Administrative History
Conditions Governing Access
Conditions Governing Use
Acquisition
Preferred Citation
Processing Information
Scope and Contents
Arrangement
Separated Materials
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Title: James Goltz and Jean Wood ethnographic fieldwork research on the Committee Against the Briggs Initiative, Los Angeles chapter
creator:
Goltz, James D.
Identifier/Call Number: Coll2014-003
Identifier/Call Number: 655
Physical Description:
0.8 Linear Feet
2 boxes.
Date (inclusive): 1975-1979
Abstract: Ethnographic fieldwork research materials of James Goltz and Jean Wood regarding their study of the Committee Against the
Briggs Initiative (CABI), Los Angeles chapter, conducted in 1978-1979. The collectin includes 29 interviews with members of
CABI as well as field notes, administrative records, media clippings, and promotional materials. CABI was formed when Senator
John Briggs introduced California Proposition 6, the "Briggs Initiative," in 1978 to prohibit gay and lesbian people as well
as those who advocated for gay and lesbian rights from working in public schools.
Administrative History
In 1978, Senator John Briggs introduced California Proposition 6, the "Briggs Initiative," to prohibit gay and lesbian people
as well as those who advocated for gay and lesbian rights from working in public schools. The Committee Against the Briggs
Initiative (CABI) formed in the spring of 1978 to fight the proposition. Multiple CABI chapters formed across California,
the largest of which were in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. CABI's efforts contributed to the defeat of the proposition
in the November 1978 election by a margin of 58% to 42%.
The impetus for the research was a two-quarter graduate seminar at UCLA on Ethnographic Fieldwork conducted by Professor Robert
Emerson (Sociology 217A and B). Students were instructed to select a setting in which the principles of participant observation,
in-depth interviewing, field-note taking, document collection and other ethnographic methods could be practiced. James Goltz
and Jean Wood chose the The Committee Against the Briggs Initiative (CABI) chapter in Los Angeles and conducted interviews
with members, attended meetings, and participated in demonstrations and public actions, including picketing a fast food restaurant
whose owner had made contributions to the passage of the initiative. All interviews were conducted in-person using a standard
questionnaire. The papers written by Goltz and Wood for the seminar are not included in the collection.
Source: Box 1/folder 1, James Goltz Ethnographic Fieldwork Research on the Committee Against the Briggs Initiative, Los Angeles
Chapter, Coll2014.003, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the ONE Archivist. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives at USC Libraries as the owner of the physical
items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Acquisition
Donated by James D. Goltz, January 10, 2014.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder #, or item name] James Goltz and Jean Wood Ethnographic Fieldwork Research on the Committee Against the Briggs
Initiative, Los Angeles Chapter, Coll2014.003, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern
California.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Lizzie Hernandez, January 17, 2014.
Scope and Contents
Ethnographic fieldwork research of James Goltz and Jean Wood regarding their study of the Committee Against the Briggs Initiative
(CABI), Los Angeles chapter, conducted in 1978-1979. The collection includes audio recordings and transcriptions of 29 interviews
with members of CABI as well as field notes, administrative records, media clippings, and promotional materials.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged alphabetically.
Separated Materials
Separated to the ONE audiovisual collection
Audiocassette interviews with Jinx Beers, Steve Brooks, Nancy Brown, Cedric Burns, Ann Egleston, Lee Evans,Larry Goldsmith,
Wayne Heiber, Barabara Field/Steve Hockeman, Bill Hoover, Michael Itkin, Bill Jarrico, Ruth, Jessen, Steve Kent, Eugene London,
Muriel Marushka, Rae Martinoff, Joyce McEvay, Susan McGrievey, Bob Nelson, John O'Brien, Bill Perdue, Sidney Plotnick, Charles
Rosen, Toska Savva, William E. Smith, Jack Welch and Pat Wellner.
Audiocassette recordings titled: post-election, election night, and recollections.
Separated to the ONE button collection
"No on Proposition 6," white with blue writing and red border and torch symbol, 2.25-inch diameter.
"no 6," red with white lettering, 1-inch diameter.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Gay activists -- California -- Los Angeles
Interviews
Lesbian activists -- California -- Los Angeles
Political activists -- California -- Los Angeles
Committee Against the Briggs Initiative Los Angeles (Organization)