correspondence regarding the expansion of the voting rights act, as well as legal memoranda regarding strategy and the state of voting rights law.
10.5 linear feet
The files in this series contain correspondence, computer printouts, articles, legislative bills, testimony, records of state and federal hearings, statistics, reports, and clippings relating to various topics of interest to MALDEF's Voting Rights Project. There are materials on such topics as reapportionment, gerrymandering, irregularities in voter registration procedure, and other violations of the one person-one vote principle. This series follows three discrete arrangement schemes: the first group of files is arranged by topic, the second group is arranged alphabetically by subject and the third group does not appear to be in any particular order.
5 linear feet
This series includes correspondence, case lists, reports, evidence, and maps related to MALDEF's submissions to the Department of Justice of violations of the Voting Rights Act under Section 5 of the Act
The Community Education and Activation Project was initiated in 1976 to "help major Chicano communities ...become familiar with favorable laws and court decisions which have dramatic potential for positively affecting their lives.". It was to focus on the census count, bilingual education, voting rights, and illegal immigration and the labor force because MALDEF realized that the Chicano community was often neither aware of, nor effected by MALDEF's successful litigation.
The first director of the program, James Perez, used a television campaign to inform the public about MALDEF, began a census information project, and gathered advisors and information for further activities.. He left CEAP in the summer of 1977 for an appointment in the Carter Administration. His successor, Esther Estrada, created a community-based outreach program, and oversaw the census program. Southwestern cities of varying sizes were targeted for outreach, education, and census tracking; each of the targeted communities chose their own projects, based on their respective needs. The census project was initiated in 1978 to address the problem of undercounting in the 1980 census. After the count, CEAP identified cities which had both large Hispanic populations and evidence of undercounting and then determined the extent of undercounting. When Estrada left MALDEF in March 1981, her assistant, Ralph Hurtado, who was also director of CEAP's Leadership Development and Advocacy Program, acted as director until Juan Soria was hired. Soria's tenure was short, and the following year CEAP ceased to be a separate entity and became the Leadership Development and Advocacy Program (LDAP). Sonia Melara replaced Hurtado in 1982, and although her title was Director of CEAP, the program's activities were only in the area of leadership development. The folders in this record group are organized into two series: the first series, of James Perez' tenure, contains a large amount of research and planning material, while the second series contains more documentation of community activities. There are also materials from or regarding CEAP activities in the Board of Directors record group, and in the LDAP record group, especially in the files of Ralph Hurtado.
3 linear feet
Prior to being appointed director of CEAP, James Perez was the Director of Development and Public Relations from 1973 to 1976. During his tenure CEAP focused on informing the public about the effects of MALDEF's activities in the legal arena, in addition to beginning a census information project. Perez's files include lists of possible contacts in the Chicano community, information on funding, and correspondence with several foundations. He also collected information on various media outlets, several cities, Census Bureau plans, immigration, farmworkers and voting. The folders in this series are arranged in alphabetical order.
Gomez, Francisco.
37.5 linear feet
This series consists of the CEAP office files, kept during the tenures of Esther Estrada, Ralph Hurtado, Juan Soria and Sonia Melara. They are arranged by topic, in alphabetical order. The files reflect all aspects of the CEAP staff's work: they contain library research, research based on staff surveys, correspondence with the selected communities, CEAP staff memoranda, MALDEF staff memoranda, government documents related to CEAP work, CEAP publications, and minutes from MALDEF, CEAP, and community meetings. The subseries by which the CEAP office organized their work are as follows:
Barron, Suzanne * Markels, Linda * Aceves, Martina * Castruita, Felipe * De Leon, Francisco * La Garda, Lidia * Gonzales, Fred * Hybels, Richard * Moreno, Mario * Ramirez, David * Reyes, Ed * Roybal, Rose Marie * Suarez, Roberto H. * Vera, Eva * Melara, Sonia * Herrera, Irma * Marenco, Eduardo * Herrera, Soledad * Herrera, Arthur R., Jr. * Lacayo, Vilma * Camhi, Morrie * Flores-Amaya
.25 linear feet
Lacayo was Community Relations Specialist for CEAP. This file contains correspondence, memoranda, and questionnaires dated August to December 1980.
