Finding Aid to the James Goltz and Jean Wood ethnographic fieldwork research on the Committee Against the Briggs Initiative,
Los Angeles chapter
Coll2014-003
Lizzie Hernandez
Processing this collection has been funded by a generous grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
(c) 2014
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90007
askone@usc.edu
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)
James Goltz ethnographic fieldwork research on the Committee Against the Briggs Initiative, Los Angeles chapter 107849
1975-1979
Box 1, Folder 2
General published materials on gay rights 107851
1978-1979
Box 1, Folder 4
Newspaper clippings on Proposition 6 and gay rights 107853
1975-1979
Box 1, Folder 5
No on 6 campaign records, Committee Against Briggs Initiative (San Francisco Bay Area) 107854
1977-1979
Box 1, Folder 8
No on 6 campaign records, Committee Against Briggs Initiative (Los Angeles) 108432
1978
Box 1, Folder 8
Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) published materials 107857
1975-1979
Box 1, Folder 9
Pro-Proposition 6 published materials 107858
1978
Scope and Contents
Includes materials from California Defend our Children, National Socialist Party of America, and Citizens for Decency and
Morality.
Box 1, Folder 3
Research introduction and questionnaire 107852
1978-1979
Scope and Contents
Includes the membership roster for the Los Angeles chapter of the Committee Against the Briggs Initiative.
Transcripts of interviews 107939
1978-1979
Box 2, Folder 1
Beers, Jinx 109308
February 23, 1979
Box 2, Folder 2
Brooks, Steve 109309
February 17, 1979
Box 2, Folder 3
Brown, Nancy 109310
March 16, 1979
Box 2, Folder 4
Burns, Cedric J. 109311
February 27, 1979
Box 2, Folder 5
Egleston, Ann 109312
1979
Box 2, Folder 6
Evans, Lee 109313
Januray 29, 1979
Box 2, Folder 7
Field, Barbara 109314
1979
Box 2, Folder 8
Goldsmith, Larry 109315
May 5, 1979
Box 2, Folder 9
Hieber, Wayne 109316
March 19, 1979
Box 2, Folder 10
Hockman, Steve 109317
1979
Box 2, Folder 11
Hoover, Bill 109318
January 29, 1979
Box 2, Folder 12
Itkin, Father Michael 109319
November 20, 1978
Box 2, Folder 13
Jarrico, Bill 109320
January 30, 1979
Box 2, Folder 15
Kent, Steve 109321
January 13, 1979
Box 2, Folder 16
London, Eugene 109322
February 7, 1979
Box 2, Folder 17
Marushka, Muriel 109323
January 20, 1979
Box 2, Folder 18
Martinoff, Rae 109324
April 3, 1979
Box 2, Folder 19
McEvoy, Joyce 109325
February 21, 1979
Box 2, Folder 20
McGreivy, Susan 109326
February 21, 1979
Box 2, Folder 22
O'Brien, John 109328
1979
Box 2, Folder 23
Perdue, Bill
109329
March 8, 1979
Box 2, Folder 24
Plotnick, Sidney 109330
January 31, 1979
Box 2, Folder 25
Rosen, Charlie
109331
February 15, 1979
Box 2, Folder 26
Savva, Toska 109332
April 3, 1979
Box 2, Folder 27
Smith, William E 109333
March 16, 1979
Box 2, Folder 28
Welch, Jack 109334
February 21, 1979
