Alice Greenfield McGrath (1917- ) was the executive secretary for the Sleepy Lagoon Defense Committee (1942-44) and worked with Luis Valdez on his play, Zoot Suit, that was based on the Sleepy Lagoon case. She wrote books on and taught self-defense for women for 25 years. McGrath also coordinated groups of Americans to Nicaragua to examine its social and political climate (1984-90). The collection consists of correspondence, photographs, publications and printed material related to Mexican American causes in Los Angeles including her involvement in, Zoot Suit, as well as her role in the Sleepy Lagoon Defense Committee. The collection also contains material related to Central America primarily focusing on the social and political conditions of Nicaragua (1984-90). Portions of this collection are in Spanish.

Alice Greenfield was born in 1917; the daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants, she grew up in Los Angeles, California; went to work as the executive secretary for the Sleepy Lagoon Defense Committee, 1942-44; married briefly to poet Thomas McGrath and later married martial arts instructor and author Bruce Tegner; wrote books on and taught self-defense for women for twenty-five years; worked with Luis Valdez on his play, Zoot Suit, which was based on the Sleepy Lagoon case; coordinated groups of Americans to Nicaragua to examine its social and political climate, 1984-1990.

7 boxes (3.5 linear ft.) 3 oversize boxes

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