The Leadership Development and Advocacy Project began as a subsection of the Community Education and Activation Program in 1980, with Ralph Hurtado as director. LDAP's primary responsibility was to plan and administer leadership seminars for Mexican-American men and women in San Francisco and Alameda Counties, to create a pool of leaders from which community agencies and policy-making boards or commissions could appoint new members. The program was later expanded to several major cities.
5 linear feet
The files in this series are the files of Ralph Hurtado, deputy director of CEAP from 1979 to 1981, and director of LDAP from 1980 to 1982. Hurtado was hired to administer the Census Project at CEAP in the summer of 1979. When that project ended in mid-1980, his next assignment was to initiate the Leadership Development and Advocacy Program in San Francisco, which he expanded to Alameda County in 1981. Hurtado served as acting director of CEAP from March 1981, when director Esther Estrada left, until August 1981 when Juan Soria was appointed director. When Soria left CEAP in 1982, the MALDEF Board froze CEAP, but continued LDAP. These files reflect Hurtado's duel roles, and so contain CEAP reports, and information about the census project in addition to the Leadership Program files. The files also include alphabetical folders containing press releases, pamphlets, and correspondence from and to various outside organizations. Subject files include reports and memoranda related to the 1980 census, files on United-States-Mexico relations, migrant workers, and leadership and training opportunities, among other topics.
1 linear foot
This series of files contains correspondence between the LDAP office and LDAP faculty and seminar participants. There is also correspondence with other MALDEF personnel, dated from June 1980 to December 1982.
2 linear feet
This series of files contains pamphlets describing LDAP, schedules of seminars, agendas for retreats, several issues of Los Tiempos, (LDAP's in-house publication), calendars, questionnaires for participants, and lists of program participants and their areas of expertise. The files are divided into two groups: project files and training session files.
The Policy Studies and Research Department began work in September 1977 conducting "research to document Latino needs and solve Latino problems", with Eduardo Marenco as director. The department commissioned position papers on public policy, participated in policy forums, and began projects researching potential litigation and community activities. The research team raised funds to finance research both in-house and through commissioned papers; they also applied for and received grant money to support a Chicana scholar-in-residence at the University of California.
3.5 linear feet
This series contains funding proposals, reports, solicitations for support and other documents generated by MALDEF's Research & Policy Studies Department to secure funding for research projects. These research projects concern naturalization, voting rights, public policy, law school admissions, achievement testing, and conflict theory.
1 linear foot
MALDEF commissioned this series of papers which explore policy issues; issues included are bilingual education, educational opportunities for disadvantaged students, affirmative action in higher education, American foreign policy, health care for Mexican Americans, and immigration and naturalization issues.
Baltodano, Carlos E. * de la Garza, Rodolfo E. * Espinosa, Ruben W. * Fernandez, Celestino * Garcia, Joseph * Gutierrez, Elisa * Hayes-Bautista, David E. * Hirano-Nakanishi, Marsha J. * Jones, Richard C. * Kupers, Jeffrey * Marenco, Eduardo * North, David S. * Putnam, Catherine * Ramirez, Daniel * Riddele, Moriel * Sosa, Adaljisa * Roper, Dwight * International relations * Voting research
10 linear feet
This series consists of articles, rough drafts, and policy discussion papers relating to issues affecting Mexican Americans. The papers are arranged in the following subseries:
12.5 linear feet
The subject files of the Policy Studies and Research Department are comprised of correspondence, articles, speeches, clippings, résumés, and printed matter, gathered by MALDEF's Policy Studies and Research Department between the years 1976 and 1982. Included are materials relating to bilingual and bicultural education, reapportionment and voting rights, educational testing, affirmative action programs, police brutality, and the administration of justice.
7 linear feet
This series contains correspondence, funding proposals, reports, research files, questionnaires, and publications generated by the Program on Access to the Legal Profession and its predecessor, the Law School Admissions Study Project.
