2 50 1092 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/6118e5d81d3950a287bf57d7efd917be.tif?Expires=1777507200&Signature=VSW3G9rftMEccwa-x1OLwTb0G%7EquB87Gj3Wvjf7B3F4DAFXqwzDJokXMS%7Eky%7EnuMuxwmaAVsiheVc%7EBhRbX0Egw9PIvdZzwEP%7ECqp4%7EGAmE%7EV6WiQpvlIOL3AgwHJuIPZcN-4Cjen9itPrs6hIrF5xMzXlQ3KmeULqYHSLEgieCsi%7EmAP7AX0KvgzbxIcQ9ezV87tKWYtmWGN3tcnRr7%7EcZ3nQK3TIcdMqT94KChsMyn38DLjQk3uWh7P5s%7EAGhS9GPNNR0mfJeXHXfFOtzL41I5tE6%7E4czKtujYzwxUMjN9WZP9c8bvTCCG1Y8VNKLBLkw5PweYgyy6D3fTFFFHdw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 542aab5ec87a35dedf1ca3d49da576b6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource LESLA Members Standing in Grassy Area Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource LESLA members standing and clapping in grassy area at Boston Gay Pride event of 1991 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/84a30f93e5de56298204a1986f2c2070.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=s9ocveCX37zKTJXcM1Sa0NXJkyW5zsnQteLTeuD%7EqeFt1BEWAHFgvboVopgi2yF6Ib4Vj1gHKbPPuzxnPsf40RzzVwuvN7NQMb77l6wj8bn0xcDEy8QexuxxE09ED5dzDQ7CDyeDMGHqi413BA4apCNK-RT1XF7DHIi4ONH4J4IwCIl2byz2ERgPu7eksSdwbpOYfVVnOLwZIsI0Ud3pvY1XddoAV4B06ST0O9Pr8kJ5hm-3UQuXtBFannJlKNk9Tq2yBXmplsvvJ48MjlvZ3SyL2jlNEW13YOT9M7GyjRz5fQw1is4BddE7ReIV8Tvnzcm%7Ez-sRdb37Ts3J%7EoVUvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 1acf7b73cba35fad05233040b8257600 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource LESLA Member Eating Ice Pop Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource LESLA member drinking from ice pop in paper cup while sitting down at Boston Gay Pride event in 1991 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/b7e254ccc98bbe744442a0c0f7c72c4a.tif?Expires=1777507200&Signature=ML92WOWS5t8rKgb3PYeBN7JIED45JjbAUIrY8SJ5CK0YczNikSdABFf0g-Ly9vK1SlrYrd6JFTHUh2ZZ7q726nJW0fCfLo6XQttc65VwUuNgooMhW-mzKKuNhboe%7ENOYIysWG4UkldPsxjEJcFvgdpthteH3FgH9aqleD6KDvCJhPukVvwhvQKMoqVv9NVycIcw%7EVtVeU69YSeB5A%7EOs17bP3YqzOiXCrwHx757DpG2Iadvp9Vd57tJdybvsEnJtM6Sf2jVzLUl6sxuXiLTuo7Tns6SRNpPSClVahfyP5VsKV0wZ9P3N7c6JWGwVUXAEfb2N2SoT%7EFE0rXNTdIj4Bg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 92eb303901d97afb6b06d671482318bf Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource LESLA Members Marching with Tamborines Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource LESLA members playing instruments while marching in Boston Pride Parade of 1991 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/317971342d515d8099e917455a174741.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=a5Hjqbib94ozIf9k7Bq8MnaPy%7EW8aKCUYlrPOgGixH2f6btjOfGoGXatXRnrisYAXkVqfi-pWytevs5gW7hi-JbxZQrc2Ys%7E9vG6Eql9zJTsTRfLWXIHRQAZ8S8YTkM-gNbGsykxkKhTNmBa6GpRSwrxoQE-Ykf4Sb53hLL5WTByMM48ozmMuwI9Ati61azXDBxtAJhe%7ED7vKkR7TWiDlVJLvPH9qtW1hCK7KFZ4v7Ls9IDE67-g2linOIgdCuJiebclWlEgEskzv3ZxSG%7EholsGErLsRvfOnMWWzE-d8AlKxkQD%7EJ0oKRd7F9TGYBgutkQZQNFYtZIwh0QcUD6hsw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM ae5cbe6fc04bb1402d2739cead755f70 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource LESLA Members with Bongos and Water Bottle Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource LESLA members with instruments and LESLA banner marching in Boston Gay Pride parade of 1991 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/1594a22883ee6e93f679f36948f28984.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=L1wsNmO34GJVfQJ46SPEx9rv7aLausB2JZLyqExVgtjwcpTvFjTyNfKWMdhdf4Adb0A2JNlS8qyrq4EglAJzSczKBDo1gtypyNScBv%7EGg2OM810YxQKNIYMov9ttwK8WZoxcRGK9VkjrLBP9eo3yRVVHJ7k%7ExpWs9zOQV4BXHfhIHmblC5JOfssVbA8NFsicFZ6GVp%7EyPCjA5pEdtgseQGy4cFkuIEBLXmi9MLGQ-vb1I6RlMg1U4dbT1fDbBWXbDP2jumdxeC9etvgPkulwfBaFOxxuUrvG5r0PpYqDdu-%7EYkKDfP66Yc4ofwOpJTvKqw8NBthW3%7Eu%7EahDsjnrh%7Eg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 5d9f1b29d9739f56e55a3a1e5f93a950 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource LESLA Members Holding Banner and Claves Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource LESLA members with instruments and LESLA banner marching in Boston Gay Pride parade of 1991 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/fd6c2b567ccbb0542a6394a1e5182bdf.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=Z3NpknbisizvFbhyaWbMUTWf3GHqgS8dkqPY%7EDqXiztUyKQJ7d95SZn-6G9WdgudCFynV0Ddr09-9CdNcJEuZAemRIny7D1J7j1N6FWfuhbuSq-%7EuhCEtW7w1PvepHdxBynrX6hmrIlUD6KGX2qKcB623YcrMrLIMJEOCoYr3nqPsnIzXAVnzDJWbuOpq-sEzpR9%7EaLP-BmkEAris4bYsqAlxSB9l2YGunMfKFomMPkuvU-boq%7ExCjWaWRJEVC35j0cufiAvcAzqO%7EWqIlsfIGg5F9lLKqYGc6Nxd2zWJgoLA9cjxiOCYPEpstha4k67qBAGBtExm2S-jMTRjrSOuA__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 73c9655d00802e872961c758c51acaa6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource LESLA Members Clapping with Banner Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource LESLA members clapping while marching in front of LESLA banner at Boston Gay Pride parade of 1991 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/7931844daf56ee3b450f856d2db11c14.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=oVPoqw-w3VhPLHv6GjLW6d7t4f2PLgnSDfRxKkzZ4-IWlBBL-nVOqIxThatPvka%7ES9Vh4GxFdggvr8vKGmpAqXQbrQZs3PrfgXnPsayrg7ZQ1A%7EcfZaqAaVb-Lcb-WxsJ6LOMDkbe6xolVUTnd2fx3-n7ckfiJZLK5IIQUkmCzKipMIjEkIVLEMHvxfg1RFwi9HtLP-DOnNuUEWl8eQK8faRfbyjlpOzyPAyEiwlhoI3sRLWwR90MjOQG3MG7ICaeeLaqIHK%7Ek0AfNjVsATHk3OptSX8IFok%7E3MgobaIBGvUWATd941-PknyKZDPCPZ-fgpxokrdcJ7JOqRexXZxgA__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM a9c554578c9fbf2d382d733fbdbf02af Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource LESLA Members Sharing Water Bottle Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource LESLA member pouring water into mouth of another member holding LESLA banner while marching at Boston Gay Pride parade of 1991 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/cef5f8bc2cafc0ed035ba191b8a9b5f6.