Guide to the South Asian Collection
SJSU Library Special Collections & Archives
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San Jose State University
One Washington Square
San Jose, CA 95192-0028
Phone: (408) 808-2062
Fax: (408) 808-2063
Email: special.collections@sjsu.edu
URL: http://library.sjsu.edu/sjsu-special-collections/sjsu-special-collections-and-archives
© 2008
Trustees of the California State University. All rights reserved.
Guide to the South Asian Collection
Collection number: MSS-2004-05-01
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0028
Phone: (408) 808-2062
Fax: (408) 808-2063
Email: special.collections@sjsu.edu
URL: http://library.sjsu.edu/sjsu-special-collections/sjsu-special-collections-and-archives
- Processed by:
- Sjuli Senn van Basel Wagemans
- Date Completed:
- 2008
- Encoded by:
- Sjuli Senn van Basel Wagemans
- Revised by:
- Veronica Cabrera
© 2008 Trustees of the California State University. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: South Asian collection
Dates: 1967-2004
Bulk Dates: 1971-1977
Collection number: MSS-2004-05-01
Collector:
Lin, Sharat G.
Collection Size:
2 Boxes
1.75 linear feet
Repository:
San Jose State University. Library.
San Jose, California 95192-0028
Abstract: The South Asian Collection documents non-resident
South Asian political and cultural organizations in North America and abroad,
particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area from 1971-2004. The collection
consists of pamphlets, press releases, and open letters that related to the
cultural and political activities of several South Asian organizations. The
collection also contains documents from non-South Asian activist organizations
operating in the Bay Area during this period, including underground radical
groups and University of California at Santa Cruz student organizations.
Physical location: For current information on the location
of these materials, please consult the Library's online
catalog
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
The collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to the San Jose State University Library
Special Collections & Archives. All requests for
permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing
to the Director of Special Collections. Permission for
publication is given on behalf of the Special Collections & Archives as
the owner of the physical items and is not intended to
include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be
obtained by the reader. Copyright restrictions also apply
to digital reproductions of the original materials. Use of digital files
is restricted to research and educational purposes.
Preferred Citation
South Asian collection, MSS-2004-05-01, San Jose State University Library
Special Collections & Archives.
Processing Information
Encoded by Sjuli Senn van Basel Wagemans. Revised by Veronica Cabrera.
Acquisition Information
Gift from Sharat G. Lin, 2004.
History
The nations of South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal,
have been a source of immigrant labor to the
United States since the eighteenth century. While all people of Asian origin
were summarily banned from immigrating to the United
States from 1913-1946, and were limited by per-country quotas for several years
more, the
Immigration and Naturalization Service
Act of 1965
transformed the circumstances of American immigration for
South Asians. This new act based immigration decisions on
the professional experience and education of individuals regardless of national
origin, resulting in a flood of South Asian,
particularly Indian immigrants in the late 1970s and during the technology
boom of 1995-2000. South Asian immigrants,
also referred to colloquially as
desis, meaning
"countrymen," often maintain close ties to their countries of origin
and have established tightly knit immigrant communities in
the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. These communities continue
to follow the social and political happenings in
their homelands, and numerous organizations, foundations, and networks have been
founded to maintain these ties.
When the colony of India gained its independence from the United Kingdom in
1947, it was partitioned into two countries: the
Republic of India and Pakistan. Shortly after independence, rioting broke out
between the two nations based on religious and
cultural conflicts between Sikhs, Hindus, and Muslims, resulting in thousands of
deaths and the eventual migration of millions across
the newly drawn borders. In the years to come, several military conflicts would
take place between the two nations, including
Pakistan's invasion of Kashmir in 1965, and India's assistance to the Bangladeshi
territory during its fight for independence
in 1971. Based on the British parliamentary system, the new Indian government
was led by a Prime Minister, the leader of the
party with the majority of members in Parliament. Although this system was
based upon the popular vote, many Indians at home and
abroad were unhappy with the new government's policies and actions. There
were numerous allegations of
human rights violations and detainment of political prisoners, especially
during the State of Emergency declared by the once popular Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi in 1975.
Amid allegations of corruption and numerous protests demanding her resignation,
Gandhi declared a State of Emergency, suspending
civil rights and granting the government extensive powers. These conflicts,
coupled with problems of poverty, labor struggles,
and overpopulation, resulted in unrest from South Asians worldwide.
The community and student organizations they founded released
newsletters, held discussions, and organized protests to bring attention
to the problems of their countries both within the
immigrant community and to the international public.
Scope and Content of Collection
The South Asian Collection documents non-resident
South Asian political and cultural organizations in North America and
abroad, particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area from 1971-2004.