.5 linear feet
The files in this series contain funding proposals, articles, printed matter, correspondence and clippings relating to the creation and funding of the Minorities and Women Project. Included are reports from California colleges and universities regarding efforts to recruit minority and women students and the institution's EEOP programs.
MALDEF began in 1968 with a Ford Foundation grant; their main office was in San Antonio and there was a branch office in Los Angeles. In 1970 the Ford Foundation recommended that the main office be relocated from Texas; the MALDEF Board of Directors then opened a national headquarters in San Francisco, and made the San Antonio office a regional office. MALDEF added a Denver office in 1971, and added offices in Albuquerque and Washington D.C. in 1972. The Board closed the Los Angeles office in 1974, and reopened it in 1975; during that time San Francisco attorneys handled ongoing cases, but no new work was begun. The Albuquerque office was closed permanently in 1976. In 1980 MALDEF opened a midwest regional office in Chicago, where they had previously maintained a small program office.
In the early years, the offices concentrated on local legal work, and were funded by the initial Ford grant. Later work was determined by the priorities of MALDEFs leader-ship, and by the availability of funding for various projects. In 1971, MALDEF decided to add petitioning, lobbying, and work with community groups to their courtroom work. In 1973 the leadership decided that their legal work should be only impact litigation, rather than legal services work.
Programs, funding and activity varied between regional offices: although the national headquarters coordinated litigation among the offices, the scope of the work of each office was distinct, because of funding sources, community needs and the individual attorneys in each office. Although much of the funding for regional office expenses was from general support funds, there were also foundation, corporate and government funds earmarked for specific legal and community outreach programs, and for specific geographical locations. Most of the attorneys and other staff who directed projects worked from the national headquarters, but some of the associate counsels in charge of regional offices also directed litigation projects, or worked as specialists in certain litigation areas.
In 1973 the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission contracted with MALDEF to provide Title VII representation to victims of discrimination through the Denver, Los Angeles, and San Antonio regional offices. The EEOC representation contracts ended in 1978; for the next few years the EEOC contracted with the same MALDEF offices to provide training and case assistance to private attorneys who represented plaintiffs in employment discrimination matters, through the Area Bar Assistance Referral Program. Several offices were part of MALDEF's Census Project in 1979 and 1980, to ensure that Latinos were properly counted in the 1980 census. The Chicana Rights Project, another MALDEF project, had attorneys in a few of the regional offices.
The scope and amount of material included here from each regional office varies. The record subgroups of some offices include the files of each attorney that worked there prior to 1982, while there are no office files at all in this collection for other offices.
The Albuquerque office opened in 1973 with a grant from the Campaign for Human Development, and operated as a joint project of the Albuquerque Legal Aid Society and MALDEF. Ray Vargas served as associate counsel until the office closed in 1976. The only records from Albuquerque in this collection are the case files in the Legal Programs record group, and some correspondence with the main office, which is in the President and General Counsel record group.
MALDEF opened a regional office in Chicago in 1980, but the organization was involved in Chicago legal and community work before then, with a school integration plan in 1978 and the Chicago Census Project in 1979. Virginia Martinez served as associate counsel from 1980 until 1982, when Raymond Romero succeeded her. The only office records in this collection are case files in the Legal Programs record group. There are office records from 1982 forward which are described in a separate guide.
1 linear foot
The Denver Office opened in 1971 as a joint project of MALDEF and the Denver University Law School, with Ken Padilla as associate counsel. Several law students did legal work for the office through a clinical program at the law school, because Colorado law allows law students to represent people in court. Paul Baca was named associate counsel in 1974, followed by Remigio Pete Reyes from 1975 to 1979. From 1973 until 1978 Denver was an EEOC contract office; when the EEOC service contract expired, an ABAR program replaced it. In 1980 Ken Wohl was associate counsel, followed by Manuel Solano in 1981 and 1982. This collection includes very little from the Denver office, but there are some case files in the Legal Programs record group, and some correspondence files in the President and General Counsel record group.
1 linear foot
This is a box containing a file of index cards on each of which is recorded the name of a single Denver case. The cases are filed in alphabetical order and there is a subject index.