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=TOsmg1QvTVUPNPbhiWtjCii1IbhmiprfMtSg1z2TyqAKExGr3DIDLR%7EycF%7EhWxcxD-Cj%7E%7Eb0Ut-Kqrvu1yJguwO5Ura9SsmZUgunXDI3QYC6L4I0cB2NNHdf1D2Hls4vvNP9pVoejvdqgFqRKFt9IRHsLySBGfdK8fNWwpIfZ8xKOQY31AZWIVlHL2ZDzFr1lfkiy4ITd%7EUuSdr4%7E0DtitPYBnP5rrdg0li5ehyeEA5s%7E1c9iOGM82dukhNgi75OhvoX-B2TmV-crybnHn6l5CT31I5uTQiYs6b2pPE3t3993-jg0iBTejj5RgqGDKCWKKdWGuo5C%7EKoj4BzQa1OqA__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 635ecded7b316c1bb60ab364dc88b64f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource LESLA Members Laughing by "Mrs. Bull Dyke" Sign Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource LESLA members laughing in front of sign reading "THAT'S MRS. BULL DYKE TO YOU!!" at Boston Gay Pride parade of 1991 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/7e41274f02d6a5b0f6f4f9c0b606a3de.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=BsfjjK6TlqIXCnkuZTzUrVDQld35j-2Z2og8WF9ERyfpxPEaBlVw4Nkfh3rfdDcr3HS1fYiDL3D6mM979zxLz-6gNuVY0zszrkwQwvHtObaF7jlRK8TVNqUkP17yWD7vZ4eshBi9OaI1gY5QHqkVGFB7-adjz6vCTYAqso%7EVqbP3hoZXIrpB9I4oJ4vh5C1UAyOaXwK39qcF5Nua4W7VUiyyORzwDwauIRQd1VTIj-i0u62QiEduNwud971C-I0Ca0CqBqeE0x%7E5z1wSgm-DSX3q37VBjBW9cShCVPcBHHvG6L7X0tF6qfPx%7EbmPyvmCgusjVSHcPe65W5w-%7EA6cIw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 4bca978f051bfe384deae9d437e427de Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource LESLA Members Dancing by "Mrs. Bull Dyke" Sign Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource LESLA members dancing in front of sign reading "THAT'S MRS. BULL DYKE TO YOU!!" at Boston Gay Pride parade of 1991 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/5fffc8f105cb1a1e85e1bdebe011b2c8.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=Ux8Yx7IxJ4Qphcsp9N-QENwOtD3hnwsmV9ZpIUdCj2a1q%7EKTr1G10fiyYvRgYb5R3sfHysItnoV7RIEL1xAokCtaO34-ZlRWIL1im4OCBJS23kBwTpRk20aCdZMnfGfdyxO8BeTU%7ESCLdYtP6shPQAfMJQLGdNPjQZWzBQAD1LGwHS446BrCVIcE1unUP-e74oof4ENXCgjjBsoeRWHtju7e7Gx-y06fhFzRmzUcBtOU3K-mKbU-ulMvDFY9HEaNkMPOHAqKKvDifYgEUjZK9fYQMwse-OEJssxgoH6%7EDIWz-csQHqIcOHZyV7AdnhyaosT88Qg6DfVUcjxbKvW2hg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 0ddbfd449b3d4704301c6571e4fdb1b9 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource LESLA Member with Andeana Hat Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource LESLA member wearing brown Andeana hat in close profile view Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/2cada35912fe0ad5ad74426c878c7f81.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=YiJy0wDomOyWSJye48XTjKgtfgrHOkerygkXe0ijmeGdDfWvm7la-%7E0thOuDW5yx00yCKjNrhG4P7Yiix8jDUqoJOxkQ80KAii1cPkjbS5zHllmnD4IOtqp9PQISNgcNEnOz7TYATogiow%7EdbNc%7EKKoqxP-14rj2U-KT5KFPPyIu1a7IkvNLIbOCzW3rgWjc8w5HA4BD2i94Aa%7Eo3MBMXbbBCt1qv0j87e%7EM58TmhIwi2TOoHHhzJPiTk7P-lbdcjl16eKTFKdOJ-tR0pwrOg3C60f1z9OOQs2XGzqSZpshSbYp4yr4dpNxIj13Pgd7cEtQNVQoGBymi5pFBHIsqwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM f609c434fedacd57e46b073acf629cc6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource LESLA Member in Pride Shirt Chatting Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource LESLA member holding LESLA banner talking with another member while marching in Boston Gay Pride parade of 1991 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/cfd394e22a62d16cdd713d1665a7f612.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=B6F3cyjhlUUWrTuAHq-hzrJ2JesuYf8N6xCO2y1cwQGC7eZS-BMNi07h-YEQ56%7EhQt64gMQO0wbHitUSnSBltACljnnSDq8ctB6g0MWFajWSl7Ey2k9%7EBm%7EbST4YEq6GWUaNmWhyZRL9Ani81m4wOWUd0BGZdW4zcrr5pTZogXJtWjZuhbHgyJ%7EHxsQV%7EPsc1t6lqrq6xLyhkIDxSUK%7El2LAD8mVnjF--5ru3eTbf-J4UgbiHKbtB7DZ-hmcX3avtosDLx36I9bE8g9w%7E1Mno7mLxNaSrpNzyVxJWz4DUb93NQ8YoyIqEQYwgZVSkIKdYwRpu6IXWpfpzieHTxWz9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM d8eeff8675bef7bd87967b505f3bc30e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource March Participant with "Aids Action Pride" Shirt Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource Marcher holds up a shirt reading "AIDS ACTION Pride" at Boston Gay Pride parade of 1991 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/95065495b72a1d31b1a1c53443429d54.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=kobzAmhxcNixOq5sIvME2snaFw1wDfqxnhoDmKX7iUYyP6f--mW3H1P7vHYkO3IxRDTMOTefvnNYtI-QUJEDAlNCSgXl2a7Qho5I1hc3AIDoyAtgJVcq6Ughnu7zHpNw2O42Lmbct9B1FQ0KhlPT0uUzrx-D9hRFl%7EqZiznsG842dFdENVf1tY3u5nVUM5pjMnURVDj6%7ECWt2khis1GD8ni05YCUVuLHdQelNM1qwKotcnsD3rnjGTAgUbLlsaX7ZQlpzP9%7E7TxOKWJzoI-%7EQs5orgOHOVklxdPjuqPMEEMK2%7EG6UAXeO455iceyef0jtOy4Bec4Lsi3fR9Q3-V99A__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM b448eb52e8e76a1194ead2a1c5fc60d6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource LESLA Member in Pink "Pride" Hat Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource LESLA member wearing pink "PRIDE" hat and "TOGETHER IN PRIDE" posing for picture Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/a95ec572062913ec9a90b458b4ed1bfe.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=S9S1i4d0TT3CzdDjMtvDR5e5m8LlVx1Tz%7EIp1KBHk9uC3M6pbkm%7E8lfpzqG9Ldrql5J%7E1eltGS-q%7E2ghHV49AAo%7EkFyqy1a05jgxdKtiMEuOq1hIa2eULTNCU-i%7ElQjmUfhmjBaNKgfU%7EO%7EXuu6WxUndRGxdBn%7ES2vSI0yEUX8hqvQUYXbgIjb4lHPHjjA%7EafGX0zaMzaKN6-FKjNGGYPchnINAzGszmkp44%7ENUhwTxltP5RJji6kK%7EkOcu7z%7Ed5uvwwSNuL8Ci2jDeucPmt5TsU95UtajP9QBofxJBedXjicIWjBPs9gBiu1rQH9Z-Y-s4IT8QqPCl8htZgqOO8jQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM cabe33518251cd19bff43ab08424b33c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource LESLA Member Marching with Guiro Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource LESLA member holding guiro while marching in front of LESLA banner Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/f646cff58846bd9536cf2a884de0384f.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=UaQJd7RvW%7El6fMuxAo4koCVH-3I3NOSBs13twis3b53FO7uC3XjlNayOfiZLQYmSpeUVwjKsWQ-BAv9xySHoA2SFrv-f7pPHbqAcF3o1TTXjwirZyKsXexW1AUti-pWc37PAIE4mgjQ63fkBqGRXpbR-crV4io8hgjQkEZvfpcfiaaumQa4W0NDUlNZr2srVkCDBlXeHxuMav4HkEt-7Qum2a6-l7kQ1rPUR7yM-qs-WeB9RcDO53NIWexj8wDgnLMxU2aNfXO5hjAMU7D%7E4nO3wcxls6VdlmJtO8ZI6yirc1m93SVgFGEhajigFiZhE0w83TSu2GUz5lDkAx30m5g__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 7baafb1681096ba4e26379288f3d5d9b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource LESLA Member Buying Food Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource LESLA member waiting in front of food stall at the Boston Gay Pride parade of 1991 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/49ab7b169648c4e67c7a7adba2f7e210.