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National Coalition for Language Freedom Records

 Collection
Identifier: MSS-145

Scope and Content Note

The National Coalition for Language Freedom Records contain correspondence, notes, minutes, agendas, and printed materials documenting the campaign to defeat English-Only legislation at the state and federal levels.

Series I: Arizona English consists of bylaws, minutes, memorandums, reports, activity summaries, and budgets created by two Arizona organizations, Arizona English and the No to 106 Committee, between 1987 and 1989. Series II: National Coalition for Language Freedom (NCLF) includes bylaws, membership mailing lists, minutes, memorandums, fact sheets, reports, and correspondence dating from 1987 to 1989 showing the NCLF's predecessor organization, the National Coalition Against English Only. Series III: English Only Movement houses position papers from national organizations, bills, legislation, and court cases created by a variety of groups supporting and opposing the English Language Amendment. Series IV: Miscellaneous includes general reports relating to language, immigration, and labor in addition to numerous newspaper articles discussing English-Only.

Dates

  • Creation: 1987-1989

Creator

Language of Materials

Material in English

Access Restrictions

To view this collection, make an appointment at least five business days prior to your visit by contacting Ask an Archivist or calling (480) 965-4932. Appointments in the Wurzburger Reading Room at Hayden Library (rm. 138) on the Tempe campus are available Monday through Friday. Check the ASU Library Hours page for current availability.

Copyright

Arizona State University does not own the copyright to this collection. We recognize that it is incumbent upon the researcher to procure permission to publish information from this collection from the owner of the copyright.

Historical Note

In the mid 1980s, a national conservative movement proposed legislation to suppress the use of the Spanish language in the United States by making English the official language. The National Coalition for Language Freedom (NCLF) kept activists informed on developments among the numerous organizations working to oppose this movement on the grounds that it violated the rights of Spanish-speaking people in the U.S. The Arizona Chapter of the NCLF was formed in 1989 and Kimberly Fisher served as its secretary.

Full extent

4 Box(es)

Full extent

2 Linear Feet

Abstract

The National Coalition for Language Freedom Records contain correspondence, notes, minutes, agendas, and printed materials documenting the campaign to defeat English-Only legislation at the state and federal levels.

Arrangement

This collection consists of four boxes divided into four series:

  1. Series I: Arizona English
  2. Series II: NCLF
  3. Series III: English-Only
  4. Series IV: Miscellaneous

Provenance

Kimberly Fisher donated these records to the Chicano Research Collection in 1992 (ACC# 1992-00659).

Related Materials

Before the Court of Appeals, State of Arizona, Division One, Armando Ruiz, Linda Aguirre, John Philip Evans, Rosie Garcia, Candido Mercado, Manuel Pena Jr., Peter Rios, Marcario Saldate IV, Federico Sanchez, and Victor Soltero, plaintiffs - appealees vs. Arizonans for Official English and Robert D. Park, intervenors, defendants - appealees - cross appellants: appellant's opening brief/ Stephen G. Montoya, George Vice III, attorneys for appellants. Phoenix, Ariz.: Bryan Cave, 1994. Call # KFA 2812.F7 A85x 1994 Chicano Research Collection.

Guerena, Salvador. The English-Only Movement: a Selected Bibliography. Santa Barbara, Calif.: REFORMA, National Association to Promote Library Services to the Spanish Speaking, 1987. Call # P 377.G84x Chicano Research Collection.

Ruiz, Armando. Papers, 1987-1989 MSS-73 Arizona State University Libraries: Chicano Research Collection.

The English-Speaking Amendment [Videorecording]/hosted by Phil Donahue; Executive Producer, Patricia McMillen; directed by David L. McGrail. (Princeton, N.J.: Films for the Humanities), 1988. Call # P119.32.U6 E56x 1988 Chicano Research Collection.

Biography of Armando Ruiz. Call # CB BIO RUI Arizona Collection.

Torres, Luis A. The National English Only Movement, Past and Future. Call # ME CHI E-119.1 Chicano Research Collection.

Title
National Coalition for Language Freedom Records
Status
Completed
Author
Processed by Michele J. Curran in March of 2000; machine-readable finding guide created by Michael Lotstein in July of 2004.
Date
2013
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding guide encoded in English.

Repository details

Part of the Chicano/a Research Collection Repository

Contact

Arizona State University
P.O. Box 871006
Tempe AZ 85287-1006 United States
(480) 965-4932