Description
Includes subject files of staff members of the Human Rights Commission, particuarly of Jo Daly, the HRC's gay community liaison.
Materials include correspondence, press releases, notes, and some minutes of the Gay Advisory Committee, 1975-1980.
Background
The San Francisco Human Rights Commission advocates for human and civil rights, and works in service of the city's anti-discrimination
laws to further racial solidarity, equity, and healing. The HRC was established in 1964 by Mayor John F. Shelley as the Interim
Committee on Human Relations, to handle discrimination matters involving race, religion, and national origin. By 1977, areas
covered included age, sex, sexual orientation, disability, and property agreements. By then, HRC was handling hundreds of
complaints each year in employment within both the public and private sector, and was meeting growing problems involving inter-group
tensions in education, youth, police, gays, and housing. The commission has since grown in response to San Francisco's mandate
to address the causes of, and problems resulting from, prejudice, intolerance, bigotry, and discrimination. Currently, the
department's divisions include Civil Rights, Community Engagement, Dream Keeper Initiative, Office of Racial Equity, and Office
of Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention.