Inventory of the David Donald (Don) Mulford Papers
Archives Staff and Melissa Larson
California State Archives
1020 "O" Street
Sacramento, California 95814
Phone: (916) 653-2246
Fax: (916) 653-7363
Email: ArchivesWeb@sos.ca.gov
URL: http://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/
© 2010
California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.
Inventory of the David Donald (Don) Mulford Papers
Collection number: LP393
California State Archives
Office of the Secretary of State
Sacramento, California
- Processed by:
- Archives Staff and Melissa Larson
- Date Completed:
- February 2009
- Encoded by:
- Michelle Wallen
© 2010 California Secretary of State. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
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
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
Administrative Information
Restrictions
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
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.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], David Donald (Don) Mulford Papers, LP393:[folder number], California State Archives, Office of the
Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.
Acquisition Information
The California State Archives acquired the David Donald (Don) Mulford Papers following his final term in the California Legislature.
Biography
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
Scope and Content
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.
Arrangement
The David Donald (Don) Mulford Papers are arranged into twenty series.
Indexing Terms
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
Related Material
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.
LP393:1-35
Series 1
Bill Files
1961-1970
Physical Description: 35 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by legislative session and numerically by bill number.
Scope and Content Note
Bill files created by Don Mulford may include bill analyses, amendments and resolutions, author's statements, testimony, press
releases, editorials and newspaper clippings, correspondence, committee statements, and other information. Major topics found
throughout the series include the environment, firearms (including the 1967 Mulford Act AB1591), marriage counseling, BART,
and legislation relating to the University of California.
1961: AB787 (3ff) LP393:1-3
1963: AB8-AB2374; ACR14-ACR102; HR72-HR561 (4ff) LP393:4-7
1964: AB48X, HR44-HR199 (2ff) LP393:8-9
1965: AB2093-AB3216 (2ff) LP393:10-11
1967: AB665-AB2469 (5ff) LP393:12-16
1968: AB255-AB1131 (3ff) LP393:17-19
1969: AB292-AB2036 (1ff) LP393:20
1970: AB271-AB2330; ACR151-ACR; HR122-HR210 (15ff) LP393:21-35
LP393:36-71
Series 2
Other Legislators' Bill Files
1957-1970
Physical Description: 36 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by legislative session and numerically by bill number.
Scope and Content Note
This series consists of bill files that Mulford created and maintained for bills introduced by other legislators. Documents
in this series may include bill analyses, amendments and resolutions, author's statements, testimony, press releases, editorials
and newspaper clippings, correspondence from his constituents, committee statements, and other information. The series contains
a wide range of topics that were of concern to his constituents including environmental issues, education, taxation, transportation,
and retirement.
1969: AB2-AB2070; HR33 (14ff) LP393:36-49
1970: AB6-AB1764 (20ff) LP393:50-69
1970: SB66-SB959 (2ff) LP393:70-71
LP393:72-241
Series 3
Subject Files
1957-1970
Physical Description: 170 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by subject title.
Scope and Content Note
The Subject Files include publications, background information, studies, correspondence, and newspaper clippings. Some topics
of interest to Don Mulford were communism, crime, the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), Gun Control (see also AB1591 in the 1967
Bill Files), Marriage Counseling, and Taxes. Mulford compiled a sizable amount of newspaper clippings regarding Assembly
Speaker Jesse Unruh (1962-1968). He also collected the former legislator and prominent Republican, Caspar Weinberger's "California
Commentary" columns.
A list of subject headings is available in Appendix A of the master finding aid at the California State Archives.
LP393:242-245
Series 4
University of California Files
1957-1970
Physical Description: 3 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged into two sub-series: (a) general, and (b) Mulford's Personal Record
Scope and Content Note
The series contains 3 file folders of general information Don Mulford collected regarding matters of the University of California
system and U.C. Berkeley in particular. Topics represented in the files include budget matters, campus unrest, academic issues,
and other information regarding the politics of the University System. This series also contains Don Mulford's self-authored
record of his contributions to the UC system.