50.5 linear feet
The Los Angeles office opened in 1968, when MALDEF began work. Joe Ortega was the Lead Attorney through 1972, when Percy Duran took his place. Charles Nabarrete followed as office director, but left in mid 1974. The office closed in late 1974 because of staff turnover and low funds, and did not reopen until 1976. Frank A. Cronin was the Associate Counsel from 1976 to 1977, followed by William H. Steiner from 1978 to 1979. In 1979, the Census Project began operations from the Los Angeles office. In 1980, the Los Angeles Office was expanded to serve all of Southern California. In November of that year the office was made the center of the National Immigration project. In December National Headquarters assigned a Chicana Rights Project attorney to Los Angeles, and started an anti-crime project in San Bernadino. From 1980 to 1985, John Huerta acted as Associate Counsel of the Southern California Regional Office; he was Director of the Immigration and Aliens' Rights Project from 1980 until 1983, when Linda Wong assumed the position.
2 linear feet
In this series are office files, arranged by subject, collected by Steiner, during his tenure as associate counsel and director of the Los Angeles EEOC project. Included are press clippings, brochures, correspondence, memoranda, resumes, mailing lists, and the minutes of MALDEF meetings. Among the subject topics are affirmative action, immigration and voting rights.
3 linear feet
This series of files contains information on many issues of interest to MALDEF's staff: there are clippings, handbooks, and other informational sources on several social justice topics. There are also reports made to and received from other MALDEF offices and from the EEOC through 1980.
5.5 linear feet
This series includes correspondence dated January 1977 to December 1982, agendas, press clippings, legal research, and activities reports. There is also separate folder with correspondence from Sanford Jay Rosen, dating from 1973.
Baller, Morris J. * Roybal, Rose Marie * Lopez, Patricia * Perez, Abelardo I. * Martinez, Vilma * Ramirez, David E. * Rodriguez, Maria * Garcia, Manuel * Aguierre, Jesus D. * Huerta, John E * Wong, Linda J. * Vasquez, Ruben B., Jr. * Segura, Ana * Silverman, Julie A. * Melara, Sonia * Contreras, Joel * Estrada,Carmen * Manzano, Angel * Camacho, Leticia * Carmona, Richard D.
.5 linear feet
The files in this series contain agendas, correspondence, position papers, research materials, and memoranda from various conferences, arranged by conference title. Conference titles include the following: The Mexican-American and the Administration of Justice, NAACP Conference, Assembly Select Committee on the Administration of Justice, Hearings, State Bar Conference (1971), Child Welfare League of America South Pacific Regional Conference (1970).
11 linear feet
This series contains files on issues, people and organizations of interest to the Los Angeles office. The general file subseries also contains correspondence filed under the names of several attorneys and secretaries, and miscellaneous correspondence dated 1968 to 1972. The files of the individuals subseries contain correspondence, resumes and clippings about individuals affiliated with the Los Angeles office, arranged in alphabetical order. The organizations subseries includes correspondence and annual reports from other organizations, as well as early MALDEF correspon-dence, both internal and external. There is an index to the general subject files. The subseries into which the subject files are divided are as follows:
.5 linear feet
The files in this series contain correspondence, project memoranda, and funding information regarding the EEOC. The correspondence is organized by the name of the person who generated or received it.
1.5 linear feet
This series of files contains brochures, mailing lists, memoranda, forms, interrogatories, resumes, project goals, monthly reports, and lists of case files, all of which were generated by the EEOC project.
4 linear feet
These files contain closed MALDEF-EEOC employment discrimination cases. The first section is in alphabetical order; cases in the second section are arranged in order of original EEOC case numbers.
4 linear feet
This series is comprised of correspondence, memoranda, documentation of conferences, case files, lists of potential cases, and a MALDEF survey of federal employment discrimination cases.
3 linear feet
These files contain correspondence, memoranda, documenta-tion of conferences, case files, lists of potential cases, and a survey of federal employment discrimination cases.
2.5 linear feet
The files in this series contain information from potential employment discrimination cases, surveys regarding hiring practices, documentation of the Title VII project, monthly reports from various regional offices in 1977 and 1978 regarding the EEOC project, and EEOC regulations. Also in these files are speaker lists, mailing lists, and other information on MALDEF's Title VII conference for local attorneys.
