San Francisco: 1972-1992.
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Hardcover. A collection of more than 175 issues of the *Alice Reports* newsletter published between 1972 and 1992 by The Alice B. Toklas Memorial Democratic Club of San Francisco, the first registered LGBT Democratic Club in the United States. In addition to monthly newsletters are a number of special issues, club-related programs, brochures, mailers, and flyers. Most are quartos and octavos, but a few are tabloid-size. Overall very good or better with some age-toning, scattered ink notations and typical wear from being mailed.
The Alice B. Toklas Memorial Democratic Club of San Francisco was formed in San Francisco in December 1971, two years after the Stonewall riots. The Club was the brainchild of Jim Foster who, with Daughters of Bilitis co-founders Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, created the first gay advocacy group within the Democratic Party. The group campaigned for inclusive Democratic Presidential candidate George McGovern in 1972, helping him secure support in California and who in turn provided Foster the opportunity to become the first openly gay man to address a national political convention.
The Club was well-organized and gained support from a number of established politicians and rising stars, such as Dianne Feinstein, Willie Brown, and George Moscone, and helped to establish the LGBT population of San Francisco as an influential voting bloc. Despite early successes and many political inroads, the Club was viewed as too moderate to an increasingly aggressive and militant segment of the gay community of the late 1970s, led by Harvey Milk, who criticized the timid and unassuming candidates Alice supported. Despite the criticism, Alice remained an important and widely consulted political organization which is still active today.
The first two issues of the *Alice Reports* heavily feature the McGovern campaign, but subsequent issues are focused on interviews and profiles of local politicians, efforts to change state sodomy laws, news about the newly formed Bay Area Gay Liberation group, support for the San Francisco Coors Beer boycott, the push to legalize marijuana, coverage of the Harvey Milk assassination and its aftermath, the emergence and effects of the AIDS epidemic, and the political endorsements of Jesse Jackson and Nancy Pelosi.
Also interesting is the sizable number of mailing labels featuring notable subscribers, including: José Sarria, the first openly gay candidate for public office in the United States; Rink Foto, veteran photographer of the LGBTQ scene and *Alice* contributor; Kim Corsaro, publisher of the *San Francisco Bay Times*; Randy Alfred, host of *The Gay Life*, the first regularly scheduled LGBT-oriented program on commercial radio in the United States; Elmer Wilheim, president of the San Francisco chapter of the Stonewall Democratic Club; and more than two dozen issues once owned by Martin and Lyon.
A nice group of newsletters from the first registered LGBT Democratic Club in the United States. A detailed list is available.
Item #446614
