On March 1, 1981 the Billy DeFrank Center opened its doors. Billy DeFrank LGBT Silicon Valley Community Center was organized in response to the housing discrimination that gays and lesbians faced in Santa Clara County. The Billy DeFrank LGBT Silicon Valley Community Center Records document the grassroots efforts of its founders to build a community center that supports the vast and diverse needs of the South Bay community of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. The central mission of the Billy DeFrank LGBT Silicon Valley Community Center is to work toward promoting a "positive social identification" by promoting civil rights to advance liberty and justice through collaboration and unity. The Billy DeFrank LGBT Silicon Valley Community Center Records (1970-1999) consist of news clippings, newsletters, and magazines. Included are a variety of related publications with an emphasis on program initiatives and health training resources, including ephemera and pamphlets. There is a sizeable photographic collection that contains pictures of social events hosted by the Billy DeFrank LGBT Silicon Valley Community Center, including Gay Pride San José and other social outings. This collection is arranged into three series: Series I, Organizational Records, 1978-97; Series II, Educational Outreach and Publicity 1971-1999; and Series III, Publications, 1970-1999.
