Community United Against Violence (CUAV) records
Finding aid created by GLBT Historical Society staff using RecordEXPRESS
GLBT Historical Society
2023
989 Market Street, Lower Level
San Francisco, California 94103
(415) 777-5455
reference@glbthistory.org
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Title: Community United Against Violence (CUAV) records
Dates: 1977-2005
Collection Number: 1996-33
Creator/Collector:
Extent: 31 cartons, 108 manuscript boxes, 1 oversize box, 1 oversize folder (84.95 linear feet)
Repository:
GLBT Historical Society
San Francisco, California 94103
Abstract: This collection documents the work of Community United Against Violence (CUAV), the nation’s first LGBTQQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, queer and questioning) anti-violence organization. The collection covers the years 1977 to 2005, and contains
administrative records; board materials; correspondence; financial records; hate crime surveys, reports and statistics; incident
and police reports; materials related to the organization’s Speakers Bureau, and other outreach projects and events produced
by CUAV; public relations materials; files collected by staff members; subject files; news clippings; awards; and reference
publications.
Language of Material: English
Collection is open for research with the exception of some incident reports, which are restricted until December 31, 2014.
Funding for processing this collection was provided by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC)
and the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR).
[Identification of item]. Community United Against Violence (CUAV) records. Collection Number: 1996-33. GLBT Historical Society
Gift of Community United Against Violence in October 1996.
Biography/Administrative History
Community United Against Violence (CUAV) was founded in 1979 as an organized effort to promote community safety in San Francisco’s
Castro District. This was in the wake of the assassinations of Harvey Milk and George Moscone and police attacks on LGBTQ
people. CUAV is the country’s oldest LGBTQ anti-violence organization. Programs initially included a safety whistle campaign,
a gay and lesbian speakers bureau for public schools, and later expanded to include a 24-hour crisis line and peer advocates
to support survivors of hate violence and intimate partner violence. After the adoption of an anti-oppression framework in
the late 1990’s, CUAV launched TransAction with the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights to organize against anti-transgender
police violence., It also started the Love & Justice Program to create opportunities for LGBTQ youth of color to develop healthy
relationship skills through the arts. (see www.cuav.org/history)
Scope and Content of Collection
This collection documents the work of Community United Against Violence (CUAV), the nation’s first LGBTQQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, queer and questioning) anti-violence organization. The collection covers the years 1977 to 2005, and contains
administrative records; board materials; correspondence; financial records; hate crime surveys, reports and statistics; incident
and police reports; materials related to the organization’s Speakers Bureau, and other outreach projects and events produced
by CUAV; public relations materials; files collected by staff members; subject files; news clippings; awards; and reference
publications.
This collection has been minimally processed. Original folder labels were retained and materials were sorted into series according
to those titles. Folders were not always checked to verify that their contents matched the label. The collection has been
divided into 16 series: Board of Directors Records; Administrative Records; Lester Olmstead-Rose Papers; Correspondence; Financial
Records; Hate Crimes; Public Relations; Speakers Bureau; Other Outreach Projects; Events; Subject Files; Awards; Audio; News
Clippings; Reference Publications; and Police and Incident Reports.
GSSO Linked Terms: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/GSSO_008503; http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/GSSO_002861
Law enforcement
Homophobia
Community United Against Violence (Organization)