Finding Aid to the Jerry (Jerome Joel) Davis Papers, SFH 52

Tami J. Suzuki

San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library

October 2019

100 Larkin Street

San Francisco, CA 94102

sfhistory@sfpl.org

URL: http://www.sfpl.org/sfhistory

Title: Jerry (Jerome Joel) Davis papers,

Date (inclusive): 1983-1992

Identifier/Call Number: SFH 52

Creator: Davis, Jerry (Jerome Joel)

Physical Description: 3 cartons (3 cubic feet)

Contributing Institution: San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library

Abstract: Contains Davis' files, mainly as staff attorney for the San Francisco Human Rights Commission (HRC), on the Family Policy Task Force and AIDS.

Physical Location: The collection is stored off site. A minimum of two working days' notice is required for use.

Language of Materials: Collection materials are in English.

Access

The collection is available for use during San Francisco History Center hours.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Jerrry (Jerome Joel) Papers, (SFH 52), San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library.

Provenance

Donated by Larry Bush on May 11, 2006.

Related Materials

Researchers are encouraged to see also the Art Agnos Papers (SFH 46).

Processing Information

Processed by Tami J. Suzuki in 2019.

Biographical/Historical Information

As staff attorney of the Human Rights Commission under Mayor Art Agnos, Jerry Davis authored the Family Policy Task Force final report which led to successful domestic partners health benefits legislation.

A graduate of Temple University and Villanova University Law School, Davis became an attorney with the United States Department of Labor in 1973, where he worked on contract compliance cases. He helped organize the first National AIDS Vigil in October 1983. From 1988 to 1990 he was a board member of the AIDS Foundation of the Whitman-Walker Health Center in Washington DC.

Davis moved to San Francisco in 1990 to work at the Human Rights Commission until his retirement in 1992. Besides being a member of the Family Policy Task Force, he worked on the election campaigns of Roberta Achtenberg (for supervisor) and Art Agnos (for reelection as mayor), and was assistant to the political communications director of Northern California for the Clinton-Gore Presidential campaign. In 1991 he was appointed to the board of the AIDS Legal Referral Panel and was co-chair of the ALRP board from 1992 until his death. Davis died Jan. 9, 1994, of AIDS. Preceded in death by his spouse, Jeffrey Clopper, in 1987, Davis was survived by his sister, Michele.

Agnos signed domestic partner legislation in June, 1989, which was narrowly repealed by voters that fall. The same year, the mayor established the Family Policy Task Force to study the inclusion of extended family members and partners of gays and lesbians as dependents on the city health plan. As a result, the city adopted domestic partner benefits in 1991. (The city of Berkeley, CA was the first in the country to offer these benefits to its employees, in 1984.)

Scope and Contents

Contains Davis' files, mainly as staff attorney for the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, on his Family Policy Task Force work and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Includes notes, reports, memoranda, data, and magazine, newspaper and journal articles.

Arrangement

Organized alphabetically by subject.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Family policy -- California -- San Francisco.

AIDS (Disease) -- Government policy -- California -- San Francisco.

Davis, Jerry (Jerome Joel) -- Archives.

Box 1

AIDS

Discrimination/Law 1988-1991

and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) 1985-1991

Physical Description: 3 folders

Legal Issues 1986-1991

Mayor's HIV Task Force Draft Report [1989?]-1990

Legal Guide, Lambda Legal Defense Fund

Legal Referral Panel 1991

Ryan White CARE Act

Statement by Jerry Davis to Washington, DC Health Council 1983

AIDS Update, Lambda Legal Defense Fund newsletter 1988-1992

California's Continuing Response to HIV Disease 1989

HIV: Impact on Communities of Color 1992

HIV-Infected Health Care Workers 1990-[1991?]

African American Child Task Force 1990

Americans with Disabilities Act 1990-1992

Physical Description: 3 folders

Arts Funding: Insitutionalized Discrimination Report 1989

California Discrimination Laws

1990 Census 1983-1991

Chronological File of Human Rights Commission (HRC) Memos 1991-1992

Physical Description: 3 folders

Civil Grand Jury Report 1991

Civil Rights Act of 1991 (U.S.)

Civil Rights: A.B. 101 Veto 1991

Civil Rights Act of 1992: A.B. 3825 Omnibus Civil Rights Act 1992

Jeffrey Clopper Eulogy 1987

Data and Case Referrals 1990

Department of Social Services: Welfare Fraud 1990

Discrimination Complaints Procedures 1986-1992

Domestic Partners 1989-1991

Physical Description: 2 folders

California Registration Information

Declaration (San Francisco Form)

Enforceability of Contracts 1989-1990

Extending Health Insurance to SF Employees' Significant Others Study May 1988

Box 2

Domestic Partners

HRC Hearing March 1989

HRC Report August 1989

Information Sheet

Insurance Data [199-]

IRS Ruling on Benefits July 1991

Issues and Legislation, Lambda Legal Defense Fund 1989-1992

Lecture Notes [1990]-1991

Legal Services Workshop January 1991

Legislation:

1989 San Francisco Ordinance May 1989

Revised San Francisco Ordinance August 1990

San Francisco Ordinance: "Obligations Without Benefits" Memo October 1990-1992

Physical Description: 2 folders

San Francisco Ordinance: Recognition of Domestic Partnerships December 1990

Lotus Corporation Benefits 1991

Reference Material 1986-1992

Physical Description: 4 folders

Employee Benefits Research Paper (Hewitt Associates) 1991

Social Security 1992

Washington DC Law

Family Care Leave Act, Washington, DC 1990

Family Policy Task Force 1982-1991

Physical Description: 6 folders

Report: Approaching 2000 1990

Reference Materials

Physical Description: 2 folders

Families--Non-traditional

Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco 1990-1991

Gay/Lesbian Issues--Articles 1990-1992

Gay/Lesbian Issues--Military 1992

Gay Organizations and Coalitions 1989-1991

Hate Violence 1990-1991

Human Rights Commission (HRC) Budget 1991-1992

HRC Issues Committee

Kennedy "Tolerance & Truth" Article [1983]

Lambda Update 1988-1992

Lesbian/Gay & AIDS Unit Yearly Reports (HRC) 1991

Box 3

Minority and Women Business Enterprises (MBE/WBE) 1990

1984 Ordinance

1989 Ordinance 1985-1991

Revitalization 1990

Mayor's Executive Order 1990

Progress Report, FY 1989-1990 1990

Progress Report, FYI 1990-1991 1991

Rules and Regulations 1991

Sunset Report 1992

Lawsuits:

Associated General Contractors v. City & County 1990-1991

Bay Cities Paving Case 1989-1991

Physical Description: 2 folders

Croson Case 1989-1990

MBE Conference 1990

MBE Program, Washington DC 1989-1990

"Minority Issues" Article by Hon. Thelton Henderson 1991

New York City Human Rights Ordinance 1991

News Clippings 1991-1992

Physical Description: 2 folders

Open Meeting Laws and Public Records Act 1989-1992

Preemption (of Discrimination Cases including AIDS and Sexual Orientation) 1982-1992

Physical Description: 3 folders

San Francisco "Doing Business" Guide

San Francisco Legislative Process [199-?]

"Selected Problems in Bargaining Unit Determination in Higher Education," Seminar Paper April 1973

Sexual Harrassment 1987-1992

Sexual Minorities Refugee Sanctuary Ordinance 1989-1991 1989-1991

Physical Description: 2 folders

Sexual Orientation Discrimination 1989-1992

Title VII, Affirmative Action 1990

Transition Memorandum for New Mayor 1991

"We Will Not Be Used" Speech (Matsuda) 1990