Employment Discrimination and the Law Conference * Estrada, Esther * Roybal, Rose Marie * Vasquez, Ruben B., Jr. * Baller, Morris J. * Steiner, William H. * Avila, Joaquin G. * Moreno, Mercedes U.
2 linear feet
In 1980, with funding from the Weingart Foundation, MALDEF initiated a program to help Latino junior high school students begin preparing for college. The program arranged for speakers and for field trips to U.C. campuses, among other activities. This series contains certificates of recognition, calendars, correspondence, progress reports, attendance sheets, timelines, financial proposals, student participant questionnaires, and some CEAP monthly reports.
Estrada, Esther * Roybal, Rose Marie * Godina, Vincent * Vasquez, Ruben B., Jr
.5 linear feet
The files in this series include correspondence, news clippings, proposed budgets, and other documents related to the staff and operations of Compton schools.
5 linear feet
This series of files contains correspondence, briefs, legal documents, and office files. Cases included in the legal files are LULAC vs. Salinas, Mosquera vs. Department of Social Services and Oxnard Police Officers Association vs. City of Oxnard. There are also training conference materials and memos regarding MALDEF issues and reorganization.
Baller, Morris J. * Steiner, William H.
2.5 linear feet
The goal of the Los Angeles County Census Project was to enhance Chicano community awareness of the importance of an accurate census count in 1980;the project created a slide show and used media outreach to achieve this. This series contains the research done to formulate the project plans, and documents the activity which followed: court complaints, draft papers, monthly reports, maps, notes, recount materials, funding proposals, correspondence, press releases, government census publications, and scripts of the slide program "Ahora Sí" are included. There is an index to this series.
Cooperativa de Campesinos de California * Atlantic Richfield Corporation (ARCO) * Vera, Eva * Ramirez, David E. *Suarez, Robert H. * Castruita, Felipe * Juarez, Liza
1.5 linear feet
MALDEF attempted to increase the political access of Mexican Americans through a variety of means, including lawsuits for reapportionment of voting districts. The suits aimed to increase the likelihood that Latinos could be elected in proportion to their numbers in the population. The files in this series contain literature on reapportionment, correspond-ence, maps of current and potential voting districts, legal research, and case files.
123.5 linear feet
The San Antonio Office was MALDEF's headquarters from 1968 through 1970. In 1971 it became a regional office with Eduardo Idar as associate counsel. When Idar left in 1974, staff attorneys James Heidelberg and then later Patricia Vasquez served as acting associate counsel. In 1975, George Korbel, a former VISTA attorney for MALDEF, was hired as associate counsel. When Korbel left in 1976, Joaquin Avila became associate counsel and directed the San Antonio office until mid-1983.
Several special projects operated from the San Antonio office: Joaquin Avila directed the Voting Rights Project while associate counsel, and Patricia Vasquez directed the Chicana Rights Project. The South Texas Prisoners' Rights Project was based there, as was the Texas Census Project. The EEOC funded legal services, and later through the ABAR program, support for local attorneys engaged in employment discrimination work.
The files for the San Antonio office are organized by project, by attorney, or by type of case.
12 linear feet
This series contains administrative files, correspondence, publications and subject files. The files are organized under Title headings: Title I - individuals, Title II - conferences, Title III - organizations, Title IV - federal employment, Title V - education, Title VI - abuse of authority, Title VII consumer protection, Title VIII - voting rights,Title IX - public accomodations, Title X - municipal services, Title XI - migrants, Title XII - immigration and naturalization, Title XIII - Housing and Urban Renewal, Title XIV - media, Title XVI - rights of political association and expression , Title XVII - criminal procedure, Title XVIII - juvenile delinquency, Title XIX criminal law, Title XX - requests for assistance in criminal cases and civil investigations, Title XXI - federal programs, Title XXII - litigation, and Title XXIII - taxation.
