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Pop Culture

Sunday Stories: Harvey Milk's San Francisco

In honor of Pride Weekend, watch this Sunday Story to explore the San Francisco of Harvey Milk. Milk, the first openly gay elected official in the history of California, was a fixture of San Francisco's political scene during the tumultuous 1970s. Born to Jewish parents in New York, Milk moved out west to San Francisco's Castro district in the 1970s, where he could reliably be seen around town in his Levi's®, shaking hands and making friends. His jeans and his famous campaign t-shirt are on view in Levi Strauss: A History of American Style.®️

This video was originally published on The CJM's Facebook Live on June 28, 2020.

ABout Sunday Stories

During The CJM's temporary closure, we're providing weekly live video presentations that explore Jewish culture, history, art, and ideas. Sit back, relax, and discover new stories every week!

For more content you can engage with from home, check out our Jewseum from Home  page.

About the Exhibition

In 1873, at the end of the California Gold Rush, Levi Strauss & Co., named for a Bavarian Jewish dry goods merchant in San Francisco, obtained a U.S. patent with tailor Jacob Davis on the process of putting metal rivets in men’s denim work pants to increase their durability. It was the birth of the blue jean. The CJM original exhibition Levi Strauss: A History of American Style showcases the life of Levi Strauss, the invention of the blue jean, and their iconic place in the history of American style.

Seven women in cowboy hats lined up wearing Levi's jeans

“Showing their Levi’s” postcard from the California Rodeo Salinas (July 13–16, 1939), 1939. Levi Strauss & Co. Archives

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Supporters

Support for Levi Strauss: A History of American Style is generously provided by Maribelle and Stephen Leavitt; Gaia Fund; John Pritzker Family Fund; Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund; Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund; Mimi and Peter Haas Fund; The David Berg Foundation; John & Marcia Goldman Foundation; Suzanne and Elliott Felson; Colleen and Robert D. Haas; Dana Corvin and Harris Weinberg, in honor of Paulette Meyer and David Friedman, and Catherine and James Koshland; Kendra and Tom Kasten, in honor of Robert D. Haas; Michael Righi; Dorothy R. Saxe; David Saxe; Marilyn and Murry Waldman; and Rosanne and Al Levitt.

Lead Corporate Sponsorship is provided by Levi’s®.®️

Media Sponsorship is provided by the San Francisco Chronicle and KQED. In-kind support is provided by Corduroy Media.