Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
- Overview of the Collection
- Historical Background
- Content Description
- Use of the Collection
- Administrative Information
-
Detailed Description of the Collection
- Accession No. 5177-003: World Trade Organization, 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest Collection, 1993-2000
- Accession No. 5177-004: World Trade Organization, 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest Collection, 1999
- Accession No. 5177-005: World Trade Organization, 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest Collection, 1998-2000 December (bulk 1999 August-2000 December)
- Accession No. 5177-006: World Trade Organization, 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest Collection, 1999 October-2000 December (bulk 1999 November-December)
- Accession No. 5177-007: World Trade Organization, 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest Collection, 1999-1999 (bulk 1999)
- Accession No. 5177-008: World Trade Organization, 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest Collection, 2000
- Accession No. 5177-009: WTO Seattle collection, 1999
- Accession No. 5177-010: WTO Seattle collection, 1999
- Accession No. 5177-011: WTO Seattle collection, 1996-2000
- Accession No. 5177-012: WTO Seattle collection, 2000
- Accession No. 5177-013: WTO Seattle and global justice collection, 1998-2011
- Accession No. 5177-014: WTO Seattle collection, 1999-2003
- Accession No. 5177-015: Ruth Yarrow WTO Seattle protests collection, 1999
- Accession No. 5177-016: World Trade Organization 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference umbrella, bag, and media guide, 1999
- Accession No. 5177-017: "No World Trade Without Workers Rights" WTO protest banner, 1999
- Accession No. 5177-018: World Trade Organization 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Bus Advertisement Sign, 1999
- Names and Subjects
World Trade Organization 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest collection WTO Seattle collection, 1993-2011
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- World Trade Organization 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest collectionWTO Seattle collection
- Dates
- 1993-2011 (inclusive)19932011
- Quantity
-
46.85 cubic feet (33 boxes)
27 videocassettes and 1 CD Rom disk
6 oversize objects
3 tubes
2 packages
1 vertical file - Collection Number
- 5177
- Summary
- Protest materials from the 1999 WTO Ministerial Conference held in Seattle
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Open to all users, but access to portions of the collection is restricted. Contact repository for details.
- Languages
- English
Historical BackgroundReturn to Top
The WTO History Project and its associated archives are largely a response to the momentous protests that took place between November 29 and December 3, 1999 in Seattle during the World Trade Organization Ministerial meetings. The project also documents the mobilization that preceded the Ministerial. The protests were mounted by a wide array of groups and individuals, especially organized labor, environmentalists, and pro-democracy activists concerned that the WTO encouraged trade practices harmful to workers and the environment and operated in a manner which they considered largely undemocratic.
The WTO History Project was a partnership based at the University of Washington that included the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies, the Center for Communication and Civic Engagement, and the University Libraries. The groups collaborated to ensure that future researchers of the WTO protests would have access to documentary evidence relating to the range of people involved in the protests, the many strategies and issues they brought to the streets and the meeting rooms, and the coalitions they formed.
During the nearly nine month mobilization in 1999, local and national non-governmental groups representing a variety of interests determined how to publicize the threat posed by the WTO and how to frame their messages to attract the attention of the public, the media and the WTO itself. The lengthy and often contentious mobilization process led to a six-week period immediately preceding the protests during which activists prepared themselves and the public with public teach-ins, training, and debates.
On November 30, 1999, first day of the ministerial meetings, thousands of largely peaceful protestors blocked delegates’ entrance to the opening plenary session. According to press reports, Seattle police in riot gear responded by releasing volleys of tear gas and pepper spray at 10:00 am and continued to do so throughout the day. The police eased up when the 20,000-member labor march reached the downtown core from the Seattle Center, where a large rally had been held. WTO officials cancelled the opening ceremonies. At a time difficult to verify after the fact, Mayor Paul Schell declared a civil emergency, ordering streets to be cleared by 7:00 pm and imposing a curfew on a large area of downtown, from Yesler Way to Denny Way and from Interstate 5 to Elliott Bay. Word of the curfew reached people on the streets at about 4:00 pm. Some dispersed, but others remained and were herded out of downtown by police firing tear gas and pepper spray. At approximately 10:00 pm the State Patrol reinforced the police. Scattered vandalism and looting of several downtown businesses had occurred during the day.
