For Immediate Release:
December 12, 2023
CITY COLLEGE OF SAN FRANCISCO (CCSF) WILL RENAME BUILDING TO HONOR FORMER SAN FRANCISCO SUPERVISOR HARRY BRITT
San Francisco, CA - The City College of San Francisco (CCSF) Board of Trustees unanimously approved a motion to honor former San Francisco Supervisor Harry Britt's life and contributions and initiate a process to rename the school's Multi-Use Building (MUB) at 55 Frida Kahlo Way in his honor. In addition to the building renaming, the College will also commemorate the life and work of Harry Britt in a meaningful way so that students, staff, and visitors can learn more about his contributions to San Francisco and the larger LGBTQIA and progressive movements.
“Supervisor Harry Britt made history as one of the nation’s first openly gay elected officials, an accomplishment that aligns with City College of San Francisco’s historic place as the first queer studies department in the U.S. that started with a gay literature class in 1978,” said Board of Trustees President Alan Wong. “Britt’s actions and activism embodied a persistent and courageous dedication to our core values and a wish to uphold these values for ourselves, our students, and the City College of San Francisco community.”
Britt was a mentor to countless activists and other LGBTQIA people running for public office, among them members of the City College of San Francisco community, who carry on his legacy in many movements. “Harry was a humble man who accomplished much for issues of social justice without fanfare,” said former Assemblymember Tom Ammiano. “For the legions of those he helped and inspired, this naming is a welcome tribute. As committed as he was to carry through with Harvey Milk’s legacy, he often confessed his first love was classroom teaching.”
This naming process was initiated after a July 2020 resolution was passed to consider naming a facility after Britt. At the December 7, 2023 meeting, the Board of Trustees considered a recommendation of the College's Facilities Committee and Participatory Governance Council to name a room or program after Britt. After discussion, the Board moved forward with a motion to name the school's Multi-Use Building after Britt.
About City College of San Francisco
For more than 80 years, City College of San Francisco (CCSF) has been the region’s premier public, two-year community college. The college is now one of the first in the nation to offer free tuition, providing San Franciscans with the opportunity to access an exceptional college education. Since its founding in 1935, City College has evolved into a multicultural, multi-campus community college that is one of the largest in the country. CCSF offers more than 250 degrees and certificates and features an award-winning athletics program.