Alamo Area Council of Governments * Exelrod, Alan * Botello, Jesse Roy * Gutierrez, Jose Angel * Pena, Federico * McGovern, George
2.5 linear feet
This series of files includes administrative records, forms, correspondence, trip files, proposed litigation, cases which MALDEF declined, minutes of board meetings,and memoranda. Korbel worked as a VISTA attorney in the office from 1971 to 1973.
Martinez, Vilma * Rosen, Sanford Jay
11.5 linear feet
This series contains correspondence, memoranda, resumes, case materials, subject files, research materials, minutes of meetings of the MALDEF Executive Committee and Board of Directors, and other materials generated or collected by Joaquin Avila during his tenure as Associate Counsel. The subject files are arranged alphabetically and include travel documentation, work notes, census information, immigration information, interoffice memoranda, trust account materials, legal memoranda, press releases, voting rights material and law school teaching materials. The files also contain materials related to Avila's activities as Director of MALDEF's Political Access / Voting Rights Project between 1976 and 1982; the materrials concern reapportionment, gerrymandering, irregularities in voter registration procedure, and violations of the one person-one vote principle. Related materials can be found in the Voting Rights Project files located in MALDEF's Legal Program Department records. Avila was an attorney in the San Francisco office from 1974 to 1976, and was President and General Counsel of MALDEF from 1983 to 1985.
Kauffman, Albert H. * Martinez, Vilma * Rosen, Sanford Jay
.25 linear feet
In October 1978 MALDEF received a grant from the federal Community Services Administration to conduct a nine-month planning project involving selected cities. There is other information regarding the cities surveyed in the Community Education and Activation Project record group, in the subseries CEAP target cities.
17.5 linear feet
This series is the general correspondence and memoranda sent within, from, and to the San Antonio office, arranged in chronological order. It includes information on activities in MALDEF's main office and in the various regional offices, and documents relationships between the San Antonio office and the community at large. The correspondence follows the planning of several programs and policies over time.
Obledo, Mario * Heidelberg, James * Fresquez, Gloria Cabrera * Almaguer, Sylvia * Palacios, Dolores * Korbel, George J. * Vasquez, Patricia M. * Morales, Maria Elena * Rios, Roland L. * de Leon, Irma * Hanten, Linda * Solis, Norma V. * Garza, Jose * Sanders, Judith A. * Flores, Dorothy * Steiner, William * Suarez, Robert H. * Herrera, Frances M. * Martinez, Vilma * Couch, Jane A. * Nava, Elsa Giron
1.5 linear feet
This series of records includes the papers of an administrative task force, job description questionnaires, resumes and job descriptions of paralegal and attorney and law clerk applicants, indexes of the office filing system and dockets of cases, case memoranda, correspondence, performance evaluations, and individual personnel files. The performance evaluations and the evaluative parts of individual personnel files have been restricted until 2060.
16.5 linear feet
This series of files contains correspondence, memoranda, legal research and monthly reports concerning MALDEF's work on EEOC cases from 1973 to 1979. The series also contains contracts between the EEOC and MALDEF, alphabetically-arranged subject files, requests for assistance, and discrimination case files.
.5 linear feet
These files contain information for implementation of the ABAR program, including surveys from several Southwestern communities. There are also quarterly reports which docu-ment the work of the project.
1 linear foot
This series contains case files for federal employment discrimination cases.
1.5 linear feet
These files contain brochures, legal research, surveys, maps, proposals, monthly reports of the LEAA Project, and goal statements for the San Antonio Office,
Flores-Amaya * Avila, Joaquin G. * Cortez, Erlinda
22.5 linear feet
This series of files contains information on organizations and issues of interest to the San Antonio office; there are research papers, surveys, case files, funding requests, correspondence, and news clippings, arranged by subject. Information about voting rights is grouped together, followed by various alphabetically-filed folders on a number of different subjects. Subjects include the census project, housing and block grants, employment discrimination, mailing lists, filings, inter-office memoranda, MALDEF organizational plans, police brutality, inmate mail, and general MALDEF correspondence. A third group of subject files is classified first by Title number, then alphabetically within each title group.