Early the following day, Wednesday, December 1, Seattle police established a ‘demonstration-free zone’ around the WTO meeting site at the Seattle Convention and Trade Center. They severely restricted access to the area, but protests continued. The ministerial meeting was shut down for five hours that day. Governor Gary Locke sent additional State Patrol troopers and two National Guard units to relieve and assist the Seattle police. Clashes between protesters and police spilled over in the evening to Capitol Hill, east of downtown. By then the focus had shifted somewhat, away from the WTO and towards the police response to the protests. Several hundred protesters were arrested, and other protesters demonstrated outside the King County Jail.
The following day the Mayor’s Office reduced the size of what it called a ‘limited curfew zone’ to the area bounded by Fourth Avenue, Pine Street, Boren Avenue, Seneca Street, and Interstate 5. Some protests were staged on Friday, especially inside the convention center. Protestors demonstrated outside the King County jail again on Friday evening. Eventually charges were dropped against most of the over 400 people arrested.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The WTO Seattle Collection is composed of one large and several smaller accessions. Accession 5177-003, the largest, primarily covers the period from mid-1999 to early 2000. Included are publicity materials, other ephemeral material distributed during various events, reports, published and unpublished writings about the many issues of concern to activists, photos, audio recordings, and communications among the activists who organized events. Oversize items include posters, signs used in teach-ins and protests, and rain ponchos and other objects worn or used in the protests. Personal accounts written after the protests describe the impact the events had on several individuals and often contrast sharply with media accounts of the same events.
Many items in this collection were created by organizations identified in the finding aid as subgroups. Other items were received and kept by these groups to document issues and events. Many gifts of this material were sought and received by WTO History Project staff in the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies. Still other batches were collected by interested individuals and forwarded to the Libraries or to the Bridges Center. Subgroups have been established for the following records-creating organizations: the RECORDS SUBGROUP I: DIRECT ACTION NETWORK , a loosely-organized non-hierarchical umbrella organization for groups of protestors; RECORDS SUBGROUP II: EARTHJUSTICE LEGAL DEFENSE FUND , a nonprofit law firm that represents public interest clients; the RECORDS SUBGROUP III: INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON GLOBALIZATION , a coalition of organizations concerned about the effects of globalization; the RECORDS SUBGROUP IV: KING COUNTY LABOR COUNCIL ; the Ralph Nader-sponsored RECORDS SUBGROUP V: PEOPLE FOR FAIR TRADE/NETWORK OPPOSED TO WTO and its UW student affiliate organization; and RECORDS SUBGROUP VI: PUBLIC CITIZEN'S GLOBAL TRADE WATCH , a coalition of trade and labor groups. The RECORDS SUBGROUP VII: ALAN RABINOWITZ includes materials contributed by Dr. Rabinowitz, a Seattle resident who helped fund educational activities in advance of the Ministerial. Included in it, besides audio cassettes of World Trade Watch are printed e-mails of preparatory reports, of writings of various friends and contacts of Rabinowitz, of correspondence about the creation of the Independent Media Center, and of news articles.
Although the RECORDS SUBGROUP VIII: NGO COMMITTE FOR THE SEATTLE HOST ORGANIZATION , the organization that sponsored the Ministerial is represented by a subgroup, this segment is very small and consists mainly of packets and other information for delegates.
During processing in 2000-2001, materials were also grouped chronologically within each subgroup. “ Pre-WTO” reflects advance planning and reports about issues posed by the World Trade Organization. “During WTO” documents activities during the week of the Ministerial meetings, November 29-December 3. “Post-WTO” includes subsequent analyses as well as local materials which address the activists’ counter-response to the police actions during the Ministerial week.
Major correspondents include Alan Rabinowitz; Jeremy Simer, an activist with People for Fair Trade/No to WTO; and Patti Goldman, an attorney with the Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund and the environmental community’s representative to the Seattle Host Organization.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Some restrictions exist on copying, quotation or publication. Contact Repository for details.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Organized into 16 accessions.
