This collection focuses on the writing and public presentations of San Francisco author Robert De Andreis, who was best known for his weekly San Francisco Sentinel column, “HIV Commentary.” The collection contains the columns, versions of his book, HIV Commentary: Preparation for Life’s Ultimate Journey, correspondence, personal journals, academic notebooks, information about talks, presentations, and classes given by De Andreis, video and audio recordings of his public talks, personal records, and photographs. The collection also contains a large volume of fan mail written to De Andreis in response to “HIV Commentary.”

Robert De Andreis, a San Francisco author, was best known for his weekly San Francisco Sentinel column, “HIV Commentary.” De Andreis was born on October 26, 1958. He graduated from Lowell High School in San Francisco, California and attended San Francisco Sate University where he studied art (drawing and painting). Later, De Andreis trained at the School of American Ballet in New York. He eventually returned to San Francisco State University to earn a master’s degree in film. De Andreis moved to Los Angeles and worked as an archivist at Paramount Studios in Hollywood and taught elementary school at Christ the King school in Los Angeles. He also taught at Sacred Heart elementary school in San Francisco. In 1993, De Andreis began writing “HIV Commentary,” chronicling his struggle with the virus. He won two Cable Car awards for his column. De Andreis eventually published HIV Commentary: Preparation for Life’s Ultimate Journey, a collection of his articles. De Andreis died of AIDS complications in 1995. He was 36.

2.2 linear feet

Prior written permission of David De Andreis is required for commercial use of materials in the collection.

Collection is open for research. Funding for processing this collection was provided by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).