Description
Book SynopsisTen years after the initial publication of the first-ever account of the struggle to develop and protect social justice in a bellwether state, the award-winning
Wherever There’s a Fight is as relevant as ever for “navigating the slogan-riddled civil rights issues of the day” (
Publishers Weekly, starred review). ACLU veterans Elaine Elinson and Stan Yogi tell the sweeping story of how freedom and equality have grown in California, from the gold rush right up to the precarious post-9/11 era, despite waves of fear, bigotry, exploitation, and ignorance. The swiftly paced yet detailed narrative covers many disparate struggles for equity, but from each case a pattern emerges: whether fighting for workers’ free speech rights, protesting the Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage, asserting the right of people with disabilities, or challenging race- and ethnicity-based legislation, it is Californians themselves who transform lofty ideals into practical realities through activism and legal action.
Wherever There’s a Fight paints vivid portraits of these change makers, from well-known figures like Fred Korematsu and Dolores Huerta to people who in this book finally receive the attention they deserve; and it shows how these pushes for progress have reverberated far beyond the Golden State.
Trade Review“Should itself become required reading.”—
San Francisco Chronicle★“An essential reference.”—Publishers Weekly
Table of ContentsIntroduction
STAKING OUR CLAIM: The Law in Early California
IN A STRANGE LAND: The Rights of Immigrants
AN INJURY TO ALL: The Rights of Workers
UNDER COLOR OF LAW: The Fight for Racial Equality
HOLDING UP HALF THE SKY: The Rights of Women
THE RIGHT NOT TO REMAIN SILENT: Dissent
MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD: The Right to Free Expression
KEEPING THE FAITH: The Right to Religious Freedom
THAT DARE NOT SPEAK ITS NAME: The Rights of Lesbians, Gay Men, Bisexuals, and Transgender People
BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS: The Rights of People with Disabilities
THE WRONG SIDE OF THE LAW: Criminal Justice
BEHIND BARBED WIRE: World War II Removal and Incarceration
EPILOGUE
SOURCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY
CREDITS AND PERMISSIONS
INDEX
