Newsletters, Documents, and Other Primary Sources

Timeline of Sources Page Under Construction

Below is a collection of sources that were used as documentation to support the History of the Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club Exhibit and are organized in a timeline from 1966 to the present. Special thanks to the GLBT Historical Society of Northern California for preserving the Alice Reports Newsletters below.

1966

• Tenderblog - Remembering the San Francisco Compton's Cafeteria Riot, 1966

1969-1971

• Out for Good - The Struggle to Build a Gay Rights Movement in America By Dudley Clendinen and Adam Nagourney. Source for history of Jim Foster organizing the Society for Individual Rights, and bringing the membership of this organization to become members of a chartered group of the Democratic Party called the "Alice B Toklas Memorial Democratic Club."
• news video footage, Richard Nixon "Silent Majority" address

1972

• Video News Coverage of Democratic National Convention, 1972

• Democratic National Party Platform, 1972 "Gay Plank" is under “The Right to be Different” section, and says “Americans should be free to make their own choice of life-styles and private habits without being subject to discrimination or prosecution. We believe official policy can encourage diversity while continuing to place full emphasis on equal opportunity and integration.”

• Alice Reports December, 1972, pgs 1-2 (National Election + Purpose of Alice Club Formation)

• Alice Reports December, 1972, pgs 3-4 (Club Formation Logistics + Alice involvement in National election)

1973

• Alice Reports January, 1973 (California Democratic Convention)

1975

• Alice Reports May, 1975, Page 1 (Teamster Local 888 Letter in support of gay rights)

• Alice Reports May, 1975, Pgs 2-3 (Background Union & Gay Collaboration + Alice Organizing Logistics)

• Alice Reports June, 1975, Cover (Victory on Consensual Sex Law)

• Alice Reports June, 1975, Pgs 2-3 (Background Consensual Sex Law Fight + Moscone for Mayor)

• Alice Reports July, 1975, Pgs 1-2 (Origins of Briggs Initiative)

• Alice Reports July, 1975, Pg 4 (Origins of Briggs Initiative)

• Alice Reports July, 1975, Pg 7 (Origins of Briggs Initiative)

1976

• Alice Reports April, 1976 (Jane Fonda speaks at Alice)

• Jimmy Carter Recollections on 1976 Election Year interview with Playboy Magazine

• Video News Coverage of Democratic National Convention, 1976

• Video News Coverage of gay protesters outside Democratic National Convention, 1976

• Democratic National Party Platform, 1976 (1972 "Gay Plank" of the Democratic Party Platform was removed from this 1976 Party Platform)

• Alice Reports July, 1976 (Alice delegates report on the 1976 Democratic Convention)

1977

• Moral Majority Coalition Website "Moral Majority Timeline" Begins, 1977

• "Inside Story" Video News Retrospective of Anita Bryant

• Alice Reports May, 1977 (Alice helps organize fight in Dade County Florida)

• Alice Reports July, 1977 (Pride Parade - Willie Brown, Art Agnos, Carol Ruth Silver)

• Alice Reports December, 1977 (Mayor Moscone makes several public commitments to the community)

1978

• Alice Reports January, 1978 (Alice grows to 302 members)

• Television Footage of "Juana News Talk" show with Pro-Briggs Initiative Talk Show Guest

• Television Footage of "Juana News Talk" show with Harvey Milk discussing the Briggs Initiative

• NBC News Coverage of murder of Mayor Moscone and Harvey Milk

• Footage of Harvey Milk & George Moscone's Assasination and Dan White's arrest

• Harvey Milk audio tape made by Milk to be played in the event of his death.

• Alice Reports December, 1978 (Death of Harvey Milk, recounting his life and impact on politics)

• Television Footage of "Juana News Talk" show Harry Britt guest on show upon being named Supervisor after death of Harvey Milk

1979

• Alice Reports June, 1979 (Recounting the Dan White trial and local upheaval)

• Alice Reports September, 1979 (Alice endorses Supervisor Britt)

1980

• Alice Reports August, 1980, pg 1 (Democratic National Convention - 1st Adoption of "Gay Plank")

• 1980 Democratic National Party Platform Gay platform plank is under "Civil Rights" and states "All groups must be protected from discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, language, age, sex or sexual orientation.”