Sharat G. Lin, a scholar on the Middle East and South Asia, acquired
these materials during his involvement with activist communities from
the 1960s through the 21st century. The majority of the collection
concerns South Asian political and cultural organizations in the United
States, with an emphasis on the San Francisco Bay Area. These materials
include serial publications, pamphlets, fliers, bulletins, newspaper
clippings, open letters, as well as printouts of emails, listservs,
and Web sites. Additional materials include publications and fliers
from other radical and student organizations regarding general political
activism from 1967-1976.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into two series: I. South Asian Organizations,
1971-2004 (bulk 1971-1977); II. Non-South Asian Organizations,
1967-1976.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this
collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
South Asians -- United States
South Asian diaspora
South Asian periodicals
South Asian political systems
Underground periodicals -- California
University of California, Santa Cruz -- Student publications
Bibliography
American Immigration Law Foundation. (2002). The Passage from India.
http://www.ailf.org/ipc/policy_reports_2002_India.asp. Retrieved February 5, 2008.
University of California Berkeley Library. (2001). "A New Beginning"
Echoes of Freedom: South Asian Pioneers in California, 1899-1965.
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/SSEAL/echoes/chapter13/chapter13.html. Retrieved February 5, 2008.
Le, C.N. 2008. Socioeconomic Statistics & Demographics. Asian-Nation: The Landscape of Asian America.
http://www.asian-nation.org/demographics.shtml. Retrieved February 5, 2008.
Collection Contents
Series I:
South Asian Organizations
1971-2004
Physical Description:
1 Box
Series Scope and Content
The contents in this series document the activities of numerous organizations
throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and North America regarding South Asian
culture and politics. Local activities regarding the Indian state of emergency
(1975-1977), the Bangladeshi War of Independence (1971), and several campaigns
to free political prisoners shape the early years, while issues of nuclear
disarmament and the War on Terror influence the latter part of the collection.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically by organization name.
When several small organizations share a common cause or parent organization,
they are listed by that cause or organization.
Box/Folder 1/1
AIDS, Miscellaneous Organizations
1991-1992
Box/Folder 1/2
Alliance against Fascist Dictatorship in India,
India Today
1976-1977
Box/Folder 1/3
Alliance for a Secular and Democratic South Asia
1994-2002
Box/Folder 1/4
Amnesty International
1976-1979
1989-1995
Box/Folder 1/5
ANDOLAN: Organizing South Asian Workers
2000
Box/Folder 1/6
ASHA for Education
1991-1992
Box/Folder 1/7
Bangladeshi, Miscellaneous Organizations
1977-1988
Box/Folder 1/8
Berkeley (University of California), Miscellaneous Student Organizations
1975-1977
1991-1995
Box/Folder 1/9
BJP Watch/BJP Government Watch
1998
Box/Folder 1/10
Campaign for Justice in Bhopal
2000
Box/Folder 1/11
Center for South Asia (University of Wisconsin)
1994
Box/Folder 1/12
Center for South Asian Studies (UC Berkeley)
1975-1977
1987-2001
Box/Folder 1/13
CERAS/South Asia Research and Resource Center
1994-1999
Box/Folder 1/14
Coalition against Communalism [CAC]
undated
1993-1995
Box/Folder 1/15
Coalition for and Egalitarian Pluralistic India
circa 1999
Box/Folder 1/16
Committee against Political Repression in India [CAPRI]
circa 1977
Box/Folder 1/17
Committee of Concerned Indian Students [CCIS]
1976-1977
Box/Folder 1/18
Committee for Freedom in India
1976
Box/Folder 1/19
Communist Party of Nepal
2002
Box/Folder 1/20
Concerned South Asians Coalition
1993-1996
Box/Folder 1/21
Conferences, Miscellaneous
1977
1995-1996
Box/Folder 1/22
Domestic Violence, Miscellaneous Organizations
1988-1994
Box/Folder 1/23
Forum of Indian Leftists [FOIL]
1999-2001
Box/Folder 1/24
Funds & Trusts, Miscellaneous
undated
1992-2000
Box/Folder 1/25
Gadar Heritage Foundation
2003
Box/Folder 1/26
Gadar Memorial Center
1992-2000
Box/Folder 1/27
Group of Concerned South Asians [GOCSA]
1976
Box/Folder 1/28
Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh [HSS]
1994
Box/Folder 1/29
Hindustani Ghadar Party: Organization of Indian Marxist-Leninists Abroad
1971-1980
Box/Folder 1/31
India Awareness Group [IAG]
2002
Box/Folder 1/32
India Development Service [IDS]
1977
1993-1994
Box/Folder 1/33
India Forum Publication
1975-1979
Box/Folder 1/34
India Literacy Project (
AKSHARA) [ILP],
The Beacon
1992-1996
Box/Folder 1/35
India Progressive Action Group (UT Austin)
1991-1993
Box/Folder 1/36-1/39
Indian People's Association of North America [IPANA]
1976-1990
Box/Folder 1/40
Indian Progressive Study Group, (Association of) [(A)IPSG]
1976-1977
1992-1999
Box/Folder 1/41-1/42
Indian Student's Association (UC Berkeley)
1971-1984
Box/Folder 1/43
Indian Workers' Movement
1976-1977
Box/Folder 1/44
Indians for Collective Action
1993-1993
Box/Folder 1/45
Indians for Democracy (Indian Opinion) [IFD]
undated
1976-1977
Box/Folder 1/46
Indians for Democracy National Convention
1975-1977
Box/Folder 1/47
Indians for a New Democracy in India Association [INDIA]
1976
Box/Folder 1/48
Indo-American Political Foundation [IAPF]
2002
Box/Folder 1/49
International South Asia Forum [INSAF]
1999-2002
Box/Folder 1/51
Kashmiri Overseas Association, Inc.
