Berkeley does take its foreign policy very seriously. Candidate Newport here appears on a 1979 BCA poster for an initiative that helped Berkeley lead the effort to divest from South Africa. The measures passed. This precedent setting initiative was a California Public Interest Research Group (Cal-Pirg) project, joined by the Campaign for Economic Democracy and BCA.
Congressman Ron Dellums initiated the national fight for sanctions against South Africa, which is one reason why Nelson Mandela, after being released from prison, paid a visit of thanks in 1990.
As Mayor, Gus Newport traveled the world extensively, and the Berkeley City Council would continue to take positions on international issues.
Also supported on this poster is Steve Bloom's 1979 version of the 1973 Berkeley Marijuana Initiative, which passed again.