- Accession No. 5177-003, World Trade Organization, 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest Collection, 1993-2000
- Accession No. 5177-004, World Trade Organization, 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest Collection, 1999
- Accession No. 5177-005, World Trade Organization, 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest Collection, 1998-2000 December
- Accession No. 5177-006, World Trade Organization, 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest Collection, 1999 October-2000 December
- Accession No. 5177-007, World Trade Organization, 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest Collection, 1999-1999
- Accession No. 5177-008, World Trade Organization, 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest Collection, 2000
- Accession No. 5177-009, WTO Seattle collection, 1999
- Accession No. 5177-010, WTO Seattle collection, 1999
- Accession No. 5177-011, WTO Seattle collection, 1996-2000
- Accession No. 5177-012, WTO Seattle collection, 2000
- Accession No. 5177-013, WTO Seattle and global justice collection, 1998-2011
- Accession No. 5177-014, WTO Seattle collection, 1999-2003
- Accession No. 5177-015, Ruth Yarrow WTO Seattle protests collection, 1999
- Accession No. 5177-016, World Trade Organization 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference umbrella, bag, and media guide, 1999
- Accession No. 5177-017, "No World Trade Without Workers Rights" WTO protest banner, 1999
- Accession No. 5177-018, World Trade Organization 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Bus Advertisement Sign, 1999
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Accession No. 5177-003: World Trade Organization, 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest Collection, 1993-2000Return to Top
Scope and Content: Issue files consisting primarily of clippings as well as organizational files and ephemera used by People for Fair Trade/No To WTO. Records of other organizations such as Direct Action Network, EarthJustice Legal Defense Fund, International Forum On Globalization, King County Labor Council, No To WTO/UW, and Seattle Host Organization NGO Committee include: correspondence, email, calendars, packets, minutes, newsletters, news releases, speeches and writings, publications, ephemera, posters, videotapes, artifacts, maps, lists. Also includes personal accounts, audio tapes, photographs, ephemera, posters, and picket signs, from other sources, documenting opposition groups' preparations for the WTO round in Seattle, WTO week protests and events and the aftermath, 1999-2000.
Digital Content/Other Formats: View selections from this collection in digital format
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users, but access to portions of the papers restricted. Contact repository for details.
Restrictions on Use: Some restrictions exist on copying, quotation or publication. Contact Repository for details.
Processing Info: Accession 5177-003 was formed by a merger of accession 5177-001 received 4/29/2000 and accession 5177-002 received 1/5/2001.
Accession No. 5177-004: World Trade Organization, 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest Collection, 1999Return to Top
Scope and Content: Posters, videotapes, ephemera, and published material. Videotapes include the four-part video "Labor Beat: WTO Seattle."
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Restrictions on Use: Rights in artwork and videos not transferred. Materials may be loaned for exhibits in secure locations.
Acquisition Info: Donated 2/22/2001.
Accession No. 5177-005: World Trade Organization, 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest Collection, 1998-2000 December (bulk 1999 August-2000 December)Return to Top
Scope and Content: Ephemera, publications, clippings, relating to the April 16, 2000 protest against the IMF at World Bank meeting in Washington D.C.,and the WTO demonstrations in Seattle; minutes of one post-WTO mtg, People for Fair Trade, transcript of radio program of a teach-in, 11/99, "The Day the WTO Stood Still," and a report by the ACLU of Washington on official responses to the Seattle protests.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Acquisition Info: Donated 3/26/2001.
Accession No. 5177-006: World Trade Organization, 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest Collection, 1999 October-2000 December (bulk 1999 November-December)Return to Top
Scope and Content: Ephemera, videotaped speeches, independently produced videotapes of programs prior to and programs following the 1999 meetings in Seattle, compact disc recording of protest songs, T-shirt, publications, press releases.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Restrictions on Use: Some restrictions exist on copying, quotation or publication. Contact Repository for details.
Acquisition Info: Donated 7/5/2001.
Accession No. 5177-007: World Trade Organization, 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest Collection, 1999-1999 (bulk 1999)Return to Top
Scope and Content: Ephemera, publications, clippings, email, newsletters, news releases, documenting various opposition groups' preparations for the WTO round in Seattle, WTO week protests and events, and the aftermath.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Acquisition Info: Donated 8/16/2001.
Accession No. 5177-008: World Trade Organization, 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Protest Collection, 2000Return to Top
Scope and Content: Oral history transcripts of the WTO History Project.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Acquisition Info: Donated 9/25/2001.
