Kaufman, Michael, 1933-

Biography & Organizational Histories

Anne & Michael Kaufman

Anne Levine Kaufman is a teacher and long-time Los Angeles resident. Michael Kaufman is a former Los Angeles area resident, a computer programmer who currently (2001) lives in Northern California. They were both active in the Los Angeles chapters of W.E.B. DuBois Clubs of America when they met and married in the mid 1960s. Anne Kaufman attended the 1964 founding convention for the clubs in Chicago, and served as Executive Secretary for the Los Angeles DuBois Clubs. Michael Kaufman served on the organization's Education Committee.

They were also both active in the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union (AFSCME) from the late 1960s through the 1970s. Michael Kaufman was a member of the Los Angeles County Data Processing Union, Local 1560 and later of the United Workers Union, Local 2070, part of the Conference of University of California Employees (CUCE). Anne Kaufman was a member of the California Rehabilitation Workers Union, Local 7620, and served as secretary in the late 1970s. They both served on the AFSCME Steering Committee in 1970-1971.

Later, Anne Kaufman was an active member of the Rainbow Coalition of the 24th Congressional District. She served as co-chair in 1988, and in 1989, she was on the sub-executive committee. She participated in many of the coalition's activities, saving material on farm workers, reproductive rights, housing, and voters' rights. The Kaufman's marriage ended in the 1990's.

W.E.B. DuBois Clubs of America

The W.E.B. DuBois Clubs of America (DBC) was a nationwide Socialist oriented youth organization founded in San Francisco in June 1964. The preamble to their constitution states: "It is our belief that this nation can best solve its problems in an atmosphere of peaceful coexistence, complete disarmament, and true freedom for all peoples of the world, and that these solutions will be reached mainly through the united efforts of the working people allied in the unity of Negroes and other minorities with whites. We further fully recognize that the greatest threat to the American democracy comes from the racist and right-wing forces in coalition with the most reactionary elements of the economic power structure, using the tool of anti-communism to divide and destroy the unified strength of the working people." The DBC actively supported various political and social causes including protesting the Vietnam War, the draft, police brutality, poverty and championing the United Farm Workers strikes, community and campus organizing, and promoting the teaching of black history.

Local chapters were founded in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Chicago, and around the country. Los Angeles started out with several separate groups that were unified in 1966. 1966 also saw the bombing of the DBC's National Headquarters in San Francisco, just 48 hours after Attorney General Nicholas D. Katzenbach declared that the DBC must register as a Communist Front Organization under the Internal Security Act of 1950 (McCarran Act). The DBC had protested this order, stating that the McCarran Act had already been found unconstitutional. Terrence and Patrick Hallinan, sons of former Los Angeles area Progressive Party presidential candidate Vincent Hallinan were both active in the organization.

The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) represents employees of any state and local governmental agency, quasi-public agency, or non-profit agencies of public, charitable, educational or civic nature. AFSCME was founded in 1934 as an affiliate of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) under the American Federation of Labor (AFL). AFSCME quickly became a separate entity but grew slowly until the 1950s. In the 1960s, new leadership focused the union's efforts on winning collective bargaining rights. In 1975, AFSCME had become the 6th largest affiliate of the AFL-CIO.

Rainbow Coalition, 24th Congressional District

Founded in 1984 by Jesse Jackson and born out of the historic "Jesse Jackson for President" campaigns in 1984 and 1988, the National Rainbow Coalition is a grassroots organization dedicated to building a future for people of all colors and origins ("rainbow") to have a decent place to live, enough to eat, good medical care, quality education, satisfying work, sufficient income, and where peace and justice will be secure throughout the world.

The 24th Congressional District (the Los Angeles Chapter of the Rainbow Coalition) became actively involved in the 1984 and 1988 U. S. Presidential Campaign. Voter registration, outreach, and fundraising were major objectives of the group.

From the guide to the Anne and Michael Kaufman Papers, 1959-1990, (Southern California Library for Social Studies and Research)