• Alice Reports August, 1980, pg 2 (Democratic National Convention + Carter, Reagan on Gay issues)

1981

• Alice Reports August, 1981, pg 1 (Police and Sheriff's Issues discussed)

• Alice Reports August, 1981, pg 2 (Sheriff's Issues continued & National Gay Rights Bills Discussed)

• Avert.org History and Science of HIV and AIDS (The first reported cases of AIDS were in March, 1981)

1982

• Alice Reports August, 1982 ("National Association of Gay and Lesbian Democratic Clubs" Founded)

• Alice Reports August, 1982 (Gender divisions discussed)

• Footage of NBC Earliest News Report on AIDS, 1982

1983

• Alice Reports April, 1983 (Feinstein recall fight & "Demand Cash to Fight AIDS Crisis")

• Alice Reports July, 1983 (Senator Cranston hires lesbian Jo Kuney + Alice/Milk tension over CA Magazine story on AIDS)

1984

• Video Footage of Democratic National Convention, San Francisco, 1984 ("Tale of Two Cities" speech by Mario Cuomo)

• Video Footage of Democratic National Convention, San Francisco, 1984 (Jesse Jackson Speech)

• 1984 Democratic National Party Platform Under “Chapter II, Justice, Dignity, Opportunity – Introduction” “Government has a special responsibility to those whom society has historically prevented from enjoying the benefits of full citizenship for reasons of race, religion, sex, age, national origin and ethnic heritage, sexual orientation, or disability.”

1985

• Alice Reports January, 1985 (Looking back at 1984 and fight against AIDS)

• 1985 News Footage, Rock Hudson (experimental treatments in France for AIDS not available in the US)

• About.com History of Protease Inhibitors, breakthrough drug in fight against AIDS (the experimental treatments discussed in the video above were scientific beginnings of work that would lead to development and mass use of Protease Inhibitors to fight HIV/AIDS)

1986

• Alice Reports April, 1986 (Alice confronts KQED over defamatory story on man with AIDS)

• August 3, 1986 LA Times Story on medical experts assailing Proposition 64 (Larouche Initiative)

1987

• Lesbian Agenda for Action Records, 1987-1991 (Guide to records available at San Francisco Public Library Hormel Center)

• Alice Reports May, 1987 (Nancy Pelosi seeks Alice Endorsement in race for Congress against Harry Britt)

• Alice Reports November, 1987 pgs 1 & 4 (Alice Reports Interview with Presidential Candidate Al Gore)

• Alice Reports November, 1987 pgs 5 (Pelosi's work on "lesbian, gay and AIDS issues")

• San Francisco Chronicle Editorial 6/8/2004 on Ronald Reagan's silence on AIDS during his Presidency. 1987 was the first year Reagan mentioned the word AIDS, after 20,000 people had already died.

1988

• Alice Reports March, 1988 (Alice supports lesbian Roberta Achtenberg in race for Assembly)

• Video Footage of Democratic National Convention, 1988 (Jesse Jackson Rainbow Coalition Speech)

• 1988 Democratic National Party Platform (9th “We Believe” section) “We believe that we honor our multicultural heritage by assuring equal access to government services, employment, housing, business enterprise and education to every citizen regardless of race, sex, national origin, religion, age, handicapping condition or sexual orientation.”

• Alice Reports August, 1988 (Alice delegates report on 1988 Democratic National Convention)

1989

• Alice Reports November, 1989 (Story on LIFE Lobby, California's first major LGBT lobbying organization)

1990

• Alice Reports January, 1990 (Pam David, first out lesbian to serve on San Francisco Mayor's staff)

• Alice Reports January, 1990 (Story on Donna Hitchens, first lesbian elected to Superior Court Judge)

• Alice Reports November, 1990 (Jim Foster, founder of Alice & Society for Individual Rights, dies of AIDS)

1991

• Alice Reports January, 1991 (Former Alice President Robert Cramer dies of AIDS)

• Alice Reports January, 1991 (Brett Dean, partner of Robert Barnes dies of AIDS)

1992

• NBC News Footage, November 1992 on "The Year of the Woman"

• 1992 Democratic National Convention Video Footage Bill Clinton Acceptance Speech, talks about gay people 43 minutes into speech.

• 1992 Democratic National Party Platform Under “Civil Rights and Equal Rights” the platform states: “We will reverse the Bush Administration's assault on civil rights enforcement, and instead work to... aggressively prosecute hate crimes... provide civil rights protection for gay men and lesbians and an end to Defense Department discrimination”

1995

• The Advocate, October 17, 1995, Story on Mayor's Race, Brown, Achtenberg, Jordan

1996

• San Francisco Human Rights Commission Overview of 1996 San Francisco Equal Benefits Ordinance

• 1996 Democratic National Party Platform Under “The American Community” section, the platform states: “We continue to lead the fight to end discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, age, ethnicity, disability, and sexual orientation… We support continued efforts, like the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, to end discrimination against gay men and lesbians and further their full inclusion in the life of the nation.”

1998

• December 1998 Human Rights Campaign Press Release Urging Boycott of United Airlines over United Airlines initial opposition to the San Francisco Equal Benefits Ordinance

1999

• 1999 University of Penn. Journal of Labor and Employment Law essay on SF Equal Benefits Ordinance

• National Center for Lesbian Rights Timeline of Domestic Partnership Laws in California from 1999 to 2006

• Alternet Story on 1999 Mayoral Race between Tom Ammiano and Willie Brown

2000

• January 3, 2000 San Francisco Chronicle, Dick Pabich, Harvey Milk Campaign Consultant, Obituary

• February 2000 San Francisco Board of Supervisors Resolution Establishing the Transgender Civil Rights Implementation Task Force

• 2000 Democratic National Party Platform Several fairly lengthy sections added related to LGBT rights and AIDS, under "Hate Crimes", "Fighting Diseases", and "Fighting for Civil Rights and Inclusion".

2001

• March, 2001 San Francisco Employer Notification Ordinance

• San Francisco Chronicle, February 16, 2001 Story on San Francisco Transgender Health Benefit Ordinance

2002

• SF Weekly February 27, 2002 Story on Mark Leno / Harry Britt race for Assembly

• San Francisco Chronicle, August 23, 2002, Robert Barnes Obituary

2003

• San Francisco Chronicle, April 4, 2003 Theresa Sparks - 1st Transgender Woman ever named California Legislature's Woman of the Year.

• California Legislature's LGBT Caucus 2003 Press Release regarding AB 17 (Statewide Equal Benefits Ordinance modeled after San Francisco's successful ordinance)

• AB 196 Story, San Francisco Chronicle, 8/3/2003 housing, employment protections for transgender people

• UCLA Study, August, 2003 Business benefits of Assembly Bill 2005 (Domestic Partnership)

• Transgender Law Center analysis of AB 196

• California Legislative LGBT Caucus, 2003-2004 Session, Legislative List of Accomplishments

2004

• Calgary Newsworld Video Footage, February, 2004, Shum Preston and Mike Meyers discuss their marriage along with the rush of 2,500 same sex couples to San Francisco get married on Valentines Day, 2004, when Mayor Gavin Newsom directed San Francisco's County Clerk to issue marriage certificates to same sex couples.

• Mother Jones, March 1, 2004 San Francisco's "Winter of Love"

• Alice Reports March, 2004 (1st online edition of Alice Reports, recounting Mayor Newsom's February decision to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples on Valentines Day, 2004)

• 61 images of Gay and Lesbian Weddings

• Alice Reports April, 2004 Alice grows to 500 members

• Alice Reports May, 2004 Candidate for President John Kerry's positions on LGBT issues

• Alice Reports June, 2004 Interview with Democratic County Central Committee Chair Leslie Katz

• Alice Reports July, 2004 Alice Supports New Anti-Discrimination Movement for Castro Inclusion (Badlands)

• Democratic National Party Platform, 2004 Under “A Strong American Community” - “We will enact the bipartisan legislation barring workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation. We are committed to equal treatment of all service members and believe all patriotic Americans should be allowed to serve our country without discrimination, persecution, or violence… We support full inclusion of gay and lesbian families in the life of our nation and seek equal responsibilities, benefits, and protections for these families. In our country, marriage has been defined at the state level for 200 years, and we believe it should continue to be defined there. We repudiate President Bush's divisive effort to politicize the Constitution by pursuing a "Federal Marriage Amendment." Our goal is to bring Americans together, not drive them apart.”

• Alice Reports August, 2004 2004 Democratic National Convention Alice Delegates give report

• Alice Reports September, 2004 Alice Endorsements for November, 2004 election

• Alice Reports October, 2004 2004 election get out the vote efforts

• Alice Reports November, 2004 Special get out the vote edition

• Alice Reports December, 2004 Reflections on why we lost the 2004 national election to George Bush

2005

• Alice Reports January, 2005 Letters from Alice, Human Rights Campaign and others pushing back against the idea that same sex marriage and LGBT issues lost the 2004 election

• Alice Reports February, 2005 Alice creates "Emeritus Board" to accommodate the massive club by allowing new members to join the working board, and allow longtime members to have a Board vote, but function more like an advisory Board. Alice Board meetings regularly host about 50 people at each Board meeting.

• Alice Reports March, 2005 Notes on one-year anniversary of Mayor Newsom's marriage directive (The Winter of Love)

• Alice Reports April, 2005 Text from Judge Kramer's March, 2005 decision to strike down California's ban on same sex marriage

• Alice Reports May, 2005 California Democratic Convention - LGBT Caucus and Alice members participate as the California Democratic Party reversed its position and came out in support of same sex marriage.

• Alice Reports June, 2005 Human Rights Commission Finding of racism at Badlands local bar and Alice letter to the Bay Area Reporter addressing the issue + letter from Alice Board member John Newsome giving background on the issue.

• San Francisco Bay Times, June, 2005 "SF Supes Condemn Racism at Badlands"

• Alice Reports July, 2005 Interview with Assemblyman Mark Leno on same sex marriage bill fight in California Legislature

• Alice Reports August, 2005 Alice friend Phil Ting sworn in as City Assessor; LGBT Economic Development program discussed.

• Alice Reports September, 2005 Co-Chairs Scott Weiner and Laura Spanjian discuss years of work to build a better relationship between Harvey Milk Democratic Club and Alice.

• Sept. 2005 Consultants for Religious Tolerance Analysis of Assembly Bill 849, Marriage Equality

• Alice Reports November, 2005 Alice November 2005 Election Endorsements

• Alice Reports December, 2005 Harvey Milk and Alice Democratic Club Co-Chairs reflect on shared work by two clubs in fighting Governor Schwarzenegger's conservative measures in special election.

• Equality California Legislative Summary, AB 1400, 2005 Public Accommodations Protections for LGBT Californians

Recent History: from 2006 to Present

2006

• Alice Reports January, 2006 Laura Spanjian talks about Alice progress during her two years as co-chair. Alice joins community letter to protest police video.

• Alice Reports February, 2006 District Attorney Kamala Harris discusses criminal justice issues related to the transgender community

• Alice Reports March, 2006 Former Alice Co-Chair Laura Spanjian appointed to Democratic County Central Committee; Nancy Pelosi urges action on hate crimes prevention law.

• Bay Area Reporter, March, 2006 Story on Kamala Harris announcement of 'panic defense' conference, among District Attorney's, to combat 'gay panic' and 'trans panic' legal defense charade.

• Alice Reports April, 2006 House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi reports on Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit legislation.

• Alice Reports May, 2006 Alice Treasurer Jim Maloney discusses his Military Education Initiative organization to overturn "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".

• Alice Reports June, 2006 June Primary Gubernatorial Election get out the vote issue. (Phil Angelides)

• Alice Reports July, 2006 Reflections on 25th Anniversary of discovery of AIDS. Three longstanding members of the local San Francisco community, Frederick Hobson, Eric Rofes and Joe Dignan pass away.

• Alice Reports August, 2006 Interview with Democratic Central Committee Chair Scott Weiner; District Attorney Kamala Harris discusses Hate Crimes and Gay/Transgender Panic issue.

• Alice Reports September, 2006 Alice Co-Chair Rebecca Prozan discusses the passing of deeply loved San Francisco Supervisor Sue Bierman. Bierman was a local hero who first got on the local political scene fighting against developers for open space areas. She became one of the few local figures who was adored by almost every corner of local politics due to her sincerity and graciousness - it didn't matter where you sat on the political arena. She was a one-of-a-kind and San Franciscans continue to miss her.

• Alice Reports October, 2006 November 2006 election endorsements.

• Alice Reports November, 2006 Pre-Election rally details with Bill Clinton, Rahm Emmanuel, and Nancy Pelosi at the Warfield in San Francisco.

• Alice Reports December, 2006 Speaker Designate Nancy Pelosi talks about the future. Alice get out the vote efforts helped lead to more than 70% turnout in many precincts during this "democratic wave" election.

2007

• Alice Reports January, 2007 Alice Co-Chair Scott Weiner discusses overview of Alice achievements over the last couple years during his term as Co-Chair.

• CSPAN Video Footage January, 2007 Nancy Pelosi becomes Speaker of the House

• San Francisco Chronicle, January, 2007 Story on "More US Employers Cover Sex Transition Surgery" citing San Francisco as a model.

• Alice Reports February, 2007 Julius Turman, 1st African American Co-Chair of Alice elected January, 2007, discusses his goals for the club. Also, Alice writes joint community letter condemning racist hate crime against Guy Clark's local Castro flower business.

• Alice Reports March, 2007 Mark Leno "Why I'm Running for State Senate".

• Alice Reports April, 2007 "20 Years of Acting Up" - several stories on the 20 year anniversary of Act-Up and its national impact.

• Alice Reports May, 2007 Alice discusses early endorsements process and responds to criticism of early endorsement process from the Bay Area Reporter.

• Bay Guardian Blog, May, 2007 Theresa Sparks becomes President of the SF Police Commission

• 2007 Video Footage - Arthur Bruzzone's San Francisco Unscripted Theresa Sparks, President of the San Francisco Police Commission

• Alice Reports June, 2007 Theresa Sparks discusses her election to President of the San Francisco Police Commission.

• Bay Area Reporter June, 2007 Story on Transgender Health six years after City passed landmark transgender health legislation.

• Alice Reports July, 2007 Story on Elizabeth Edwards, wife of Presidential Candidate John Edwards, attending the June, 2007 Alice Pride Breakfast.

• Alice Reports August, 2007 Discussion of controversial new version of Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

• Alice Reports September, 2007 Alice Co-Chairs urge early endorsement for Tom Ammiano for State Assembly.

• Alice Reports October, 2007 Tom Ammiano thanks Alice for early endorsement in State Assembly race.

• SF Chronicle, 10/18/2007, Jim Rivaldo (Harvey Milk's Political Consultant) Obituary

• Bay Area Reporter, 10/18/2007, Jim Rivaldo (Harvey Milk's Political Consultant) Obituary

• Alice Reports November, 2007 Several Alice columns arguing against a Employment Non-Discrimination Act that excludes transgender people. Alice begins campaign for an inclusive ENDA.

• Video Footage November, 2007 Harvey Milk Memorial March Carole Migden Speaks

• Alice Reports December, 2007 Bay Area Democrats respond to the Cosco Busan oil spill.

2008

• Alice Reports January, 2008 Rebecca Prozan talks about Alice achievements over her two years as Co-Chair.

• Alice Reports February, 2008 Susan Christian, first African American woman elected Co-Chair of Alice, talks about her vision for the club.

• Alice Reports March, 2008 In Memoriam Congressman Tom Lantos; and Mark Leno thanks Alice for successful signature drive to place his name on ballot for State Senate.

• Video Footage, March, 2008 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi endorses Mark Leno for State Senate

• Alice Reports April, 2008 Alice field organizing updates.

• Alice Reports May, 2008 Alice Reports editor Reese Aaron Isbell discusses specifics of Alice's get out the vote organization and its importance to the work the club does.

• Alice Reports June, 2008 June California Primary Election endorsements and get out the vote efforts.