LP393:246-256
Series 5
University of California Subject Files
1962-1969
Physical Description: 11 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by subject title.
Scope and Content Note
University of California Subject Files contain background information, studies, correspondence and newspaper clippings. The
files relate to such issues as the Boalt Hall Student Association; Mulford's involvement with the Board of Education Development;
news clippings and press releases regarding UCLA professor Angela Davis; news clippings and correspondence related to President
Clark Kerr; Mulford's statement on minority enrollment; meeting minutes and correspondence with the Regents of the University
of California; fliers and pamphlets from Student and Faculty strikes; and numerous records from the Vietnam Day Committee,
a left-wing, anti-war coalition formed in Berkeley.
LP393:257-259
Series 6
University of California General Correspondence
1962-1970
Physical Description: 3 file folders
Arrangement
Roughly arranged chronologically by year.
Scope and Content Note
The series contains both incoming and outgoing correspondence between Don Mulford and University of California personnel as
well as other legislators regarding University policies and other important events and issues during this tumultuous era for
the university.
LP393:260-262
Series 7
Free Speech Movement Correspondence
1964-1965
Physical Description: 3 file folders
Arrangement
Roughly arranged chronologically by date.
Scope and Content Note
The University of California Free Speech Movement Correspondence files contain incoming and outgoing correspondence between
Mulford and his constituents related to the student movement on the Berkeley campus.
LP393:263
Series 8
University of California Publications
1959-1969
Physical Description: 1 file folder
Arrangement
Arranged by topic.
Scope and Content Note
The University of California Publications includes publications both from and about the University of California. Topics include
education training, public surveys, the U.C. Regents, miscellaneous bulletins, a report on campus disturbances, and other
topics regarding the university.
LP393:264-279
Series 9
University of California News Clippings
1957-1970
Physical Description: 16 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically.
Scope and Content Note
The University of California News Clippings contain a significant amount of newspaper clippings from several California newspapers
relating to major issues the University of California was facing in the 1960s. Specific issues covered include campus unrest,
controversial campus policy, and other headlining events that took place during the 1960s.
LP393:280-297
Series 10
Campaign Files
1958-1970
Physical Description: 18 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by campaign year.
Scope and Content Note
The Campaign Files reflect Mulford's successful campaigns in 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968, and his defeat in 1970.
Files from his first campaigns (1958-1964) are smaller in scope and contain items such as resumes, plans of actions, election
forecasts, campaign statements, endorsements, public opinion surveys, Republican Central Committee correspondence, and campaign
materials. The series contains a greater volume of records from Mulford's 1966 and 1968 campaigns and includes precinct committee
files, endorsements, dear friend cards, the proposed reapportionment of California Congressional Districts in 1967, statistics,
correspondence, news clippings, and disputes with his opponents (Edward Ardzooni in 1966 and Ken Meade in 1968). Mulford's
1970 campaign files contains several press releases from his campaign headquarters along with strategies and campaign materials.
This series also contains campaign files for Richard Nixon's presidential 1960 and 1968 campaigns and Barry Goldwater's 1964
campaign. The Presidential Campaign files include documents from the 1960 Republican Convention in Chicago, which Mulford
attended as a Delegate. Finally, there is 1 file folder of Other Campaign files that includes campaign fliers and brochures
from various campaigns Mulford may have been tied to.
LP393:298-352
Series 11
Chronological Correspondence
1966-1970
Physical Description: 55 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by month.
Scope and Content Note
The series includes outgoing correspondence from Mulford's office to his constituents. This includes responses to letters,
birthday wishes, congratulations, sympathy notes, etc.
LP393:353-354
Series 12
Press Releases
1963-1970
Physical Description: 2 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by release date.
Scope and Content Note
The series contains Don Mulford's press releases in 1963, 1968, 1969 and 1970 from his Sacramento office. Also contained in
the files are some press releases from his District Office in 1970. The press releases often announced and describe Mulford's
legislation.
