David Barr
Background: David is a 33 year old white, gay, Jewish man. He has lived in an apartment at 2nd Ave. and 12th Street since 1979. He grew up in Brighton Beach. He grew up going to liberal activist demonstrations with his parents. He was initially involved in the experimental theater scene and went to theater school at NYU. Then he worked as a cook. Then he went to CUNY law school and got involved in gay and lesbian rights work. In 1987 he started working on the AIDS program at Lambda Legal, working on discrimination, immigration, and confidentiality issues. He started going to ACT UP in 1987, and eventually incorporated legal support for ACT UP’s civil disobedience into his role at Lambda. David joined the Issues committee, which became the Treatment and Data Committee. David recently tested HIV positive. David was in a long-term relationship with Paul, who was not involved in ACT UP.
Role in ACT UP: By 1989 David had been extensively involved in ACT UP, and been heavily involved in AIDS activism through his job at Lamba. He had gone to meetings with the FDA, gone to AIDS conferences, and been to just about all of the ACT UP demonstrations.
Groups/friends at the meeting: Legal observers; really David knows just about everyone who was a regular at ACT UP meetings
Specific tasks at the March 13, 1989 meeting: David is on the agenda to give a 5 minute Legal Observer training session to the entire Floor in preparation for Target City Hall. David will encourage people to come talk to him if they are interested in being a legal observer. These are the major points in the Legal Observer training:
Simple training can enable anyone (not just lawyers) to be a legal observer.
It is important to maintain an impartial role. Watch and record (in detail!) what the protesters and police are doing, but do not get involved yourself.
A legal observer can be a liaison person with the police.
Here is a link to a sheet with more information, though this is more information than David will convey at the meeting.
Additional information: David gives an extremely detailed interview for the ACT UP Oral History Project. You are welcome to watch/read it all, but I highly recommend watching/reading at least the first half where David concentrates on his work and life through 1989:
https://actuporalhistory.org/numerical-interviews/073-david-z-barr
https://actuporalhistory.org/actions/target-city-hall at about the 45 minute mark of the ACT UP Pre-Action Meetings video