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=ivTYRu5E8NmAWE8%7EQZcT1a-dcd24jmROSMJ6lFDUyQEfBcUYHBh0SDOxZ3rdVehR-H%7Eg9aQHPb7vkqSTNxM4IYLp1Q3qzVycc32UKJ-zl5V%7EGzxIXdK7goUdyQSd4dDjGKlp%7EuNpuJfTil-30IcJaitX-4iWfyNAAUycomPcxwOfLSiZFw62%7EVTgj4%7EkbHjPT83TVDv47C2sOoX%7EfftLD4MMGespay2LRDlfo6IFhI5mt841lw8mRUoyzdlFnCA1L24TCsSfHgDQ0jmcr-FqjX2x1377T874ezHUesBZsvkP6ruoqnsmIs7grwHEMWyoTj%7EQyd0RJAt%7Ergo72l2SJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 26d7a377a9862f43d99855827ce9123b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource LESLA Member Marching with Bongos Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource LESLA member playing bongos while marching in front of "Lesbianism Liberates all Women" sign in the Boston Gay Pride parade of 1991 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/eb6d8225e9547ee5f724828e2d943f36.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=RB2KyKUBJSInjwEZqA%7Ei8pk9Nv6GJP2d19pxq7Hm8br%7EHS%7EOBWjSMHy7TXTBJ%7EYqLxmTp6RN9DbsRw4nQQc2l0H0-X9rl%7EBwUojPJbCB8q3KVLbRUmuiEigz%7EHfbPfEm4vcZErL-u4QyLy0CSe5QZza-6Z9HZZ7RoOQNjouN2Rx3ptFCKm9s18h--InIAjFz76anBDuKRuJF%7EVC6IC%7EBJszvw5HbCuLATHAyqCi3%7EylgcokmbRr0Onc7sqWMH%7E2b5o1FtjLn1Ya-KyC5kfWB1-SkuRLgcJXSrXpM9z2pJHqKIPsfdG9aI7cSIrsZGGwQ39Y9mvMqOdXZtGYCLk7zXw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 9d471c5b3ada8dbba0fce7d1cfc0ed01 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource LESLA Member Marching with Rainstick Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource LESLA members marching in close profile view Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/5ddf2f63da73633bf0dd57887258d585.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=bmtoO7Y%7EUBmkwAZqRGrezhN3egwn6bIu1vDzpgFqOzQYF1JR7Yh%7EMQjKq7i%7EGPI5BdKw2Ja2bTnSOqMqKyDhL4s1GH5VPxRP6Y1hnOwzH0KiY7nRZmxaEWMK5SHG8km%7EUr1hdejZsrCX78Dq27H4sU9OaqpJOzglgVEYioaSEjZpfo8sam2b-OmMZJlzB-ZLkn9%7EfKu0JyphHVNZ9BeO03dNjpuykPeLG4gdkgfdIeNBQWiII7vqwFCJdepjjAPGjwlXJlQD5Uv7AL6cmNsITvHmO7GTZMeTckfk23t2GJYx4F%7E2Y5POj3i%7EA2dmVK0i-jMAS1b%7EBJSAHv--ab7kLA__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 33bd09361328120c553cf7b3a174e573 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource LESLA Members Marching with Banner near Overpass Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource LESLA banner held by members marching past an overpass in Boston Gay Pride parade of 1991 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/fc1c3ead7e41c21514cde9ed0e7bd6f7.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=AaINhk9cw2j-VcpI9E-g74iuzf560hYTA5SrN%7EyHq9O20d6Oa1w-sR3IfH4r4eJhQkGetwtthYGhzLvU5ZNk0T6gv%7E6QxFfQUmAPBDrWcrwoJkIqTGuOA%7EaUO-vppupivI3FE9jUbY6M9iFmyK%7ExUjVs0VYDO7QLABXPGlSUHf7BQXII6yiipNeVAOI%7EVb85C8IFknfLx0t5TEzz5q8nPFmnoqT0TNFIw4AViswoQHuoNxm5%7E4knbi161Xrl9b2RGTt9tIbfJb62axa%7EWSD7RZat6PfIp7wCppfjNUHmZ7CfxPyiAG8jXFr-vQPZcARH%7E9UyYuZXkeTzhc-%7EpVL3Vg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 67cb8a924408ce478fb88d82617287a5 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource LESLA Members Marching with Banner behind African American Group Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource LESLA banner held above group marching behind separate group with "African American" banner in Boston Gay Pride parade of 1991 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/2e3563c33d3c34556eda437741a5f4c8.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=VlAahLwpkb%7E5bRdsZOjCCW75ZBHbFsY0DWg0B5Cn01x5SsDSm7QNJBpkAUuxfYUvsFQXfNBLWBdRU2wvdBWa%7EuKhuaEjLbkuh8n4iRzs%7ELdxt6TRhVk1Z%7EGOCSej%7ESzKdWOg6dvpt1T9hAAQhZfHtyMzdJgDq6i2-46ak-lqj4h5VU0OXObZdfquDEVl8ydJLtBjO9deENrL98LPHvOsgeeORECO9qAVKi%7E%7Eb8TmjuQ%7Er8xPrACfcxdFCHxPQh4HFrm6-sexh8V0hfyp4xPc4gbdEnSLGyyUzoND2cIXFuaDwiQ6dfFbyUHWWUXn0hkcsP1lCZybAbRCrbbzzapd8w__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM b0bb13830711393954451f3f264a259d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Photographs, 1987-1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 - 1991 Description An account of the resource These photographs were digitized from Series III of Coll. 055, LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) Records. LESLA (short for Lesbianas Latinas) was a Boston-based group of self-identified Latina Lesbians active from approximately 1987-1991. This group was a point of connection for exploring intersectional identities that was formed in the 1980s as the LGBTQ+ community in the Boston area grew increasingly influential and outspoken. Over the course of its existence, LESLA connected with many local pillars of the Boston LGBTQ+ community, such as hosting parties at Club 1270, running advertisements in LGBTQ+ publications such as Bay Windows and Gay Community News, and marching in the Boston Pride Parade. This series contains photographs and negatives which feature LESLA members and events. The photographer of these materials is unknown. Photographs in this collection were processed at the item level and have each been given a unique identifier, digitized, and assigned corresponding metadata. Items within each subseries are arranged as close to their original order as possible. Four subseries have been established by subject matter: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1990&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries I: Boston Gay Pride 1990, June 9, 1990 </a> The 15 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1990. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3ABoston+Gay+Pride+1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items">Subseries II: Boston Gay Pride 1991, June 8, 1991 </a> The 23 photographs in this subseries document LESLA members participating in Boston Gay Pride of 1991. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Halloween+Party+1989&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries III: LESLA Halloween Party 1989, October 29, 1989 </a> The 22 photographs in this subseries document a LESLA Halloween Party in 1989 at Club 1270. <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bjoiner%5D=and&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=185&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photos%3A+LESLA+Group+Photos+1988-1991&range=&collection=&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&contributed=&exhibit=&subcollections=0&geolocation-mapped=&geolocation-address=&geolocation-latitude=&geolocation-longitude=&geolocation-radius=10&submit_search=Search+for+items" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subseries IV: LESLA Group Photographs, Approximately 1988-1989 </a> The 10 photographs in this subseries document LESLA events and group photographs outside of the events covered in Subseries I-III. The items in this subseries were grouped together due to the low volume of related photographs. Collection processed for Queer History Boston by Lauren Posklensky, student in the Simmons University Masters of Library and Information Science program, under the supervision of Mik Hamilton, Archivist, May 2025. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Color photograph 6 x 4 inches Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Photos:Boston Gay Pride 1991 Title A name given to the resource LESLA Members with Banner, Rainstick, and Claves Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991-06-08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource LESLA Description An account of the resource LESLA Members holding instruments and a LESLA banner marching in the Boston Gay Pride parade of 1991 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived LESLA Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Queer History Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource 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. Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Boston, Massachussetts LESLA (Lesbianas Latinas) https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/3514f6ce307affeaafe1350df49b3e69.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=W-Ly4HFJb0HS-Ru8WNjUI5GEaUwA7unbcQCs%7E0HxMJGRZsKKdwwBfID%7EfP00aLG9kzlI-uQdu9z6%7EonPG1qIATrG9WmqLPp9icDZ5ShyCHxfO%7ExAIiTHFjVCEzfyfEmPwE%7EISwpOMhCzKhYBOs2RaF3UPTtEZRAARdvvd2fcrjhyAZ0GtmqMfrk2m5%7ESXha67%7EtqhZGDyF4hjdYW7xEolPLOqtbCMvB0HuQENEn04pfwhdj5rlnEfmeD3rLFewUVUx9TU01lEaa02lqgQ95rKEnd6wgmSpnincip-Qps8hxf2N3eZqXweE8w50Oz2Fs61Nx4ZyJ3F330zFLzjR4BoA__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM f94129ae5e86964408b116259627b46b PDF Text Text Archives and Records Finding Aid COLLECTION NUMBER: Coll. #77 John Mitzel Journals COLLECTION SUMMARY Creator(s): Title: Extent: Date Span: Repository: John Mitzel The Journals of John Mitzel 3 Linear Feet The History Project, Archives, and Records Department Finding aid prepared for The History Project, Archives, and Records Department by Mark Krone, and William Holden, Board Members. Biographical Note: John Mitzel (1948 – 2013) was a Boston based writer, activist, publisher, and bookstore owner. Mitzel was one of the organizers of Boston's first gay pride parade in 1971. Mitzel was also a founding member of the Fag Rag collective, which began publishing the newspaper Fag Rag in 1971. He helped found the Good Gay Poets collective in 1973. He wrote numerous articles for Gay Community News (Boston) and held a regular column in the Philadelphia Gay News during the 1970’s and 1980’s. Mitzel operated and managed the Boston branch of the Toronto based bookstore, Glad Day Bookstore, until 2000, then opened Calamus Bookstore in 2002. Related Collections: #01 – Mike Riegle Collection #12 – Fag Rag (Publications) #74 – Charlie Shively Collection ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Terms of Use/Copyright: Unrestricted, though some items in the collection may be copyrighted by individuals and/or organizations outside of The History Project. Contact the History Project for further information: info@historyproject.org �Scope and Content Notes: The collection consists of 3 boxes of John Mitzel personal journals. The journals are arranged chronologically. Series I: Box 1: Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Journals 1: 2: 3: 4: 5: 6: 7: 8: 9: 10: 11: 12: 13: 14: 15: 16: Passports May 4, 1971 – October 29, 1971 October 30, 1971 – April 21, 1972 June 27, 1972 – August 31, 1972 September 5, 1972 – May 21, 1973 May 25, 1973 – October 27, 1973 October 30, 1973 – January 25, 1974 January 28, 1974 – May 25, 1974 May 26, 1974 – September 7, 1974 September 9, 1974 – January 24, 1975 January 27, 1975 – March 26, 1975 March 27, 1975 – May 27, 1975 May 28, 1975 – July 25, 1975 September 20, 1975 – November 13, 1975 July 26, 1975 – September 19, 1975 November 15, 1975 – March 3, 1976 Box 2: Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder Folder 1: 2: 3: 4: 5: 6: 7: 8: 9: 10: 11: 12: 13: 14: 15: 16: 17: June 5, 1976 – September 16, 1976 March 4, 1976 – June 4, 1976 September 17, 1976 – February 19, 1977 February 24, 1977 – August 9, 1977 August 17, 1977 – January 4, 1978 January 5, 1978 – June 1, 1978 June 8, 1978 – November 29, 1978 December 6, 1978 – March 1, 1979 March 5, 1979 – May 21, 1979 May 22, 1979 – January 16, 1980 January 17, 1980 – March 5, 1981 March 9, 1981 – February 23, 1982 March 2, 1982 – June 20, 1982 June 23, 1982 – December 29, 1982 January 10, 1983 – February 27, 1984 March 2, 1984 – August 23, 1984 August 26, 1984 – February 25, 1985 Box 3 Folder 1: Folder 2: Folder 3: Folder 4: Folder 5: Folder 6: Folder 7: Folder 8: February 28, 1985 – October 14, 1985 October 15, 1985 – August 11, 1986 August 14, 1986 – April 14, 1987 April 22, 1987 – November 29, 1987 December 9, 1987 – September 6, 1988 September 13, 1988 – November 28, 1989 December 25, 1989 – March 6, 1991 March 12, 1991 – May 20, 1992 Series II: Other Writings Folder 9: Mayor's Office of Consumer Affairs and Licensing Pan American Theatre, 1986 � Folder 10: Folder 11: Folder 12: The Dream File, 1968 – 1972 3 – IN – 1, 1984 The Truth about Sylvan Gleat: A Progression, 1971 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Our collection descriptions—also known as finding aids—can be found below. The following collections have not yet been digitized, but can be viewed in-person by appointment. If you are interested in arranging a time to see a collection, please <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWWwRXzcoodt9rbvOu2lSOrSV1ajmOR_GzElajK8Tz4vic9w/viewform" title="Request appointment" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">request an appointment here</a>. Thank you! Title A name given to the resource Queer History Boston Collection Guides Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Coll. 077: John Mitzel Journals Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1971 - 1992 Description An account of the resource John Mitzel (1948 – 2013) was a Boston based writer, activist, publisher, and bookstore owner. Mitzel was one of the organizers of Boston's first gay pride parade in 1971. Mitzel was also a founding member of the Fag Rag collective, which began publishing the newspaper Fag Rag in 1971. The collection consists of 3 boxes of John Mitzel personal journals and other writings. The journals are arranged chronologically. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource John Mitzel Subject The topic of the resource Gay Journalists -- United States Gay Press Gay Press Publications Social movements – -Gay liberation movement Relation A related resource <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/show/270">Fag Rag (Publication) Collection</a> Fag Rag John Mitzel Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Our collection descriptions—also known as finding aids—can be found below. The following collections have not yet been digitized, but can be viewed in-person by appointment. If you are interested in arranging a time to see a collection, please <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWWwRXzcoodt9rbvOu2lSOrSV1ajmOR_GzElajK8Tz4vic9w/viewform" title="Request appointment" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">request an appointment here</a>. Thank you! Title A name given to the resource Queer History Boston Collection Guides Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Gay Community News Collection Description An account of the resource Gay Community News (GCN) was a weekly journal published in Boston from 1973 to 1999 by the Bromfield Street Educational Foundation. One of the most prominent LGBTQ+ weekly newspapers to grow out of the gay liberation movement of the 1970s, GCN addressed a range of issues and controversies that were absent from the mainstream press and relevant to the gay, lesbian, and trans community. The paper was run by an evolving collective of staffers, members, and volunteers with a resolutely progressive and political orientation, but its coverage was inclusive of a diversity of thought and critically addressed the politics and experiences of sexuality, pornography, class, race, disability, relationships, incarceration, and parenthood. The History Project houses the following materials related to Gay Community News: <ul><li><a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/collections/show/35">Coll. 016: Gay Community News Publication Collection </a> <ul><li>Note: All issues are viewable in person. To view issues online, see: <a href="https://archive.org/search?query=creator%3A%22Gay+Community+News%22" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gay Community News: Internet Archive</a> </li> </ul></li> <li><a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/collections/show/3">Coll. 104: Gay Community News Photograph Collection </a> <ul><li>Note: Only partially digitized. All photographs are viewable in person. </li> </ul></li> <li>Coll. 125: Gay Community News Internal History Collection <ul><li>Note: Unprocessed; not digitized. More detailed description forthcoming.</li> </ul></li> </ul>All materials can be viewed in-person in Boston by appointment. If you are interested in arranging a time to see a collection in person, email us as <a href="mailto:info@historyproject.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">info@historyproject.org</a>. Please include which collection materials you are interested in seeing and the date(s) you would like to visit. See also: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/exhibits/show/gay-community-news/about">Visualizing Gay Community News, our digital exhibition.</a> <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/exhibits/show/gay-community-news/about"></a> Bromfield Street Educational Foundation Gay Community News https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/5b7a0bd0d6ea8b7814678c4a57c4ab82.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=QZomyfZlxaMHpWxXtFVik3qso%7EORNMaRVCd72MHCrOCsu8gVxLQbbxmUUJnqPCJ1juF7-cBCVk9tHqgwko74Wcdfs%7ExagLC2MTmJOYg%7EfuBhCdUsyOWvAGwo25crjcEzPhl6GQp3i17T7OKciPra9f0Ukj0hg7OMjtKfpPV6eX7lkKGlXS25s0BaqhELTcumjIDcGvHbAF07bhkSocoP9CjFAbcj%7E0zUP-LRnpJSZ4dbsJ4NjzEEBGe5Ugzfpo94lcviMBiM89ISO7yzKqpkxhsJZM8CdAgXZmiOvhwTefhXi7oBk5nts41Q2guaGuWPs7BC3tEAXwVZ1-VLebs3hA__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 41eac5a51a9d74abe652b0b5ee493898 PDF Text Text Archives and Records Finding Aid COLLECTION NUMBER: TITLE: Coll.38 Community Guides and Yellow Pages Collection COLLECTION SUMMARY Creator: Title: Extent: Date Span: Repository: Various (see HISTORICAL ABSTRACT) Community Guides and Yellow Pages Collection 2 Hollinger boxes 1974-2010 (and ongoing) The History Project, Archives and Records Department Finding aid prepared for The History Project, Archives and Records Department by Andrew Elder, January 2009. SUBJECT TERMS Subject Names: Mary Kennedy KP Media Gay Community News Odysseus Enterprises, Inc. Ben “Bernie” Sirota Fierce Enterprises, Inc. Subject Topics: Transgender community – Directories. Bisexual community – Directories. Lesbians – Directories. Gay men – Directories. Queer community – Directories. Yellow Pages. New England – Directories. Boston – Directories. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Terms of Use/Copyright: Unrestricted, though some items in the collection are copyrighted by individuals and/or organizations outside The History Project. Contact The History Project for further information: 1 �29 Stanhope Street Boston, MA 02116 617.266.7733 info@historyproject.org www.historyproject.org HISTORICAL ABSTRACT Since 1974, various groups have published guides for Boston and New England’s queer communities. These guides include information about area activities, lodging, vacation spots, entertainment venues, bars, health care organizations, a variety of nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and social justice organizations. In 1974, the Boston newspaper Gay Community News (GCN) published the first such guide for the Boston area, focusing specifically on activities, organizations, and services in Boston and Cambridge. From 1975 to 1977, GCN published guides for activities, organizations, and services throughout New England. In 1981, area publisher Mary Kennedy and others began producing the publication that would later become The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgender Communities’ Pink Pages (With All of New England). Like the GCN guides, the Pink Pages began by focusing on information pertaining to the Boston area, and later expanded to represent New England. A number of different guides to activities, organizations, and services have had brief publishing runs in Boston and New England, including DIRECTORY/New England and Private Lives. Also, since 1993, various groups have published Boston area Yellow Page directories for the queer community. SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE This collection contains a complete run of the GCN-produced guides, and a near-complete run of Pink Pages. Guides produced by other groups are not complete. DESCRIPTION OF SERIES The arrangement of this collection divides guides into 7 different series, based on the groups that produced/published them: Series I contains guides produced by Gay Community News from 1974 to 1977. The two subseries identify this guide’s name change from the 1974 to the 1975 editions. Series II contains the guide produced by DIRECTORY/New England in 1981. Other guides were likely produced by this group. Series III contains community guides from 1981 to 2009, produced and published by Mary Kennedy and others. This publication changes names frequently. Currently, the publication is produced by KP Media and is called The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgender Communities’ Pink Pages (With All of New England). There are 8 2 �subseries in this series, as there were 8 different names attached to this publication from 1981 to 2009. Series IV contains the 1987 publication of Odysseus: An Accommodations & Travel Guide for the Gay Community (USA/International. This is the 3rd edition of Odysseus, and the only edition included in this collection. This publication serves the United States, as well as an international audience. Series V contains 1 issue, from 1990, of Private Lives: Serving the Greater Northeastern Area. This is volume 5, number 1 of this publication. Series VI contains the premier issue of the 1993 Boston Community Yellow Pages. This publication may have gone on to have more issues. The 1993 edition is the only one included in this collection. Series VII contains the premier issue, from 1994, of Boston’s Gay Yellow Pages. This publication may have gone on to have more issues. SERIES AND PUBLICATION LIST Box 1 Series I: Gay Community News Guides, 1974-1977 Subseries A: The Gay Cruise-Aider: An Annotated Guide to Businesses and Services for the Gay Community in Boston & Cambridge Reprinted from Gay Community News, 1974 (1 copy) Subseries B: A Gay Person’s Guide to New England First Edition, 1975 (3 copies) Second Edition, 1976 (5 copies) 1977 Supplement (2 copies) Series II: DIRECTORY/New England Guides, 1981 Spring, 1981 edition (1 copy) Series III: Bisexual, Community Guides (various names, later becomes the Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Communities’ PINK PAGES), 1981-2009 (and ongoing) Subseries A: Lesbian & Gay Community Guide to New England, 1981 [Volume 1, Number 1], 1981 (1 copy) Subseries B: Gay & Lesbian Community Guide to New England, 1982 [Volume 2, Number 1], 1982 (1 copy) Subseries C: New England Community Guide for Gay Males & Lesbians 3 �[Volume 3, Number 1], 1983 (1 copy) Volume 4, Number 1, 1984 (1 copy) Volume 5, Number 1, 1985 (3 copies) Subseries D: New England Community Guide for Gay Men & Lesbians (Volume and issue numbering is discontinued) 1986 (1 copy) 1987 (1 copy) 1988 (1 copy) 1989 (1 copy) 1991 (2 copies) 1992 (3 copies) 1993, with 1993-1994 supplement (2 copies) Subseries E: New England [and] East Coast Community Guide for Gay Men & Lesbians (including the introduction of Pink Pages) 1994 (2 copies) Subseries F: New England, East Coast Community Guide’s PINK PAGES for Gay Men, Lesbians, & Bisexuals 1995 (3 copies) Box 2 1996 1997 1997 1998 (3 copies) (3 copies) Pride Map and Supplement (5 copies) (1 copy) Subseries G: New England, East Coast Community Guide’s PINK PAGES for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgendered Community 1999 (1 copy) Subseries H: New England’s Community Pink Pages for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgender Community 2002-2003 2004-2005 2005-2006 2007-2008 (1 (1 (1 (1 copy) copy) copy) copy) Subseries I: The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgender Communities’ Pink Pages (With All of New England) 2008-2009 (2 copies) Suseries J: Pink Pages 2009-2010 With All of New England for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgendered Community 4 �2009-2010 (2 copies) Series IV: Odysseus ‘87: An Accommodations & Travel Guide for the Gay Community (USA/International), 1987 3rd Edition, 1987 (1 copy) Series V: Private Lives: Serving the Greater Northeastern Area, 1990 Volume 5, Issue 1, June 1990 (1 copy) Series VI: 1993 Boston Community Yellow Pages, 1993 Volume 1 (Premier Edition), 1993 (1 copy) Series VII: Boston’s Gay Yellow Pages, 1994 Premier Edition, 1994 (2 copies) 5 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Our collection descriptions—also known as finding aids—can be found below. The following collections have not yet been digitized, but can be viewed in-person by appointment. If you are interested in arranging a time to see a collection, please <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWWwRXzcoodt9rbvOu2lSOrSV1ajmOR_GzElajK8Tz4vic9w/viewform" title="Request