BATA’s collection of unique news footage dates from the early 1950s through the present and reflects Bay Area history, politics, culture and social change movements. BATA seeks to expand access by digitizing the collection and enhancing its descriptive metadata, allowing for increased visibility and potential partnerships (including revenue-generating collaborations). Currently, only about 5% of the collection’s more than 4,000 hours of footage has been digitized.
Digitization will expedite delivery of BATA’s historic footage for students, faculty, independent researchers, local news stations and documentary filmmakers and will help ensure its preservation. Considering much of the material in the archive was never actually broadcast, this collection has distinctively rare value for teaching and scholarship as a primary source.
The fundraising goal for BATA is $1,000,000


BATA's Belva Davis Collection is a video archive of news and special interest reports produced for local TV stations by pioneering Bay Area TV journalist Belva Davis, between 1976-2004. Ms. Davis attended San Francisco State University as a student.
The Black Panther Party Collection contains local newsfilm and privately produced footage relating mainly - but not exclusively - to the Black Panther Party's Oakland chapter, from the 1960s and 70s.
For more information about donating to the J. Paul Leonard Library, contact:
Anjali Billa
Associate Vice President
University Development
Email: anjalibilla@sfsu.edu
Phone: (415) 405-3625