A new documentary, American Agitators, explores the legacy of Fred Ross Sr, a pioneering community organiser who spent more than 50 years fighting segregation, expanding voting rights and building labour movements across the United States. Directed by Raymond Telles, the film aims to revive the person-to-person approach that Ross championed, which the director argues is often missing in modern online activism.
Ross, who died in 1992 at age 81, began his career as a Depression-era social worker in California's Coachella valley, an experience that inspired John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. He wrote the manual Axioms for Organizers and mentored figures such as Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, while also playing a role in the political rise of Nancy Pelosi and Dianne Feinstein. His son, Fred Ross Jr, continued the family's activism before his death in 2022.
Telles had long considered making a film about Ross, but only began production independently in 2021 after years of encouragement from Fred Jr. Friends and former collaborators raised $1m for the project. Telles notes that Fred Jr's guidance was crucial, particularly in shaping the film's third act to focus on the future of organising.
The documentary highlights Ross's ability to convert skeptics through empathy and commitment, despite his appearance—tall and bespectacled—which initially made him seem like an unlikely champion for the marginalised communities he worked with. Huerta recalled being 'set back' when she first met Ross, but he went on to earn trust through his unwavering dedication and track record of success.
Telles hopes the film will inspire a new generation of activists to embrace sustained, face-to-face organising rather than relying solely on online campaigns. 'You can’t just demonstrate and be a flash in the pan,' he says. 'You’ve got to stick to it.'
