Eric Mann facts for kids

Eric Mann (born December 4, 1942) is an American community organizer. He has dedicated his life to working for civil rights, peace, workers' rights, and environmental protection.

He has been involved with many important groups, including the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), and the Black Panther Party. He also worked for the United Automobile Workers (UAW) for eight years, even working on car assembly lines.

Eric Mann helped keep a General Motors car factory in Van Nuys, California open for ten years, saving many jobs. He is also known for helping to shape the environmental justice movement in the United States. This movement works to make sure that all people, especially those in low-income and minority communities, have a healthy environment.

He started the Labor/Community Strategy Center in Los Angeles, California, and led it for 25 years. He also co-founded the Bus Riders Union. This group successfully sued the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to improve bus services for many people, especially those in Black and Latino communities. Eric Mann is also an author and hosts a weekly radio show called Voices from the Frontlines.

Early Life and Influences

Eric Mann was born on December 4, 1942, in Brooklyn, New York. His family had a strong background in fighting against unfairness and supporting workers' rights. Both sides of his family were Jewish and had moved from the Russian Empire in the early 1900s to escape difficult times.

Working for Social Change

Joining the Civil Rights Movement

In 1964, Eric Mann graduated from Cornell University with a degree in Political Science. He was inspired by the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee and decided to join the civil rights movement. At 21, he began working for the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE).

At CORE, he worked to fight against unfair treatment by the Trailways Bus Company. Black and Latino workers were not getting promoted. Eric Mann helped organize a boycott and protests to support these workers.

Involvement with Student Movements

In 1965, Eric Mann joined the Newark Community Union Project (NCUP). He worked with community members and students in Newark to help low-income people fight against poor housing and unfair police actions. He also worked as a public school teacher but was fired for standing up for his students and their rights.

In 1968, Eric Mann moved to Boston to become a leader for Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) in New England. He helped organize student protests at universities like Columbia University, Boston University, and Harvard University. These protests aimed to challenge institutions that supported war efforts and to fight for equal access for all students.

Eric Mann was elected to the national committee of SDS in 1968. He believed in continuous action against big corporations and wanted student groups to help guide communities. He was involved with a group called the Weathermen, which was part of SDS. He faced legal challenges and spent time in prison during this period.

Fighting for Workers' Rights

From 1978 to 1986, Eric Mann worked on car assembly lines and was an active member of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union. He worked at General Motors plants in California.

When these plants were in danger of closing, Eric Mann helped create a strong group of workers and community members. This group, called the Campaign to Keep GM Van Nuys Open, worked together to convince General Motors to keep the factory open. Their efforts saved many jobs and showed the power of community action. The plant stayed open for ten more years.

Leading Environmental Justice Efforts

In 1989, Eric Mann and other leaders started the Labor/Community Strategy Center (LCSC). This group aimed to train organizers and lead campaigns for workers' rights, environmental justice, public transportation, and civil rights.

Eric Mann's work with the LCSC helped define environmental justice. His 1992 book, L.A.’s Lethal Air, showed how environmental problems often affected people based on their social class, race, and gender.

After the 1992 Los Angeles riots, Eric Mann helped write a plan to rebuild Los Angeles. This plan connected transportation, the environment, and jobs. It suggested building new, clean technologies like solar power and electric car parts. The LCSC's work also led to a "right to know" law, giving people information about chemicals in their communities.

Improving Public Transportation

In 1992, Eric Mann and the Strategy Center founded the Bus Riders Union (BRU). This group, made up of Black and Latino bus riders, started organizing on Los Angeles buses.

The BRU filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). They argued that the MTA had a separate and unequal bus system for minority riders, while building expensive rail projects for wealthier people. The BRU's "billions for buses" campaign used protests and negotiations.

Their efforts led to a major agreement that required the Los Angeles MTA to improve its bus system. This included replacing old diesel buses with new, cleaner natural gas buses. This important story was even shown in a film called Bus Riders Union.

In the early 2000s, Eric Mann also helped lead the Community Rights Campaign. This campaign worked to improve transportation for minority students in the Los Angeles Unified School District. They successfully pushed for easier access to low-cost student bus passes. They also worked to reduce unfair truancy tickets and disciplinary actions against students.

Since 2012, Eric Mann and the Strategy Center have focused on the "Fight for the Soul of the Cities" campaign. This campaign works against privatization and pollution, aiming to put the needs of working-class Black and Latino communities first in cities.

Eric Mann also helped start the National School for Strategic Organizing. This school trains young people to become leaders in social movements. His book, Playbook for Progressives, shares his ideas on how to be an effective organizer.

Books and Writings

Eric Mann has written several books and articles about his work and ideas.

Books by Eric Mann

• 1974: Comrade George: An Investigation into the Life, Political Thought, and ... of George Jackson
• 1987: Taking on General Motors: A Case Study of the UAW Campaign to Keep GM Van Nuys Open
• 1991: L.A.’s Lethal Air: New Strategies for Policy, Organizing, and Action
• 1996: A New Vision for Urban Transportation
• 2002: Dispatches from Durban: Firsthand Commentaries on the World Conference Against Racism and Post-September 11 Movement Strategies
• 2004: The 2004 Presidential Elections: A Turning Point for the U.S. Left
• 2006: Katrina’s Legacy: White Racism and Black Reconstruction in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast
• 2010: The 7 Components of Transformative Organizing Theory
• 2011: Playbook for Progressives: The 16 Qualities of the Successful Organizer

Documentaries Featuring Eric Mann's Work

• 1986: Tiger by the Tail: This film is about the Campaign to Keep GM Van Nuys Open.
• 1997: Voices from the Front Lines: This documentary covers five years of environmental justice organizing.
• 2000: Bus Riders’ Union: This film is about the Bus Riders Union and features Eric Mann.