San Francisco Stories: An Evening with David Talbot

After World War II, San Francisco gave rise to countercultural movements such as the Beats, hippies, the Diggers, and highly visible LGBT communities. These movements helped to secure the city’s postwar reputation for left-leaning politics and “San Francisco values.” Yet subsequent developments tested San Francisco’s status as a beacon for progressivism, including the Zebra murders, the kidnapping of Patty Hearst, the Jonestown massacre, evictions at the International Hotel, and the assassinations of Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone. More recently, the booming tech industry has sent housing costs soaring, with the result that many of the artists, musicians, community organizers, and working class residents responsible for San Francisco’s bohemian character are facing widespread evictions from the city. Join David Talbot as he discusses the social upheavals San Francisco has seen since the 1970s, and whether the city’s current dramatic transformations might mean the end for San Francisco’s progressive politics and culture.

David Talbot
Founder and Former CEO of Salon.com
David Talbot is the author of Season of the Witch: Enchantment, Terror, and Deliverance in the City of Love. His recent articles include “How Much Tech Can One City Take?” in San Francisco Magazine, and “San Francisco or Bust: Class War and Why We Need to Stand and Fight to Save Our City” in 48 Hills. His new book, The Devil’s Chessboard: Allen Dulles and the Rise of America’s Secret Government, will be published in 2015.