Key Organizations

About

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).

Each organization brought its perspective and objectives to TWLF, unified by a common goal to establish a Third World College that sought to respect, reflect, and empower communities of color. Together, these groups formed a coalition at UC Berkeley that remains a profound example of intersectional solidarity and activism, setting a foundational model for future student movements.

Afro-American Studies Union (AASU)

The AASU at UC Berkeley played a critical role in advocating for Black empowerment and educational reform on campus, especially in connection with the 1969 UC Berkeley TWLF strike. Before the strike, the AASU actively challenged the University’s institutional practices they perceived as marginalizing Black students and Black scholarship on campus. Their initiatives were highlighted in October 1966, when they took part in boycotting the conference "Black Power and Its Challenges," critiquing it for being tailored to a white audience rather than addressing the concerns and experiences of the campus’s Black community.

In April 1968, the AASU submitted a proposal for the establishment of a Black Studies Program at UC Berkeley. This proposal aimed at reshaping the University's academic landscape to include a comprehensive program on Black history, culture, and issues. The University’s refusal to create such a program served as a critical catalyst for the 1969 TWLF Strike at UC Berkeley. The strike was not merely a protest for the program but a strategic move demanding systemic change and inclusivity in academic programming. The AASU’s efforts were instrumental in setting the stage for the TWLF strike, building a coalition with other student-of-color organizations dedicated to demanding the creation of a third-world college and academic curricula that reflected histories, identities, and contributions of African Americans, Asian Americans, Chicano and Latino Americans, and Native Americans.¹

Asian American Political Alliance (AAPA)

AAPA, established in 1968 in Berkeley, is a student-led organization that played a crucial role in the 1969 TWLF Strike at UC Berkeley and Asian American activism. One of AAPA’s founding principles was to unite Asian Americans under a single coalition, to enhance the strength and visibility of their solidarity in the fight for broader social change.

AAPA is devoted to principles of self-determination and solidarity, not only among Asian American communities but also with other people of color globally. Significantly, UC Berkeley AAPA members created the term “Asian American,” as a collective term of solidarity to replace derogatory labels previously imposed through colonization. This strategic choice marked a critical step in building a unified political identity for Asians in the United States.

“AAPA opened an avenue of activism for many Asian Americans who later played vital roles in the social transformations of the period, including the Third World Liberation Front Strikes at San Francisco State College and UC Berkeley, the International Hotel tenants struggle, and the formation of Asian Studies and Third World College curriculums nationwide.”

Grounded in the legacy of AAPA, the Asian American Political Activation (AAPA) Program offers internships, events, and programs to grow Asian American students’ political consciousness around Asian American, Pacific Islander, and South Asian, Southwest Asian, and North African experiences, history, and community issues both on and off campus. Learn more

Mexican American Student Confederation (MASC) / Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano/Xicana de Aztlán (MEChXA)

Originally known as MASC, the organization now referred to as MEChXA, was another key organization deeply involved in the 1969 TWLF Strike at UC Berkeley. Since its inception, MASC/MEChXA advocated for centering the inclusion and recognition of Chicanx history in the University’s curriculum, aligning with TWLF’s broader vision of establishing a more inclusive curriculum and support for students of color.

Before the TWLF strike, MASC actively organized during the Delano Grape Boycott. They successfully pressured UC Berkeley to cease purchasing grapes from suppliers linked to the boycott, aligning with broader movements at the time in support of farmworkers’ rights. After the boycott, MASC continued organizing to demand the establishment of a Chicano Center on campus.

When the TWLF strike started at San Francisco State University (SF State), undergraduate leader Roger Alvarado approached MASC proposing to open a second strike front at UC Berkeley. Although some MASC members were initially reluctant to join, after the leadership held constructive dialogues with AASU, MASC decided to join the TWLF strike.² Over time, MASC evolved into what is now known as the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano/Xicana de Atzlan (MEChXA). Learn more

Native American Student Alliance (NASA)

NASA³ at UC Berkeley was formed through the efforts of LaNada War Jack, who, with the support of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) office, recruited Native American students to organize this Native American Student group.

