With the sound of a gavel striking three times, another Commonwealth Club program begins, bringing together audiences with fascinating, intriguing and entertaining individuals.

The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. Every year, we present more than 450 forums on topics ranging across politics, culture, society and the economy. 

The Club has offices in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, with regular events in both areas, as well as programs in Lafayette in the East Bay and in Marin County.

For audiences outside the Bay Area, the Club's weekly radio broadcast—the oldest in the United States, dating back to 1924—is carried across the nation on more than 230 public and commercial radio stations. Our programs are widely podcast and video broadcast. Our website archive features audio and video of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history.

Our Mission

The mission of The Commonwealth Club of California is to be the leading national forum open to all for the impartial discussion of public issues important to the membership, community and nation.

Our Speakers

Since its founding in 1903, The Commonwealth Club of California has played host to a diverse and distinctive array of speakers, from Teddy Roosevelt to George W. Bush, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Governor Jerry Brown, political activist Alicia Garza, political commentator George Will and environmental advocate Jane Goodall. Martin Luther King Jr., Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and Bill Gates have all given landmark speeches at the Club.

Our Supporters

As a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization, The Commonwealth Club of California relies on the support of its membership, corporate gifts and foundation grants to continue its role in fostering open public discussion in the San Francisco Bay Area and throughout the nation via radio, Internet and television.

The Commonwealth Club has many exciting ventures planned for the future. You can help!