appointment" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">request an appointment here</a>. Thank you! Title A name given to the resource Queer History Boston Collection Guides Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Coll. 038: Community Guides and Yellow Pages Collection Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1974-2010 Description An account of the resource Since 1974, various groups have published guides for Boston and New England’s queer communities. These guides include information about area activities, lodging, vacation spots, entertainment venues, bars, health care organizations, a variety of nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and social justice organizations. In 1974, the Boston newspaper Gay Community News (GCN) published the first such guide for the Boston area, focusing specifically on activities, organizations, and services in Boston and Cambridge. From 1975 to 1977, GCN published guides for activities, organizations, and services throughout New England. In 1981, area publisher Mary Kennedy and others began producing the publication that would later become The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgender Communities’ Pink Pages (With All of New England). Like the GCN guides, the Pink Pages began by focusing on information pertaining to the Boston area, and later expanded to represent New England. A number of different guides to activities, organizations, and services have had brief publishing runs in Boston and New England, including DIRECTORY/New England and Private Lives. Also, since 1993, various groups have published Boston area Yellow Page directories for the queer community. This collection contains a complete run of the GCN-produced guides, and a near-complete run of Pink Pages. Guides produced by other groups are not complete. https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/02b4480822a8c47e4821dfa1e9a76368.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=Pr-J9LqaVS4o%7E1Z5jpOJYfH-AhxWKX9NbM8N-0rmxtMN9IN7hTC9Z-QSaMOCV8YWRRWV8HJPo5mc%7E7RI-LQDbLKLX5dFhI%7EFPqM7tBUxIUuSlkj324fPuBlvH2UG-uAhsKjHXZBK1DR9fETJkyqIV6avb3%7Ew8g5RYxsQ-jlgGgRMfiGd4wDOAmTCDJUkyH0zNKn3cWPV0lNjisdf4WNkn5cfYNKEheR%7ElArJtmsH4moXxuLOq6UaBG9rpUA1ZKa2TrUFX0LrljbSkcL21l17P0OjtZgQiXFtl3jYyG9CSnjpfxkPdr48aOjojadDMv6LlBcOZNASJ6tiqW23swBQXw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM d62c2ad05e661e760baab54d53532cea PDF Text Text Archives and Records Finding Aid COLLECTION NUMBER: TITLE: Coll.47 Boston Spirit Magazine Publication COLLECTION SUMMARY Creator(s): Title: Extent: Date Span: Location: Boston Spirit Magazine (Publisher: David Zimmerman) Boston Spirit Magazine Publication 2005 – present The History Project, Archives and Records Department Finding aid prepared for The History Project, Archives and Records Department, by Andrew Elder, July 2009. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Terms of Use/Copyright: Unrestricted, though some items in the collection are copyrighted by individuals and/or organizations outside The History Project. Contact The History Project for further information: 29 Stanhope Street Boston, MA 02116 617.266.7733 info@historyproject.org www.historyproject.org HISTORICAL ABSTRACT Boston Spirit Magazine, Publication Index Volume 1 1 1 1 1 Issue 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 2 2 2 2 6 1 2 3 4 5 Date April/May 2005 June/July 2005 August/September 2005 October/November 2005 December 2005/January 2006 February/March 2006 April/May 2006 June/July 2006 August/September 2006 October/November 2006 December 2006/January Copies 1 2 1 1 2 Location THP Archives THP Archives THP Archives THP Archives THP Archives 1 1 1 1 1 1 THP THP THP THP THP THP Notes Premier Issue Archives Archives Archives Archives Archives Archives 1 �3 3 3 3 3 1 2 3 4 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 5 5 5 5 1 2 3 4 2007 February/March 2007 April/May 2007 Summer 2007 September/October 2007 November/December 2007 January/February 2008 March/April 2008 May/June 2008 July/August 2008 September/October 2008 November/December 2008 January/February 2009 May/June 2009 July/August 2009 1 1 2 1 THP THP THP THP Archives Archives Archives Archives 1 1 1 1 2 1 THP THP THP THP THP THP Archives Archives Archives Archives Archives Archives 1 THP Archives 1 1 THP Archives THP Archives 2 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Our collection descriptions—also known as finding aids—can be found below. The following collections have not yet been digitized, but can be viewed in-person by appointment. If you are interested in arranging a time to see a collection, please <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWWwRXzcoodt9rbvOu2lSOrSV1ajmOR_GzElajK8Tz4vic9w/viewform" title="Request appointment" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">request an appointment here</a>. Thank you! Title A name given to the resource Queer History Boston Collection Guides Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Coll. 047: Boston Spirit Magazine (Publication) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2005 - 2009 Description An account of the resource Boston Spirit magazine, launched in 2005, is an LGBT publication focused on the Massachusetts and New England area. To view this collection in person, email: info@historyproject.org. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Boston Spirit Magazine https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/ad74b921ca5f37d55a91e3cdb18125db.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=Nz2bMdmoLTGsOTa6ed-i7ei938FJZw84RdTuMhMo5mGmb-4OOLji%7EyTAf2IeryncAeKq1-JDG5dH32nf7pHNYU5Gk%7EoGHcWqshViDOd3LuPQdYxoFLI0a8pFG07l2-ZPcWNg586iYloOePlNAYbrYTJnYvIcF7vC0CKtMJnhx7epz1o1XibW6xWuDg75onqK4dwiaREs5fFD2H4WBZGth0dPeXfwAuMtDkFlucH8CRr2mHx9WWLmgbDZUGZgMmqhTS7XyGZzWcE0IKTYwXv01vCSc4TD2dZYvUCsBHZodQki-BWnMpzgs%7EkKoZL4cnjPvkXHromoZG0BNbuE6nVykQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 23905d345a4bd2867922d5912828eaec https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/fedcf9b926170e0050616a28dee6f7a9.