Oral history interview with Greg Brown
Title
Oral history interview with Greg Brown
Date
11/18/2025
Description
This oral history interview with Greg Brown was conducted for Queer History Boston by Paula Frederick and Karen Shack concerning Brown’s experiences as a gay man in New York City during the late 1960s, with a focus on Brown’s recollections of the Stonewall Riots. Brown describes growing up in Cohasset, Massachusetts, coming out to his parents, studying theater at Ohio University, and moving to New York City to pursue an acting career. He discusses his long-term relationship with his partner Paul, his early experiences participating in New York’s gay social scene, and the importance of spaces such as the Stonewall Inn where gay men, lesbians, and transgender patrons could gather despite ongoing police harassment and discrimination.
Brown recounts his experiences at the Stonewall Inn before and during the Stonewall Riots, including police raids, confrontations with officers, and the escalation of resistance outside the bar. He reflects on how the events of Stonewall transformed his political consciousness and led him to become involved in the gay liberation movement in the years that followed. Brown also discusses the broader climate of discrimination faced by gay people at the time, the emergence of LGBTQ+ political organizing, and later developments including same-sex marriage, the assassination of Harvey Milk, and the HIV/AIDS crisis. He concludes by reflecting on the long-term significance of Stonewall in shaping LGBTQ+ visibility, activism, and community life
Brown recounts his experiences at the Stonewall Inn before and during the Stonewall Riots, including police raids, confrontations with officers, and the escalation of resistance outside the bar. He reflects on how the events of Stonewall transformed his political consciousness and led him to become involved in the gay liberation movement in the years that followed. Brown also discusses the broader climate of discrimination faced by gay people at the time, the emergence of LGBTQ+ political organizing, and later developments including same-sex marriage, the assassination of Harvey Milk, and the HIV/AIDS crisis. He concludes by reflecting on the long-term significance of Stonewall in shaping LGBTQ+ visibility, activism, and community life
Creator
Queer History Boston
Brown, Greg
Subject
Stonewall riots
Coming out
AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts
Contributor
Brown, Greg
Shack, Karen
Frederick, Paula
Rights
Digital content made available by Queer History Boston is intended for personal research and educational purposes. Commercial use or distribution of this content is not permitted without prior permission of the copyright holder. Queer History Boston holds copyright to select content, while copyright to other content may be held by authors, artists, or their heirs, or may be in the public domain. Requests to reproduce, distribute, or publish content should be sent to info@queerhistoryboston.org.
Type
Oral History
Language
English
Identifier
115_Brown_Greg_2025
Duration
1:01:40
Bit Rate/Frequency
128 kb/s
Transcription
Transcript attached
Interviewer
Frederick, Paula
Shack, Karen
Interviewee
Greg, Brown
Location
Massachusetts
Citation
Queer History Boston and Brown, Greg, “Oral history interview with Greg Brown,” Queer History Boston , accessed August 13, 2026, https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/show/1773.
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