South Texas Health Systems Agency * Heidelberg, James * Fresquez, Gloria Cabrera * Almaguer, Sylvia * Botello, Jesse Roy * Garza, Ricardo L. * Rosen, Sanford Jay * Korbel, George * Salinas, Guadalupe * Madrid, Al
3 linear feet
In this series are publications to which the San Antonio office staff could refer. There is information about and correspond-ence with the San Antonio Ranch Water Quality Advisory Review Board, position papers, newsletters, trial proceedings, and academic rosters.
5.5 linear feet
In 1975 Bar Association Support to Improve Correctional In In 1975 the Bar Association Support to Improve Correctional Services (BASICS) provided a study grant with which MALDEF might ascertain and ameliorate the most pressing unmet legal needs of Bexar County Jail residents. In the files of this series there are materials from prisoners' rights cases, subject files arranged in alphabetical order, and correspondence related to the abuse of authority.
Baller, Morris J. * Avila, Joaquin G.* Linden, David J. * Herrera, Frances *
2.5 linear feet
This series is comprised of attitudinal surveys of Mexican Americans, maps, and compiled survey data; most of the surveys concern voter registration.
4.5 linear feet
This series consists of correspondence from July 1979 through July 1980, public service announcements, samples of forms, census employment information, newspaper articles, legal research, reports, law review articles, and materials from projects of the Texas Census Project. Included is information on the impact of the census undercount on several cities and counties, demographic information, and information from the Census Advisory Committees on the Spanish-surnamed and the Black populations.
Vera, Eva * Suarez, Robert H.
5 linear feet
The files in this series are from Heidelberg's tenure at MALDEF, first as a VISTA attorney, then as a regular staff attorney, then as acting associate counsel. They are arranged in alphabetical order by subject: subjects include bank employment data, Denver public schools, EEOC project correspondence and memoranda, federal jury selection, hearings of the Interstate Communications Commission - Equal Employment Opportunity, Local Fund assignments, staff meetings, Title VII litigation, and welfare.
Commission for Mexican-American Affairs * Mexican-American School Litigation Conference * National Conference on the Administration of Justice and the Mexican-American * Rosen, Sanford Jay * Martinez, Vilma S. * Rios, Roland L.
3 linear feet
This series is arranged alphabetically by subject; there are legal briefs, administrative materials, information on health improvement programs in the San Antonio barrios, case-related correspondence, docket reports, information regarding the EEOC, litigation department reports, and correspondence with MALDEF's Washington D.C. Office among the subjects included.
1.5 linear feet
This series includes the following topics: civil rights, the census project, a needs assessment program, radio, media, clippings, and conferences.
NAACP Women Lawyers Conference * MALDEF-IMAGE conference *1978 Annual Attorneys Training Conference
5 linear feet
This series is the office files of Norma Cantu and includes correspondence, legal memoranda, and published brochures. Topics in the file include the Chicana Rights Project, educational complaints, battered women, employment discrimination, litigation, staff training conferences, scholarships, and school desgregation cases.
In 1983 Cantu became Director of Education Litigation for MALDEF.
Estrada, Carmen A. * Navarro, M.. Susana
2 linear feet
The brief bank is a file of sample briefs to which lawyers could refer when when writing new briefs. This series contains decisions, samples of legal forms, Title VII briefs, case files, public service announcements, and assorted reference materials. There is an index to the brief bank in the first box of San Antonio Title I subject files.
1 linear foot
1.25 linear feet
This series contains clippings from various newspapers on topics of interest to the San Antonio Regional office.
20 linear feet
The San Francisco office opened in 1970, as the national headquarters of MALDEF. Mario Obledo, as president and general counsel, oversaw the office from 1970 through most of 1973, when Vilma Martinez became president. Joaquin Avila was the next president, from 1982 until 1985. The organizational structure of MALDEF changed with different administrations and with programmatic changes, but throughout the changes the San Francisco office housed the officers of the organization, the financial administrator, and the attorney who supervised litigation.
The files in this record group were generated by the office administrator, or by individual staff attorneys who worked in the San Francisco office. Other work done in the San Francisco office can be found in the following record groups: President and General Counsel, Finance and Administration, Development and Communications, Legal Programs, Community Education and Activation Program, Leadership Programs, and Policy Studies and Research.
