James "Jim" Foster, born November 19, 1934, was an LGBT rights advocate in the early years of the gay rights movement. He had been discharged from the US Army for being gay in 1959, and moved to San Francisco. In 1974, he co-founded the Society for Individual Rights (SIR), which helped Dianne Feinstein be elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1969.
In 1974, SIR was changed to the Alice B. Toklas Memorial Democratic Club, the first gay Democratic club in the US. Foster helped Richard Hongisto win his run for sheriff in 1971 by delivering the gay votes.
In 1972, the Toklas club delivered one-third of signatures needed to secure George McGovern on the California Democratic Ballot. Foster and Madeline Davis (lesbian activist) were asked to speak at the 1972 Democratic National Convention, becoming the first LGBT people to address a national party convention.
In 1980, Foster was the coordinator for northern California for Ted Kennedy's presidential campaign, helping him win the 1980 California primary.
Jim Foster died from an AIDS-related illness in October 1990.
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