Finding aid for the Allan Kaplan and Robert Kaplan political memorabilia collection 6119
Sue Lutschein
USC Libraries Special Collections
2016 May
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California 90089-0189
specol@usc.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Title: Allan Kaplan and Robert Kaplan political memorabilia collection
creator:
Kaplan, Robert
creator:
Kaplan, Allan
Identifier/Call Number: 6119
Physical Description:
11 Linear Feet
(8 containers)
Date (inclusive): 1960s-2000s
Abstract: The Allan Kaplan and Robert Kaplan political memorabilia collection consists of posters, ephemera, and realia documenting
national and local political and campaigns. The bulk of the material dates from the late 1960s-early 1970s and documents the
brothers' earliest political activism. The collection also includes later campaigns (from the 2000s) on which Robert was
involved professionally.
Biographical / Historical
Allan Kaplan first became interested in politics while volunteering for Democrat Dave Negri's campaign for California State
Assembly, where he stuffed envelopes and went on "sniping" runs late at night putting up half and quarter cards on telephone
and lamp poles. According to his brother Robert, "He 'dragged' me to the campaign office and I was put on the telephones
to ask for votes, did some literature distribution, and in the era when you could drive around in a car with a speaker on
top announcing who to vote for, etc., I was the kid on the microphone."
For a time, Allan was California's youngest Young Democrat.
Allan and Robert were pictured in the news (the Valley Green Sheet, now called the Los Angeles Daily News) attending an anti-war
rally at Valley State (now California State University Northridge - CSUN) skipping school (with a note from our parents) where
Phil Ochs played.
At 13, Allan and 11 year old Robert walked precincts for Clean Gene McCarthy. Somewhere in here, Allan was involved with
Ed Koupal soon after he and his wife Joyce founded "People's Lobby" as they pursued their political reform initiatives.
Allan was the youth campaign manager for Tom Bradley's Pacoima office (covering the East San Fernando Valley) during his unsuccessful
1969 run for Mayor. He then, while in high school, worked for Councilman Bradley forming a city-wide Youth Corps in 1970-71.
According to Robert, "After being dragged (again) by my brother, I 'volunteered,' walking precincts, making voter ID, fundraising
and GOTV calls, and as usual was the kid on the loudspeaker in the car driving around the city. After this 'volunteer' experience
I was hooked and eventually built a career as a result of my brother dragging me along to get me out of sitting in front of
the TV. Allan's involvement with Mayor Bradley resulted in a life-long relationship for both him and me."
Allan took six months off from his freshman year at the University of California at Santa Cruz to co-manage the youth campaign
for Tom Bradley's successful run for Mayor in 1973, and later worked in the Mayor's office on special projects. Allan has
remained involved politically over the years through AIPAC and other activities while building a successful career in Finance
and Mergers and Acquisitions.
After completing a CORO Foundation Fellowship, Robert built a career in politics. He has had the privilege of being the Finance
Director of more than 30 statewide initiatives and many local initiatives across the country and abroad, developed several
hundred PAC programs, worked with dozens of non-profits, and has been the lead strategist and consultant on numerous local
candidate campaigns.
Content Description
The Allan Kaplan and Robert Kaplan political memorabilia collection consists of posters, ephemera, and realia documenting
national and local political and campaigns. The bulk of the material dates from the late 1960s-early 1970s and documents the
brothers' earliest political activism. The collection also includes later campaigns (from the 2000s) on which Robert was
involved professionally.
Arrangement
Given the homogeneity of the collection, it is arranged and described by format.
Conditions Governing Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. Advance notice required for access.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian.
Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended
to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder no. or item name], Allan Kaplan and Robert Kaplan political memorabilia collection, Collection no. 6119, Special
Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of the Kaplan family, May 17, 2016.
Processing Information
The collection is unprocessed.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- History -- Archival resources
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Politics and government -- 20th century -- Archival resources
United States -- History -- Archival resources
United States -- Politics and government -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Ephemera
Realia
Sound recordings
Videocassettes
Box 6, Box 7
Bumper stickers
Scope and Contents
Stickers for the presidential campaigns of Nixon, Reagan, Humphrey, McCarthy, Cranston, McGovern, Dole; various local and
state elections; environment and ecology issues.
Box 3
Ephemera
Scope and Contents
Allan Kaplan volunteer badges; credentials and passes; miscellaneous printed ephemera and business cards; small campaign stickers;
keychains; pens and pencils; matchbooks. In folders are flyers and mailers for Los Angeles area elections, both local and
national; press packets; campaign information for Richard Katz election, 1980; stickers from campaigns, 1968 and 1969; miscellaneous
printed ephemera from the 1960s and 1970s; and space race literature.
Files
Scope and Contents
The material in this series consists of individual file folders created by Allan Kaplan to document early campaigns with which
he was involved. Some of the items in these folders duplicates material elsewhere in the collection.
Box 4, Folder 1
People running for Congress /69/Corman '68 & 69
1968-1969
Box 4, Folder 2
Board of Ed. #4 and other
1969
Box 4, Folder 3
People Running for Jr. College Board of Trustees
1969
Box 4, Folder 4
People Running for City-Council
1969
Box 4, Folder 6
O'Brien/Harmer/Younger attorney general
1970
Box 4, Folder 7
Elect Duncan Judge #8/William P. Kennedy/J. Wallace McKnight
1970
Box 4, Folder 10
Riles, Rafferty Running for Superintendent of Instruction
1970
Box 4, Folder 11
Elect O'Nan Senator/Tom Carrel
1970
Box 4, Folder 12
Re-elect Reagan Governor/Re-elect Reinecke Lieutentant Governor
1970
Box 4, Folder 13
Unruh running for Governor
1970
Box 4, Folder 14
McCarthy & Simon; Miscellenaoues
1968-1969
Box 4, Folder 15
Murphy Re-elect Senator
1970
Box 4, Folder 16
Arklin Re-elect Assembly/ Bullough/Flores/Thabit
1970
Box 4, Folder 17
Keysor Running for Assembly
1970
Box 4, Folder 18
Brown Running for Senator
1970
Box 4, Folder 22
George Murphy/Rafferty/Ronald Reagan
1966-1970
Box 4, Folder 23
Democratic Miscellaneous
1970
Box 4, Folder 29
Councilmanic Campaigns
1969
Box 4, Folder 30
Van De Kamp for Congress Campaign
1969
Box 4, Folder 32
Baxter Ward-Alphonzo Bell Campaign
1969
Box 4, Folder 33
School Bonds (A,B,C)
1969
Box 4, Folder 34
Bd. of Education (Offices #2, 4, 6)
1969
Box 4, Folder 35
Junior College Board
1969
Box 4, Folder 37
Herald Examiner Strike
1967-?
Box 4, Folder 38
Corman-Negri Campaign
1968
Box 4, Folder 39
Robert Kennedy Campaign
1968
Box 4, Folder 41
Boy's Day and Police
circa 1968
Box 5
Handbooks and campaign resources
Scope and Contents
Candidate Training Resource Book, Los Angeles Democratic Party, 2011; "Filling the War Chest: How to Raise Money for Political
Campaigns"; "The Road to Victory"; fundraising handbooks produced by Robert Kaplan.
Box 3
LPs
Scope and Contents
Recordings of the inaugural addresses of Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon; "Man on the Moon", narrated
by Walter Cronkite.
Box 8
Campaign posters
Scope and Contents
Poster and placards for political campaigns, primarily California, including Tom Bradley, George Murphy, Tom Hayden, Jess
Unruh, and local school board elections. Also included are posters for Yes on 66, a boycott of the Herald Examiner, the Israel
Defense Fund, and the League of Women Voters.
Box 8
Voters and voting rights posters and ephemera
Box 1
Realia
Scope and Contents
Hats, potholders, bags, t-shirts.
Box 3
Videos
2000, undated
Scope and Contents
Videos for various propositions, including Prop 199, Operation Secure, and a Missouri initiative (Save our Scenery).