2.5 linear feet
The files in this series contain correspondence, memoranda and travel itineraries. The correspondence is dated from 1971 to December 1977, and is arranged by month and by attorney
Kelly, Tyler * Mendez, Miguel A. * Obledo, Mario G. * Ortega, Joe C. * Idar, Eduardo * Exelrod, Alan * Ramey, Drucilla * Cervantes, Jaime * de Anda, Ricardo * Rosen, Sanford Jay * Avila, Joaquin * Martinez, Roberto * de la Rocha, Cástulo * Mendoza, Rebecca * Rendon, Ruben * Martinez, Virginia
3.5 linear feet
This series of files includes several subjects: college accreditation, the media, addresses, organizations, and press clippings which support particular cases. There are also files of correspondence: Alan Exelrod from September 1970 to March 1973, Michael A. Mendelson from 1970 to1972 , Miguel A. Mendez for 1971, and general correspondence.
Public Advocates, Inc. * Community Coalition for Media Change Anti-Defamation League of B'nai Brith * Federal Power Commission * Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation * National Conference on Drug Abuse * Obledo, Mario G. * Rabago, Roberto * Moya, Ben
1.5 linear feet
This series contains letters from and about prisoners, arranged in alphabetical order. Some correspondence is restricted until 2068.
Mexican American prisoners * Legal assistance to prisoners * Kelly, Tyler * Obledo, Mario G. * Lujan, Alex
2.5 linear feet
The files in this series include such cases as Alcarez v. Block, Herrera v. Dyke and NAACP v. SFUSD. They also contain information regarding bilingual education, competency testing, human rights law, and immigration. There are also letters from prospective clients, referral lists, and maps.
Herrera, Irma * Roos, Peter D. * Baller, Morris J.
3.5 linear feet
These are the office files of Joaquin Avila created during his tenure as a staff attorney at MALDEF's headquarters in San Francisco between 1975 and 1976. They contain correspondence and subject files concerning political access, desegregation, immigration, amicus briefs, case files, and retainers.
LULAC * Madera School District * Congress of Hispanic Educators * Southwest Voter Education Project
6.5 linear feet
This series contains the office files of Linda Hanten. It includes correspondence, memoranda, articles, mailing lists briefs and decisions. Cases include Aranda v. Van Sickle, Bakke v. Regents of the University of California, Cannon v. University of Chicago, El Concilio v. Modesto, City of Dallas v. U.S., Doe v. Plyler, Escalante, Keyes, Nicasio v, Kramer, Nyquist v. Norwich, Perea v. Pigman, Stanislaus County, Trinidad v. Koebig, and U.S. v. Sheffield. There is also include information regarding desegregation, the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Idaho Migrant Council, immigration policy, voter outreach, and the census.
Baller, Morris J. * La Garda, Lidia
2.5 linear feet
These files contain government generated materials related to the 1980 U.S. Census, briefs filed by undercounted cities against the Secretary of Commerce, promotional and educational materials about the census prepared by CEAP, correspondence with the Census Department, correspondence with target cities, memoranda documenting the activities of the CEAP census team through 1980, and memoranda to the census team from attorney Michael Bernick.
Texas * Los Angeles * Chicago * Klutznick, Phillip * Barabba, Vincent * Juarez, Liza * Couch, Jane * Baller, Morris * Manzano, Angel * Burns, Robert * Hochstein, Ilene * Marenco, Eduardo * Ray, Rosemary * Wisely, James
MALDEF opened the Washington D.C. office in 1972 to keep abreast of federal policies, programs and grant funds, and so that MALDEF would be visible to federal policymakers. Juan Rocha was associate counsel for the first year. When Vilma Martinez became president of MALDEF, she appointed Abelardo I. Perez to the position. Perez served as associate counsel from 1973 until 1980. He was followed by Antonia Hernandez who held the position from 1980 until 1983. This office did lobbying and litigation, as well as providing information to and about MALDEF.
The only papers from the Washington office in this collection are in the Legal Programs record group; there is some correspondence from the Washington staff to other regional offices that provides a record of the office's non-litigation work.