Chicano and Mexican American Labor History El Malcriado Newspaper Archive Documenting United Farm Workers Struggle 1969 to 1973

El Malcriado Archive

Ephemera and pamphlets

Chávez, César (founder). El Malcriado: The Official Voice of the United Farmworkers (1969–1973) documents the organizing strategies, political demands, and cultural expression of the United Farm Workers during the height of the Chicano Movement and farm labor struggle in California. Published in Delano as a bilingual labor newspaper, the periodical provided migrant workers with a forum to report strike activity, expose labor conditions, and mobilize collective action against growers, government agencies, and competing unions. The issues in this archive support research into Chicano history, labor organizing, and grassroots media as instruments of political communication.

El Malcriado: The Voice of the Farm Worker; El Malcriado: The Official Voice of the United Farmworkers. Delano, CA: Farm Worker Press, 1969–1973. Archive of seven issues ranging from approximately 4 to 16 pages each, in formats from 7.5 x 11 inches to 11.5 x 17 inches. Issues included are: [1] Vol. III, No. 7 (July 1–15, 1969), featuring the cartoon “Generals Gorge on Grapes: The Army as Strikebreaker” and articles including “Strikers Still Squeezing Coachella”; [2] Vol. III, No. 13 (October 1–15, 1969), with coverage of the Robert F. Kennedy Farm Workers Medical Plan and a bilingual letter from César Chávez; [3] Vol. III, No. 14 (October 15–31, 1969), including the cartoon “Pesticide Research and the Politics of Poisoning for Profits” and articles on food safety; [4] Vol. III, No. 16 (November 15–30, 1969), featuring protest photography and reports such as “Doctors Warn of Pesticide Epidemic”; [5] Vol. IV, No. 12 (January 1, 1971), addressing legal developments and corporate involvement in agriculture; [6] Vol. VI, No. 10 (May 15, 1973), a large format issue titled “On the Picket Line: Firm in the Strike!” documenting labor conflict between the United Farm Workers and the Teamsters; [7] Vol. VI, No. 14 (July 13, 1973), including reports on violence against organizers and union disputes. The issues include cartoons, photographs, editorials, and bilingual reporting.

Published during a period of sustained labor activism, El Malcriado functioned as both a communication tool and a political instrument for farmworkers engaged in strikes, boycotts, and negotiations for improved wages and conditions. The inclusion of satire, investigative reporting, and visual imagery reflects the newspaper’s role in shaping public perception and reinforcing collective identity within the movement. Coverage of pesticide exposure, military involvement, and union conflict situates the publication within broader debates over labor rights, public health, and state power. Minor toning and edge wear consistent with use; overall very good condition. This archive provides concentrated documentation of Chicano labor resistance and the media strategies of the United Farm Workers movement.

Item #22393

Price: $785.00