• Video Collage June, 2008 Wedding of Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, first same sex couple to get married in San Francisco by Gavin Newsom in 2004 during the "Winter of Love; First couple to be married by Gavin Newsom again in June, 2008 after the California Supreme Court ruled the ban on same sex marriage unconstitutional; and also, the couple were the founders of the first lesbian rights organization, the Daughters of Bilitis, founded in San Francisco in 1955 (For more history on the Daughters of Bilitis, consult Sexual Politics, Sexual Communities, The Making of a Homosexual Minority in the United States, 1940-1970, by John D'Emilio).

• Alice Reports July, 2008 Letter from Alice to the Human Rights Campaign expressing refusal to participate in HRC dinner due to the HRC's "refusal to advocate for an inclusive ENDA". Recap of June election results. Letters from Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to Alice.

• July 4th, 2008, news footage on death of Senator Jesse Helms (Helms was an opponent of AIDS funding and an opponent of LGBT rights legislation)

• 2008 Democratic National Party Platform Sections on AIDS under Affordable Healthcare and Global Health. Also, under section "A More Perfect Union", the platform states "Democrats will fight to end discrimination based on race, sex, ethnicity, national origin, language, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, and disability in every corner of our country, because that's the America we believe in… We will pass the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act… We support the full inclusion of all families, including same-sex couples, in the life of our nation, and support equal responsibility, benefits, and protections. We will enact a comprehensive bipartisan employment non-discrimination act. We oppose the Defense of Marriage Act and all attempts to use this issue to divide us.

• Alice Reports September, 2008 In Memoriam Del Martin.

• Alice Reports October, 2008 November 2008 Presidential Election Alice Endorsements

• Alice Reports November, 2008 Election issue.

• Video Footage November, 2008 Harvey Milk Memorial March Mark Leno Speaks

• Video Footage November, 2008 Mark Leno Speaks at Marriage Rally after loss of fight against Proposition 8 (Banning same sex marriage)

2009

• Alice Reports January, 2009 Julius Turman reflects on Alice progress over his two years as Co-Chair. Alice joint letter on the fight over marriage equality after losing Proposition 8. Reflections on Barack Obama winning the Presidency.

• Video Footage January, 2009 Nancy Pelosi speaks at Harvey Milk Building Dedication

• CNN Video Footage, January, 2009 Senator Dianne Feinstein Opens Inaugural Ceremony for President-Elect Barack Obama

• Alice Reports February, 2009 Co-Chairs discuss aftermath of Proposition 8.

• February, 2009 GLBT Historical Society of Northern California Video Footage "Milk Skimmed" part 1 Gwen Craig remembers Harvey Milk

• February, 2009 GLBT Historical Society of Northern California Video Footage "Milk Skimmed" part 2 Gwen Craig remembers Harvey Milk, continued

• Alice Reports March, 2009 Alice recollections five years after the "Winter of Love"

• Video Footage, Commonwealth Club, March 11, 2009 Mayor Gavin Newsom discusses "marriage equality" and the Democratic Party

• Human Rights Campaign Dinner Dianne Feinstein talks about meeting with a 'gay group in 1969' (8:45 minutes into speech), and that group was the Society for Individual Rights, who's members would later form the Alice B. Toklas Memorial Democratic Club in 1971

• Alice Reports April, 2009 Special Election endorsements

• Alice Reports May, 2009 Co-Chairs discuss upcoming decision by California Supreme Court on constitutionality of Proposition 8.

• Video Footage of Willie Brown, July, 2009 "How I got into politics"

• Alice Reports August, 2009 Notes from Alice Co-Chairs who attended the Equality Summit on marriage in San Bernadino.

• San Francisco Chronicle Blog, October 12, 2009 Republican Governor Schwarzenegger signs law establishing May 22 as "Harvey Milk Annual Commemorative Day" in California.

• November, 2009 San Francisco Magazine Story on Theresa Sparks, San Francisco's first transgender Human Rights Commissioner, and first transgender Police Commissioner.

2010

• January, 2010 CNN footage, Geoff Kors, director of Equality California debates marriage equality

• Huffington Post, February, 2010 The United States Tax Court overturns the IRS and determines that sex reassignment surgery is not a 'cosmetic' surgery, and the article explains how the City of San Francisco demonstrated the low cost of providing transgender healthcare benefits to transgender people.

Home

Copyright (c) by Nathan Purkiss, 2010. All rights reserved. Contact nathanpurkiss@yahoo.com