Accession No. 5177-009: WTO Seattle collection, 1999Return to Top
Scope and Content: This accession includes newsletters, flyers, and pamphlets relating to issues and events surrounding the WTO conference in Seattle in 1999 that were sent to lawyers at Earthjustice. Earthjustice was a registered NGO at the WTO conference, and specialized in environmental law. Some lawyers had published articles in the newsletters and were supposed to give lectures on Nov. 29, 1999, the day of the rally.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries
Acquisition Info: Earthjustice, March 26, 2007
Accession No. 5177-010: WTO Seattle collection, 1999Return to Top
Scope and Content: Picket signs and other oversize material related to preparation for and participation in the WTO protests of 1999. Created by various organizations, including SPEEA (AFL-CIO), Inland Boatmen's Union, Direct Action Network, and the Sierra Club.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries
Accession No. 5177-011: WTO Seattle collection, 1996-2000Return to Top
Scope and Content: Booklets, pamphlets, flyers, documents, and videos pertaining to Seattle's WTO protest of 1999. See printed email contents list in box.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries
Acquisition Info: Hans Nesse, July 10, 2008
Accession No. 5177-012: WTO Seattle collection, 2000Return to Top
Scope and Content: Cops of the WTOwall calendar featuring photos and commentary about the protests.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries
Acquisition Info: Dan Halligan, April 10, 2013
Accession No. 5177-013: WTO Seattle and global justice collection, 1998-2011Return to Top
Scope and Content: Contains publications, fliers, and ephemera relating to the 1999 WTO protests in Seattle, as well as other materials on related issues of global justice, and the Occupy Olympia movement.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Acquisition Info: Donor: Trevor Griffey, August 29, 2013
Processing Info: Processed by A. Demeter, 2013.
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box/Folder | Accession | ||
1/1 | 5177-013 | 1996 | |
1/2 | 5177-013 | 1998 March | |
1/3 | 5177-013 | circa 1999 | |
1/4 | 5177-013 | circa 1999 | |
2/1 | 5177-013 | 1999 November 25 | |
Box/Folder | Accession | ||
1/5 | 5177-013 | 1999 November | |
Box/Folder | Accession | ||
2/2 | 5177-013 | 1999 November 28-December 3 | |
2/3 | 5177-013 | 1999 November 29-December 4 | |
2/4 | 5177-013 | 1999 December 3 | |
2/4 | 5177-013 | 1999 December 2 | |
2/4 | 5177-013 | 1999 December 2 | |
Box/Folder | Accession | ||
1/6 | 5177-013 | circa 1999 November | |
1/7 | 5177-013 | 1999 November 30 | |
Box/Folder | Accession | ||
1/8 | 5177-013 | 2000 July | |
1/9 | 5177-013 | circa 2000 | |
1/10 | 5177-013 | circa 2000 | |
Box/Folder | Accession | ||
2/5 | 5177-013 | 1999 December 5-16 | |
2/6 | 5177-013 | 1999 December 9-30 | |
2/6 | 5177-013 | 1999 December 9-16 | |
2/6 | 5177-013 | 2000 Winter | |
Box/Folder | Accession | ||
2/7 | 5177-013 | undated | |
Box/Folder | Accession | ||
1/11 | 5177-013 | 1998-2001 | |
1/12 | 5177-013 | 1999 | |
1/13 | 5177-013 | 2000-2002 | |
2/8 | 5177-013 | 2002 April 24 | |
1/14 | 5177-013 | 2011 |
Accession No. 5177-014: WTO Seattle collection, 1999-2003Return to Top
Biographical/Historical Note: Marjorie Van Cleef is a teacher and musician with the Bryn Mawr Peace Coalition. She has worked as the Program and Action Chair of the Women's International League for Peace & Freedom.