NASA’s commitment to TWLF began when MASC leadership approached them inviting them to join the TWLF strike. Recognizing shared goals with TWLF, NASA joined in advocating for the establishment of a Third World College that sought to develop a Native American curriculum, engage and support local communities, and further enrollment of Native students at UC Berkeley. Following the TWLF strike, NASA leadership played a critical role in Native leadership in the Bay Area and beyond, including the Occupation of Alcatraz and organizing cultural events, educational workshops, and speaker series, to increase awareness of Native American concerns and foster a supportive community network for Indigenous students.⁴

Labor Coalitions

Labor unions recognized students’ demands for educational reforms and racial justice on campus. Prominent local and national labor unions expressed their support in various forms, from solidarity strikes to public endorsements. The following local unions saw the importance of aligning with TWLF and picketed on campus in support of the TWLF Strike: American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1695, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 1570, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 1474, and American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 1928.

On March 2nd, ASFCME Local 1695, voted to strike in support of TWLF and joined the picket line on March 11th.

AFT Local 1570 called for a work stoppage from January 22nd to 27th in support of the TWLF strike. On February 13th, AFT Local 1570 participated in a picket line in support of TWLF that resulted in mass arrests. On February 18th, AFT Local 1570 officially voted to join the TWLF strike.⁵

High School Solidarity Strikes

During the 1969 TWLF Strike at UC Berkeley, solidarity was not limited to organizations and unions but extended to other schools, including Berkeley High School, Castlemont High School, McClymonds High School, Oakland High School, Fremont High School, Oakland Technical High School, Hayward High School, Emory High School, Richmond High School, and John F. Kennedy High School.⁶

Community Organizations

Several community organizations demonstrated their support for TWLF at SF State and UC Berkeley, recognizing the importance of the TWLF’s demands for educational transformation and social justice at these institutions. The following organizations provided resources, and increased public awareness of TWLF’s efforts: The Black Panther Party, The Brown Berets, Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), The Urban League, and local church groups and faith-based organizations (including the Christian World Liberation Front).^{7, 8, 9}

Footnotes

Taylor, Ula. “Origins of African American Studies at UC-Berkeley.” Western Journal of Black Studies 34, no. 2 (Summer 2010): 256–65. https://search-ebscohost-com.libproxy.berkeley.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hlh&AN=51459400&site=ehost-live
Dong, Harvey, Janie Chen, and Douglas Wachter. Power of the People Won’t Stop: Legacy of the TWLF at UC Berkeley. Berkeley: Eastwind Books of Berkeley, 2019.
Also known as the "Native American Student Alliance", "NASA," "Native American Student Union" or "NASU."
War Jack, LaNada. “Native Americans and the Third World Strike at UC Berkeley.” Ethnic Studies Review 42, no. 2 (2019): 32–39. https://online.ucpress.edu/esr/article/42/2/32/109648/Native-Americans-and-the-Third-World-Strike-at-UC.
“Strike 1969", 1969, Box 1, Folder 71, Third World Strike at University of California, Berkeley collection 1968-1972, Ethnic Studies Library, UC Berkeley.
Ibid.
Diokno, Ed. “The Year the Asian American Movement Took Hold.” AsAmNews, October 16, 2018. https://asamnews.com/2018/10/14/the-year-the-asian-american-movement-too....
Nicolaus, Martin. “S.F. State: History Takes a Leap.” New Left Review, April 1, 1969. https://newleftreview.org/issues/i54/articles/martin-nicolaus-s-f-state-....
Williamson, Benjamin. "Coming Home: The Jesus People Movement In the Midwest And Their Attempts To Escape Fundamentalism." Doctoral dissertation, University of Dayton, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1619794567166103