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Inventory of the David Donald (Don) Mulford Papers
LP393
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Title: David Donald (Don) Mulford papers
Dates: 1934-1976
Collection number: LP393
Creator:
Mulford, David Donald (Don)
Collection Size:
18 cubic feet
Repository:
California State Archives
Sacramento, California
Abstract: The Don Mulford Papers consist of 18 cubic feet of textual records covering the years 1934-1976.
Physical location: California State Archives
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Collection is open for research.
For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication
is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility
for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives
collections.
[Identification of item], David Donald (Don) Mulford Papers, LP393:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the
Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.
The California State Archives acquired the David Donald (Don) Mulford Papers following his final term in the California Legislature.
David Donald (Don) Mulford, Republican, was a State Assembly Member from 1957 to 1970. He was first elected in 1957 in a special
election to fill the unexpired term of Judge Thomas Caldecott. From 1957 to 1961, he represented Assembly District 18 in Alameda
County, which covered the Albany-Berkeley area. Following redistricting in 1962, he represented the 16th District which included
parts of Berkeley, Oakland, and all of Piedmont.
Don Mulford was born on August 27, 1915 in Oakland. He attended Oakland public schools and graduated from the University
of California, Berkeley with an A.B. degree. From 1940 to 1946 he served in the U.S. Army as an Infantry Officer and was
active in World War II. In 1946, upon leaving the Army, he worked in the San Francisco and West Coast office of the Music
Corporation of America as a manager. In 1953, he started his own insurance company called the Don Mulford Company, Insurance
Brokers that he kept until the early 1960s when he became a partner in the insurance brokerage firm of Mulford, Poulton and
Orr in Oakland. He was husband to the former Virginia Adams and father to David, Donna, Patty, and Donny. The family resided
in Piedmont.
Mulford was active in his community. He was a 33rd Degree Mason, an active member of Scottish Rite, Shriners, Elks, and Native
Sons of the Golden West. He was also a permanent contributing member of the Shriners Crippled Children's Medical Center of
the Easy Bay and a member of the Guardsmen, Commonwealth Club, Press Club, and Union League Club. Additionally, Mulford was
active in the Boy Scouts of America and served as Vice President of the Council of Dad's Club. He was a holder of the Fraternal
Order of Eagles Outstanding Citizen Award and was awarded the American Legion Citation of Meritorious Service. He was a life
member of the University of California Alumni Society and a member of the Theta Delta Chi Fraternity.
Mulford was elected Chairman of the Minority Caucus in 1963, a position he held until January 1969, when Republicans became
the majority party in the Assembly. He continued as Majority Caucus Chairman until the end of his term in 1970. Mulford authored
legislation preserving open space in the Berkeley Hills and legislation designed to preserve Lake Tahoe. He was the principal
architect of the Mulford-Carrell Air Resources Act that was designed to combat air pollution. The California Wildlife Federation
named Mulford "Air Conservationist of the Year" in 1967. Mulford also authored the bill making it a felony to attack peace
officers and authored the bill to assist University and State College authorities in removing non-student protestors from
campuses of higher education institutions. He is also the author of the Mulford Act (AB 1591, 1967) that prohibits unauthorized
persons from carrying loaded firearms on public streets, in public places, and in areas where it is illegal to fire a gun.
According to the California Legislature at Sacramento (Handbooks), Mulford served on the following committees:
California State Assembly, 1957-1970
- Standing Committees
- Finance and Insurance, 1958
- Government Organization, 1958-1968
- Public Health, 1958-1968
- Revenue and Taxation, 1959-1964
- Military and Veterans Affairs, 1961
- Government Efficiency and Economy, 1963-1966
- Ways and Means, 1965-1970
- Legislative Representation, 1968
- Intergovernmental Relations, 1969-1970
- Urban Affairs and Housing, 1969
The Don Mulford Papers consist of 18 cubic feet of textual records covering the years 1934-1976. The collection is organized
into 20 series: Mulford's Bill Files, Other Legislator's Bill Files, Subject Files, University of California Files, University
of California Subject Files, University of California General Correspondence, University of California Free Speech Movement
Correspondence, University of California Publications, University of California News Clippings, Campaign Files, Chronological
Correspondence Files, Press Release Files, Mulford's "Sacramento Reports" Files, Caucus Files, Speech Files, Operating Engineers
Union Number 3 Files, News Clippings, Publications, Mulford Personal File, and Photographs.
As Chairman of the Assembly Republican Caucus from 1963-1970, Don Mulford's papers provide insight into the Republican leadership
of the 1960s. Contained throughout the Subject Files, Campaign Files, Correspondence, Caucus Files, and Release Files are
Mulford's interactions and dealings with members of the Legislature and the public concerning carrying out the Republican
agenda. Also found in the Subject Files are articles related to Jesse Unruh, Democratic Speaker of the Assembly from 1962-1968,
who Mulford publicly clashed with on legislative and administrative issues.
With the University of California at Berkeley in his district, Don Mulford was known for legislation concerning the university,
especially in the areas of crime. He is well known for having authored the legislation that allowed officers to remove non-student
and violent protestors from college campuses. While that particular legislation was not kept in his bill files, information
regarding his involvement in the University can be found in the 6 series of University of California Files. Mulford was also
involved in the removal of U.C. President Clark Kerr in 1967, which can be found in the "University of California Subject
Files - Kerr, Clark".
The papers also detail the 1967 Mulford Act, which prohibited unauthorized persons from carrying loaded firearms on public
streets, in public places, and in areas where it is illegal to fire a gun. These records are found in the Bill Files, in the
1967 session under AB1591 and also in the Subject Files under Gun Control.
Along with Republican Leadership and U.C. Berkeley affairs, the Don Mulford Papers are a good resource in researching many
controversial issues of the 1960s such as communism, civil unrest, and civil rights. Mulford was also very active in conservation
efforts of areas such as Lake Tahoe and the Torrey Pines State Reserve and concerned with air and water pollution.
The David Donald (Don) Mulford Papers are arranged into twenty series.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Mulford, David Donald
Gun control
Civil rights
David Donald Mulford, Oral History Interview, Conducted 1988 and 1989 by Timothy P. Fong and Ann Lage, Regional Oral History
Office, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, for the California State Archives State Government Oral
History Program.