A welcome message from 2022 President Mary McNamara, and Yolanda Jackson, Executive Director and General Counsel
At 150 years, we are one of the oldest bar association in the nation, older than 25% of the states in the union, and older than the constitutions of many countries.
Our start in 1872 was during a time of massive inequality and social upheaval. California had been a state for just 24 years, and San Francisco an incorporated city for only 22 years. As is the case now, San Francisco was a town bursting with industry, new money, and injustice. Newspapers from that year recorded an extraordinary number of early deaths due to disease and sheer exhaustion. In this convulsive period, some of the state’s early pioneers formed the Bar Association of San Francisco with the aim of promoting the administration of justice.
We created a dedicated landing page and historical archive for this milestone anniversary at www.sfbar.org/150th. In that space, we will share articles with you throughout the year, and add new highlights to the interactive timeline each month.
In the 150 years since this beginning, we have risen to every challenge of the times. From our work in the civil rights era to the AIDS epidemic, to the homelessness crisis, to protecting consumers and helping immigrants, we are now a nationally recognized voice promoting equal justice and opposition to discrimination in all its forms. Our leadership includes people of color, women, and members of the LGBTQ community. And our members have reached the highest ranks of industry, the judiciary, and government.
We welcome you to celebrate this anniversary with us, as we delve into our history and see how the past informs our future and the changes we still need to make as an organization. We created a dedicated landing page and historical archive for this milestone anniversary at www.sfbar.org/150th. In that space, we will share articles with you throughout the year, and add new highlights to the interactive timeline each month.
Get ready—we will bring you along with us as we reflect on the past while celebrating the future!