Scope and Content: VHS tapes, fliers, newspapers, and other publications from and about the World Trade Organization protests in Seattle in 1999, as well as Marjorie Van Cleef’s personal recollections from the demonstrations
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Acquisition Info: Marjorie Van Cleef, 2015-03-12
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Accession | ||
1 | 5177-014 | Marjorie Van Cleef's personal recollections from the WTO
demonstrations |
undated |
1 | 5177-014 |
Shut Down the World Trade Organization
newspaper |
1999 |
1 | 5177-014 | The WTO and the Global War System forum
proceedings |
1999 |
1 | 5177-014 | "Celebrate Resistance to the WTO" flier |
1999 |
1 | 5177-014 | Clippings from
The Stranger
|
1999 |
1 | 5177-014 | Clippings from the
New Haven Advocate
|
1999 |
1 | 5177-014 |
Storm Warning! Vietnam Veterans Against the War
Anti-Imperialist newsletter |
1999 |
1 | 5177-014 | Neoliberal Globalization: Cancun and Beyond, An In-Depth
Report on the World Trade Organization |
2003 |
1 | 5177-014 | Z Magazine |
2000 |
1 | 5177-014 | The Progressive |
2000 |
1 | 5177-014 | Email print-out with the subject "lessons from Seattle
and DC" |
2000 |
1 | 5177-014 |
Indypendent newspaper clipping |
undated |
1 | 5177-014 | "Revolt against Globalization" bumper sticker
|
undated |
1 | 5177-014 | 2 VHS tapes of WTO demonstrations 2
videocassettes (VHS)
|
undated |
Accession No. 5177-015: Ruth Yarrow WTO Seattle protests collection, 1999Return to Top
Scope and Content: Ruth Yarrow's collection of materials relating to the planning and participation in the World Trade Organizational protests in Seattle in 1999. Ruth Yarrow was involved in the planning and overall events of the 1999 WTO protests in Seattle.
Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Acquisition Info: Ruth Yarrow, 2015-08-25
Accession No. 5177-016: World Trade Organization 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference umbrella, bag, and media guide, 1999Return to Top
Scope and Content: World Trade Organization Seattle Ministerial Conference umbrella, bag, and WTO media guide distributed to reporters covering the 1999 WTO conference in Seattle. This packet was donated by Stacy Sakamoto, a KIRO reporter in Seattle at the time.
Restrictions on Access: No restrictions on access.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.
Acquisition Info: Donated by Stacy Sakamoto
Accession No. 5177-017: "No World Trade Without Workers Rights" WTO protest banner, 1999Return to Top
Biographical/Historical Note: Blue and gold cloth banner with the text "No World Trade Without Workers Rights". The banner was created by made by Carla Kiiskila and David Reynolds on November 29, 1999, on Vashon Island, Washington and was carried the next day by labor movement protesters at the world conference of the WTO in Seattle.
David Reynolds was a member of International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 763 at the time and became Secretary-Treasurer in 2001. Carla Kiiskila was a legal intern on the International Brotherhood of Teamsters organizing campaign "United for Change," a successful effort to organize apple warehouse workers in Yakima and Wenatchee.
The banner was proudly carried by labor union members throught the protest against the WTO.
Scope and Content: Blue and gold cloth banner with the text "No World Trade Without Workers Rights." The banner was carried in the labor march protesting the World Trade Organization Ministerial in Seattle, Washington in 1999.
Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access, contact University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.
Restrictions on Use: Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.
Acquisition Info: Donated by Lilah Smith on behalf of Carla Kiiskila and David Reynolds.
Accession No. 5177-018: World Trade Organization 1999 Seattle Ministerial Conference Bus Advertisement Sign, 1999Return to Top
Scope and Content: "Bus card" advertisement for the WTO meeting in Seattle in 1999. The main text reads "Welcome, WTO; King County, Port of Seattle, Greater Seattle Region...a trade-friendly place to do business." The sign was torn off the side of a Seattle bus during the protests that occurred with the WTO meeting.
Physical/Technical Access: This sign is oversize and therefore mostly inaccessible to researchers.
Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access, contact University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.
This sign is oversize and therefore mostly inaccessible to researchers.
Restrictions on Use: Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.
Acquisition Info: Paul A. Schafer
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Anti-globalization movement--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
- Protest movements--Washington (State)--Seattle
Corporate Names
- World Trade Organization. Ministerial Conference
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Goldman, Patti (creator)
- Rabinowitz, Alan (creator)
- Simer, Jeremy (creator)
Corporate Names
- AFL-CIO. King County Labor Council of Washington (creator)
- Direct Action Network (creator)
- Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund (creator)
- Institute For Agriculture And Trade Policy (creator)
- International Forum On Globalization (creator)
- Labor Archives of Washington (University of Washington) (creator)
- People For Fair Trade (creator)
- Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch (creator)