History

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About

Uncover the history of the pivotal 1969 TWLF Strike at UC Berkeley by reviewing an in-depth look at its origins, the context in which it unfolded, and critical moments. The page is accompanied by chronological overviews of major events, complemented by powerful primary source images and documents to help bring to life the intensity and complexity of the movement.

In addition to covering key events, this section highlights the student organizations and coalitions instrumental to the strike, as well as interviews with individuals from the movement. The 1969 TWLF strike and the creation of Ethnic Studies has been followed by further significant TWLF organizing movements. Movements containing political energy, dreams, demands and collectivity which continue to the present and look to the future. As twlf.berkeley.edu develops further, more content related to these connections will be made available. In the meantime, here are some recommended sites to explore other TWLF movements:

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The Strike

Image of TWLF strike in front of Sather Gate

The 1969 TWLF Strike at UC Berkeley

In the 1960s, landmark legislation like the Higher Education Act and the Immigration and Nationality Act along with U.S. Supreme Court cases and nationwide uprising catalyzed significant enrollment increases of students of color in predominantly white colleges. This demographic shift exposed and challenged Eurocentric curricula, sparking formation of movements, including the Third World Liberation Front (TWLF) at UC Berkeley. Inspired by concurrent movements at San Francisco State University, TWLF at Berkeley launched a strike demanding a curriculum that genuinely represented the histories and cultures of students of color, leading to violent confrontations with law enforcement but eventually achieving the establishment of an Ethnic Studies department. This marked a crucial advancement in educational reform and set a precedent for similar programs nationwide, underscoring TWLF's lasting impact on academic and social justice landscapes. Learn more

TWLF Central Committee

A group of AAPA members holding a protest sign

Key Organizations

The 1969 TWLF Strike at UC Berkeley was spearheaded by four key organizing groups, each playing a critical and successful role in advocating for systemic change at UC Berkeley and beyond. These groups included the Afro-American Student Union (AASU), the Asian American Political Alliance (AAPA), Mexican American Student Confederation (MASC), which later evolved into MEChXA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano/Xicana de Atzlán), and the Native American Student Alliance (NASA). In addition, several labor unions, community organizations, and schools showed support for the strike. This cross-movement solidarity helped amplify the impact of the TWLF strike, bringing broader attention to TWLF’s demands and creating more pressure on university administrators to respond. Learn more

Teaching Lessons: Organizing Principles

Protestors at Sather Gate.

Collective Organizing Principles

In 1969, the TWLF Central Committee was established at UC Berkeley. Its primary role was to negotiate the demands of the 1969 TWLF UC Berkeley strike with the campus administration. The committee approach to collective organizing intentionally embodied principles of solidarity, community empowerment and democratic representation. It represented a united front, comprising four key racial and ethnic organizations: (1) The Afro-American Student Union (AASU), (2) The Asian American Political Alliance (AAPA), (3) The Mexican American Student Confederation (MASC), which later evolved into MEChXA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano/Xicana de Atzlán), and (4) The Native American Student Alliance (NASA). Learn more

Historical Overviews

Mural depicting Asian Americans.

Timelines

The timeline page contains a curated selection of detailed timelines that chart the pivotal events and historical contexts surrounding the Third World Liberation Front (TWLF). This resource offers a chronological summary of the key moments that shaped TWLF’s activities and its influence on social justice movements.

Each timeline provides a clear, visual representation of the sequence of events, from the formation of TWLF to major strikes, negotiations, and legislative changes inspired by or impacting the movement. By contextualizing these events within broader social and political movements, the timelines help illustrate the interconnections between TWLF’s efforts and other global and national historical developments. Learn more

Key Resources from the Strike

Cover of the Berkeley Barb.

Primary Sources: Archives, Newspapers, Images and More!

Our Primary Sources page contains a compilation of original documents, photographs, archive collections, and more, offering direct insights into the events and impact of the 1969 TWLF strike at UC Berkeley. This collection is made to assist students, researchers, and educators seeking to study the movements from a firsthand perspective. These primary sources have been carefully curated to help you understand the historical context, the voices of the participants, and an authentic glimpse into the strategic planning and public responses that characterized the TWLF movement. Learn more

Stories from the Strike and Beyond

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TWLF 50th Anniversary Oral History Project

During the 50th Anniversary of the 1969 Third World Liberation Front (TWLF) student strike at UC Berkeley, a campus collective was formed named the TWLF Research Initiative. Among other things, this initiative recorded oral histories of student strikers from the 1969 and 1999 TWLF student strikes at UC Berkeley. This page features selected previews of those interviews with student strikers. Learn more