1992
Box/Folder 1/52
Movement in India For Nuclear Disarmament [MIND]
1999
Box/Folder 1/53
Narmada Bachao Andolan [NBA]
1994
1996
Box/Folder 1/54
New India Coalition
1976-1977
Box/Folder 1/55
Non-Resident Indians for Secularism and Democracy [NRISAD]
1993-2001
Box/Folder 1/56
Non-South Asian, Miscellaneous Organizations
1976-1977
1993-2002
Box/Folder 1/57
Pakistan-India Friendship Society
1990-1992
2002
Box/Folder 1/58
RACHANA: An Experiment in Rural Development (Austin)
1976
1978
Box/Folder 1/60
SAHARA: South Asian Helpline and Referral Agency
1992
Box/Folder 1/61
SAMAR: South Asian Magazine for Action & Reflection [
SAMAR]
1992
Box/Folder 1/63
Scientific Workers' Forum: West Bengal
1998
Box/Folder 1/64
Sikh Organizations, Miscellaneous
1976-1978
1991
Box/Folder 1/65
South Asia Citizens Wire/Web Dispatch (aiindex@mnet.fr) [SACW]
1998
Box/Folder 1/66-1/67
South Asia People’s Organization [SAPO]
1977-1978
Box/Folder 1/68
South Asian Center of Toronto
1976
Box/Folder 1/69
South Asian Resource Center
1980
Box/Folder 1/70
South Asians for Collective Action [SACA]
1990-2004
Box/Folder 1/71
SACA Newsletter
1991-1996
Box/Folder 1/72
Southern California Bengali Cultural Association
1975
Box/Folder 1/73
Student Organizations, Miscellaneous
1972-1978
1988-2000
Box/Folder 1/74
Swaraj by Free J.P. Campaign
1976-1977
Box/Folder 1/75
TOUCH: The Organization for Universal Communal Harmony
1993
Box/Folder 1/76
Trikone (Lesbian and Gay South Asians)
undated
Box/Folder 1/77
Women's Organizations, Miscellaneous
1993
Box/Folder 1/78
Unknown Organizations
1976-1977
1988-2003
Box/Folder 1/79
Newspaper Clippings
1976-1999
Box/Folder 1/80
Bangladesh War of Independence
1971
Box/Folder 1/81
Indian State of Emergency
1975-1976
Series II:
Non-South Asian Organizations
1967-1976
1971-1977
Physical Description:
2 Boxes
Series Scope and Content
The contents in this series documents political activism in the
San Francisco Bay Area not related to South Asia. Publications of
local radical underground organizations (1973-1976) are included.
Several publications of the University of California, Santa Cruz document
student activism and campus politics from 1967 to 1971. Additionally,
several subject files chronicle campus meetings, protests, and other
activities regarding national and international issues on the campus.
Arrangement
This series is arranged into three sub-series, each arranged alphabetically
by organization, publication, or subject.
Box/Folder 1/82-1/86
Underground Bay Area Organizations
1973-1976
Box/Folder 1/82
Bay Area Research Collective
undated
circa 1975
Box/Folder 1/83
New Dawn Party
undated
1975-1976
Box/Folder 1/84
New World Liberation Front
undated
1975-1976
Box/Folder 1/85
Radical Student Union [RSU] (UC Berkeley)
1973-1976
Box/Folder 1/86
Miscellaneous Radical Organizations
1974-1975
Box/Folder 2/87-2/98
University of California, Santa Cruz Student Publications
1967-1975
Box/Folder 2/87
Asian American Political Alliance Newsletter
1969-1970
Box/Folder 2/89
The Cowell Rebel (Cowell College)
1969
Box/Folder 2/90
Liberator 200 (College V)
1969
Box/Folder 2/91
Merrill Field Program Newsletter (Merrill College)
1971
Box/Folder 2/92-2/96
Stevenson Libre (Stevenson College)
1967-1975
Box/Folder 2/97-2/98
This Week’s Issue (Merrill College)
1968-1971
Box/Folder 2/99-2/102
University of California, Santa Cruz Subject Files
1969-1970
