Before Stonewall: Activists for Gay and Lesbian Rights in Historical Context

by Bullough; Vern L

• ISBN13: 9781560231929
• ISBN10: 1560231920
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-11-21
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Explore the early history of the gay rights movement! In the words of editor Vern L. Bullough: "Although there was no single leader in the gay and lesbian community who achieved the fame and reputation of Martin Luther King, there were a large number of activists who put their careers and reputations on the line. It was a motley crew of radicals and reformers, drawn together by the cause in spite of personality and philosophical differences. Their stories are told in the following pages." Before Stonewall: Activists for Gay and Lesbian Rights in Historical Context illuminates the lives of the courageous individuals involved in the early struggle for gay and lesbian civil rights in the United States. Authored by those who knew them (often activists themselves), the concise biographies in this volume examine the lives of pre-1969 barrier breakers like Harry Hay, Henry Gerber, Alfred Kinsey, Del Martin, Phyllis Lyon, Jim Kepner, Jack Nichols, Christine Jorgensen, Jose Sarria, Barbara Grier, Frank Kameny, and 40 more. To anyone with an interest in the history of the gay/lesbian rights movements in the United States, these names will be familiar, but did you know that in addition to their groundbreaking activism: Prescott Townsend was a Boston Brahman Dorr Legg was a Log Cabin Republican Harry Hay was at one time a member of the Communist party Jim Kepner was a boy preacher Troy Perry was removed from the ministry of his church for homosexuality--and then founded the gay-friendly Metropolitan Community Church Reed Erickson--a transsexual millionaire who gave millions to the cause--kept a pet leopard called Henry Barbara Gittings set up a kissing booth at the American Library Association convention and urged attendees to kiss a gay or lesbian! Before Stonewall is a perfect ancillary text for any gay/lesbian studies course, but more to the point, no one interested in these heroic figures and the movements they ignited should be without this book, which received an honorable mention in the 2004 Stonewall Book Awards.

Author Biography

Vern L. Bullough, RN, PhD, is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus from SUNY

Table of Contents

About the Editor	x
Contributors	xi
Preface	xv
Introduction	1	(10)
PART I: PRE-1950	11	(58)
Alfred C. Kinsey (1894-1956)	13	(11)
C. A. Tripp
Henry Gerber (1895-1972): Grandfather of the American Gay Movement	24	(11)
Jim Kepner
Stephen O. Murray
Edward Irenaeus Prime-Stevenson (Xavier Mayne) (1868-1942)	35	(6)
John Lauritsen
Prescott Townsend (1894-1973): Bohemian Blueblood---A Different Kind of Pioneer	41	(7)
Charles Shively
Jeannette Howard Foster (1895-1981)	48	(8)
Virginia Elwood-Akers
Pearl M. Hart (1890-1975)	56	(7)
Karen C. Sendziak
Lisa Ben (1921-)	63	(3)
Florine Fleischman
Susan Bullough
Berry Berryman (1901-1972)	66	(3)
Vern L. Bullough
PART II: ORGANIZATIONAL ACTIVISTS	69	(138)
Harry Hay (1912-)	73	(10)
Vern L. Bullough
Dale Jennings (1917-2000): One's Outspoken Advocate	83	(11)
C. Todd White
W. Dorr Legg (1904-1994)	94	(9)
Wayne R. Dynes
Don Slater (1923-1997)	103	(12)
Joseph Hansen
Jim Schneider (1932-): One's Guardian Angel	115	(6)
C. Todd White
William Edward (Billy) Glover (1932-)	121	(3)
Vern L. Bullough
Jim Kepner (1923-1997)	124	(11)
Lewis Gannett
William A. Percy III
Stella Rush a.k.a. Sten Russell (1925-)	135	(10)
Judith M. Saunders
Helen Sandoz a.k.a Helen Sanders a.k.a. Ben Cat (1920-1987)	145	(3)
Stella Rush
Herb Selwyn (1925-)	148	(3)
Vern L. Bullough
Hal Call (1917-2000): Mr. Mattachine	151	(9)
James T. Sears
Del Martin (1924-)	160	(9)
Phyllis Lyon
Phyllis Lyon (1924-)	169	(10)
Del Martin
Billye Talmadge (1929-): Some Kind of Courage	179	(10)
William Fennie
Cleo Glenn (Bonner) (Dates Unknown)	189	(2)
Phyllis Lyon
Del Martin
Pat Walker (1938-1999)	191	(2)
Del Martin
Leslie Warren
Bob Basker (1918-2001): Selling the Movement	193	(10)
James T. Sears
Shirley Willer (1922-1999)	203	(4)
Del Martin
Phyllis Lyon
PART III: MOVERS AND SHAKERS ON THE NATIONAL SCENE	207	(94)
Franklin E. Kameny (1925-)	209	(10)
David K. Johnson
Jack Nichols (1938-): The Blue Fairy of the Gay Movement	219	(13)
James T. Sears
Lige Clarke (1942-1975)	232	(9)
Jack Nichols
Barbara Gittings (1932-): Independent Spirit	241	(12)
Kay Tobin Lahusen
Barbara Grier (1933-): Climbing the Ladder	253	(12)
Victoria A. Brownworth
Stephen Donaldson (Robert A. Martin): (1946-1996)	265	(8)
Wayne R. Dynes
Randolfe Wicker (1938-)	273	(9)
Jack Nichols
Arthur Cyrus Warner (1918-)	282	(9)
John Lauritsen
Richard Inman (1926?-)	291	(10)
Jesse G. Monteagudo
PART IV: OTHER VOICES AND THEIR INFLUENCE	301	(106)
Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997): On His Own Terms	304	(8)
Gwen Brewer
Walter H. Breen (J. Z. Eglinton) (1928-1993)	312	(10)
Donald Mader
Warren Johansson (1934-1994)	322	(11)
William A. Percy III
Donald Webster Cory (1913-1986)	333	(11)
Stephen O. Murray
Evelyn Gentry Hooker (1907-1996)	344	(7)
Sharon Valente
George Weinberg (1935-)	351	(10)
Jack Nichols
Vern L. Bullough (1928-): Making the Pen Mightier Than the Sword	361	(8)
John P. De Cecco
Christine Jorgensen (1926-1989)	369	(3)
Vern L. Bullough
Virginia Prince (1913-)	372	(4)
Vern L. Bullough
Jose Sarria (1923-)	376	(4)
Vern L. Bullough
Charlotte Coleman (1923-)	380	(3)
Roberta Bobba
Reed Erickson (1917-1992): How One Transsexed Man Supported One	383	(10)
Holly Devor
Troy Perry (1940-)	393	(6)
Lee Arnold
Morris Kight (1919-): Community Activist	399	(8)
Felice Picano
Index	407