Fred Ross (community organizer)
Fred Ross Sr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 9, 1910 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Died | May 31, 1992 (aged 81) San Rafael, California, U.S. |
| Education | University of Southern California |
| Occupation | Community organizer · Civil rights leader · Educator |
| Years active | 1930s–1992 |
| Organizations | Community Service Organization; Industrial Areas Foundation; United Farm Workers |
| Known for | Founder and lead organizer of Community Service Organization (CSO); mentor to Cesar Chávez and Dolores Huerta; pioneer of Alinsky-style grassroots organizing |
| Children | 3 |
Fred Ross (1910 – 1992) was an American community organizer. He founded the Community Service Organization (CSO) in 1948, which, with the support of the Industrial Areas Foundation, organized Mexican Americans in California. The CSO in San Jose, CA gave a young Cesar Chavez his first training in organizing, which he would later use in founding the United Farm Workers. Ross also trained the young Dolores Huerta in community organizing.
Along with Edward Roybal, Antonio Rios and other Mexican-Americans, Ross formed the CSO in East Los Angeles; Roybal became its first President. This chapter of the CSO became politically active and helped to elect Roybal to the City Council of Los Angeles in 1949, the first Mexican-American to serve as such since the 19th century.