This collection of ten oral histories is focused on the theme of justice, as expressed through the life experiences from prominent Latinos who have focused their efforts in the state of New Jersey. The understanding of justice is one of the central tenets of this project, and in addition to the contributions of those intimately involved in what may be traditionally understood as the "justice system," such as lawyers, police officers and F.B.I. agents, these interviews also focus on the perception of justice from the perspective of an ex–offender, an immigrants' rights advocate, a social worker, a labor union director, an election superintendent and a television producer. The understanding of justice in the Latino community of New Jersey that emerges from these interviews is finely nuanced, reflecting such varying topics as the inequities in the justice system that are arguably the result of race, language, and class; the importance of positive perceptions of Latinos in mass media to facilitate access to justice; and the importance of active community involvement in the struggle for equal access to all rights and services guaranteed by this country's and state's legal and justice systems.
(Prepared by Elizabeth Parker, Associate Archivist. September 17, 2012)

(The NJHRIC at the Newark Public Library would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge, in addition to the credited participants of this project, the hard work of archival assistant Juber Ayala, and intern, Giselle Torres.)

Access to full verbatim interview transcripts and audio recordings are available by appointment only. Contact an NJHRIC archivist at njhric@npl.org, (973)733–4791, or via mail, NJHRIC at The Newark Public Library, 5 Washington Street, Newark, NJ 07102 with your request.