Ritchie, Mark. Papers

Collection Number: D-642

Mark Ritchie was a key leader in the People's Food System of the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1960s and 1970s. The system was composed of food co-ops, worker collectives and a series of wholesale collectives that supported the retail stores, including a bakery, produce, trucking, cheese, grains, and so on. The mission was food for people not for profit, healthy food and land, and a new way of making decisions. In particular, Mark Ritchie worked with Red Star Cheese Collective and Earthworks, an urban food and agricultural library. He went on to many other accomplishments, including serving as Secretary of State of Minnesota.

The collection includes minutes and notes of the meetings of the People’s Food System (San Francisco) and materials on the cooperative food movement in the San Francisco Bay Area during the 1970s. Many organizations and co-ops are represented, including Earthwork and the Center for Rural Studies and Red Star Cheese. Some materials focus on the development of structures to support the entire food system, such as a loan fund, warehousing, and trucking.

Finding Aid

Finding Aid on the Online Archive of California

Inclusive Dates

1964-1992

Extent

3 linear ft.

Subject

Northern California Food Movement

Many collections are stored offsite and should be requested at least 7 business days in advance of your visit.

How to Access Materials

First, submit a request:

To request an item, go to the Finding Aid linked on the item’s information page and select the “Request Items” button. This will initiate a request form for that item within the Aeon request system.

Then check your request status:

Before you visit us in person, please check your Aeon account to confirm that the item status is listed as “Available in Reading Room.”

New to Aeon? Create an account