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Goltz (James) and Jean Wood ethnographic fieldwork research on the Committee Against the Briggs Initiative, Los Angeles chapter
Coll2014-003  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • 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)