LP393:355-356
Series 13
Sacramento Reports
1963-1970
Physical Description: 2 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by release date.
Scope and Content Note
The
Sacramento Reports reported Don Mulford's opinion on major legislative issues of the time including the California budget and legislation that
directly affected his constituents such as conservation, education, and crime. The series contains records from 1963, 1968,
1969 and 1970.
LP393:357-366
Series 14
Caucus Files
1963-1970
Physical Description: 10 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by year.
Scope and Content Note
The Caucus Files contain memoranda, minutes, agendas, press releases, press conference reports, other reports, and Caucus
correspondence. Mulford was elected Chairman of the Assembly Republican Caucus in 1963 and remained until 1970.
LP393:367-368
Series 15
Speech Files
1961-1969
Physical Description: 2 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged into two sub-series: (a) Mulford Speeches, and (b) Other Collected Speeches
Scope and Content Note
The Speech Files include both speeches given by Mulford and speeches he collected from others such as J. Edgar Hoover, Ben
Peery, and Robert A. Scalapino. Of Mulford's speeches, some are written in full, some are drafts, and some are just cue cards
with bullet points. Some topics in the series include speeches on civil rights issues, environmental issues, and his account
of Assembly lockdown on July 30, 1963.
LP393:369-377
Series 16
News Clippings
1962-1970
Physical Description: 9 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by year.
Scope and Content Note
The series includes newspaper and periodical clippings from 1962, 1963, 1964, 1968, 1970 and 1971 and two file folders labeled
"Special Clippings" which were clippings of special interest to Mulford. Though he retained several news clippings that can
be found throughout the entire collection, the News Clippings series contains the reprints Mulford saved regarding issues
directly related to his legislation. A majority of the clippings mention his name specifically, though some are just relative
to his key concerns some of which include the environment, civil unrest, education, marriage counseling, and Bay Area Rapid
Transit (BART).
LP393:378-387
Series 17
Operating Engineers Union Number 3 Files
1971-1976
Physical Description: 10 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged by topic.
Scope and Content Note
Topics include correspondence, court hearings, affirmative action meetings, compliance monitor reports, and Joint Apprenticeship
Committee agendas and minutes. After leaving the Legislature, Don Mulford was the Director in Community Relations for the
Operating Engineers and Participating Employers Pre-Apprentice, Apprentice and Journeymen Affirmative Action Training Fund.
LP393:388-399
Series 18
Publications
1959-1976
Physical Description: 12 file folders
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by topic.
Scope and Content Note
Publications include journals, periodicals, newspapers, and magazines. Topics include controversial issues (such as communism
and civil rights), education, environment, Legislative hearings, Legislative Reapportionment, Oakland-related publications,
rapid transit, the Republican Party, and veterans affairs.
LP393:400
Series 19
Mulford Personal File
1934-1970
Physical Description: 1 file folder
Arrangement
Roughly arranged chronologically.
Scope and Content Note
Mulford's Personal Files include documents relating to his personal life. Included in the series is information on personal
scandals he dealt with such as the controversial Lurie Foundation Scholarship his son was granted; the lawsuit he won against
his opponent in the 1957 special election, William McKibben; and issues regarding the value of his home. Also in the file
are awards that were given to Mulford such as the 1970 City of Hope Man of the Year Award and the Community Salute to Don
Mulford. The file contains some personal letters received while serving in the military during World War II and class notes
from his political science course taken from UC Berkeley in 1934.
LP393:401-402
Series 20
Photographs
1957-1970
Physical Description: 2 file folders
Arrangement
Subject Files are arranged alphabetically by subject title.
Scope and Content Note
Photographs include Don Mulford's professional photo, family photos from 1958-1970, and other personal photos. In 1969, Mulford
requested photos from Republican Governors in other states. As a result, this file contains the formal photographs of 28 Republican
Governors in 1969.