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=TwJiWvpMPbZow-1bQPIPOc%7EPXBtrWFdIIh4SaafGPLHn7MiaSceH9rphjiXLG9-padwHiYZinkziQHRNGscLKEVkQw7VKZDWFxWBlvVwTlQEKMEfUhxAYY2Ty1x6Ixqu8W1le4xDMqXoKNWNEwC0iOMxbfNLDWaghknT65ttqqjyHtkz0IOd-F0qZYXqnSfCYDSh1P32A7FJoO9f0dNVO-R4%7EmqyHLiAFCj6D9FZgAFnsn73wklIJQHtQW4g2NOXgS6%7E6TM%7ES5T90scFEEOCSF-ZFO8N-%7E%7Eh7nn6c0Qg1JMqSskk03EPwSPwxO46MAea%7EXRjrOVZ%7Em8XzKbO8otqjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 53f01a7738dd37f40ffa988ed5ee21c3 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Queer Resistance Description An account of the resource Selection of materials digitized from the History Project's collections as part of the <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/exhibits/show/queerresistance/home">Queer Resistance, Queer Joy exhibition.</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Mattachine Society: If You Are Arrested... Description An account of the resource A 1960s pamphlet published by the Mattachine Society. Provenance A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource. THP-10: Student Homophile Union https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/d5c2b2a84171521bad5e31131ed75848.tif?Expires=1777507200&Signature=BEVhnWFA534VFuKeK7F-KUt6NnxlQmhaLyrHwtYyfXeQ5Ke8-xaMIvY7eWf59VVUgOOyYaSCIVhyGHiBXlaBpgiqhzm7CO%7ELh9c2DsMCeamXzRX3OJCHrNMwO9UOK%7ESEvuIvfruRhj3F0vpHBsrUZ85wA6QQPlcP%7ExK-eJBQZSMMVmsAe0NwnCeCHRlQtSZyJrSC7vrvw0rOIKK8swouhDIK6rRLoHjn3%7EyvKHgjXT2GnDPk0%7ETZIpS2w%7EEphcOuMyjoj5AdcNj3bl-WFmOvuhy-tXcBNDCad-1rkZwOAJ%7E%7Eo4Z72ViCe0Jcj30zbQlzujcpdn%7Eh31K9FXDXe4fqNw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 8412c6076b76df91fa28c1b1156458fe Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Queer Resistance Description An account of the resource Selection of materials digitized from the History Project's collections as part of the <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/exhibits/show/queerresistance/home">Queer Resistance, Queer Joy exhibition.</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Queer Revolt Provenance A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource. Gunner Scott Collection https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/fa3930cbf3e59a361f4f83ea50d375cd.jpg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=HjAgqG1RRNTyavWkq-xHrFVCvpKvIUAmefRd4khbNKR1sIg6WB1A34lfqSb4eE1Ihkur0PhI1%7EEHO%7ELrRBaYCMqb7l706l-3kgqfDjvc4WXQVIyZg8nETA4je9X4m%7EO2eQkgBlIEbWA-jGC1dVA-yapEovMyBFkFUdf4iYyQ7qCp9KfCui1943KVL780ObpbeHQLE8KHaj8Q9voIee3QBTR2sHYg4I7%7EzXfRfz4u4h6O4eTF8Zw6HR60zMzMqHvTEYmNJIDQnUzP6SZNVVcUWZMh4pTSLNLqaGQ5J57RPB9QAbCZrWTOvSAFJABosjJSFOUBE9TZJ2yocWULkqMrbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 854da34da2136c6be07411c260758292 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Queer Resistance Description An account of the resource Selection of materials digitized from the History Project's collections as part of the <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/exhibits/show/queerresistance/home">Queer Resistance, Queer Joy exhibition.</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource ACT UP/Boston Poster Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Circa 1987 Provenance A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource. Collection 67 Description An account of the resource ACT UP/Boston call to action, circa 1987. https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/4c92612a22e9313e7eee8f2ac67a5dd5.JPG?Expires=1777507200&Signature=Hn86ewbWLi6NPNeZSPMgbJMO84-G8qWBC6Z4Th1xWC89QIA6roPn3nIIquPSKo7lDJg2HyGSELRlzOov5DVM9IN5CcZtJUi3QNqh8Qw0OTeMqXLcADbROj3s1o3wgr1BDm4cULTuHnSGTAQGqff1-fDnCu8m6oWsFQtBXHu0tEZjYKc0AfD5XwgkEfyYUDndqt8wtwEuJ1NFd4B6xvjUiGW%7E--EL8IuNzEZXcq518NI8RbU0ZOwPzhjEtU8pU9Clw1k9-FwyLSui91l7xvHp3HTbGK2TNTkuYf36hRqbZWpN5Eu-vaxb6LEW698sh8Kf3bn1kGtJ9iiAYH9SwcP4YA__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 4375c80f7ed4084af57befa8c3578937 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/0c553f959065043aa835e4cdd5e50dc6.jpg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=M4uW7eA1ZwwKBsTBmxDwBAh0rAu7dMcg1kzzV6gFoudGYvPSidy3DhYigorTFWjXzDuKpMA5zy6cr2-FPNNdbPrrhoBPsQ7a1h5PUwHSAiLG2bVfeCNeklUGjk2rtFpE6sQErbepP5cgpFRBCrz423S4numsznh3YKj5LcherrE8NC5LMbh1%7Eq59R9W-Jwqf1TfEqK9YRRjzheqz4yMf6DzDJYTJvqIYeG57Jo0Cyq4Qe8pclL%7Ek8BNVYIkHAZabFEetg3HCBWkk1sdh626Vqvi0NWxnpKD74gabxY4Y4Ia%7EabOGHvpkvjYhlMEFw7qvkz9boHymJb-v8wCLEZpNew__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 173dc6ed1a31f4ab57666cdb26e7aca6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Queer Resistance Description An account of the resource Selection of materials digitized from the History Project's collections as part of the <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/exhibits/show/queerresistance/home">Queer Resistance, Queer Joy exhibition.</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource ACT UP Pamphlet Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Circa January 1989 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource ACT UP / Boston Provenance A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource. Collection 67 Description An account of the resource ACT UP/Boston pamphlet (circa 1989) detailing history of actions since 1988. https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/0165f209e1bd86fe862a624699b4286d.tif?Expires=1777507200&Signature=LwwDnT3C86XhYcqVBFAWUMrgLOEJJx-DHf3LecY2go7gpD66XDyjZbQzXiezc-4ytCD3cdQYRHegGE5-ECPT3DoJLsziwwNyloWn5wQgP3xwyBIgKlAAHDT6x-G4ZxdrobJg6d%7E%7EWVZUTWDPlWO98I3a%7EeYCC5qkDHc19aESERIXzGj4omBzjSPLqw9Kp%7EyCB5dJjWXyCUXMRn8VJilJ4%7EY7tumil2OWKCBhl1w1wWVxaeMa4uq5Sp2qq1AjcMMOJCOSfbw7hMJPzy%7EM3sRGf%7EOqV48AzENeYa8jQhPdZ6y34wqV2n8yFvHLzwkXN%7EziMWgCoYh2EpbCADJyPveXdw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM d1d5ec7b67fc3a4733c940bec5221845 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/a07556595ba9981d6746f81ae953d72a.tif?Expires=1777507200&Signature=MtHXFhJipOLxWj8Sua%7EqMtCEHDqFpc5bwFoXwukEhO4%7EnYu3m4eItiw%7EMi2UeMv2AQ6OWDtCiPAuC4cvGDZYXOGTZH9eROcy2-KVl7434FRpqOb6iTH%7ErMYd2GRPKpOe4o%7E5ayfH4j2viaoXfoR1wCz477Yw%7EBtl2C30%7EaS3%7EHKy3CivXkgAyA49sY%7Emu25dBeYmhjV8IGVaNVAIWpFHL9j54cyGXFcJeSK1PqQRvWlzUqVOE31uZMfSK%7EABetSUgiJydUHKqew6cCrTo06E%7EFbza3DF5bWEZaN2BRNhOb347OVHf%7EgjP2F3p2uxsm9k48rVhcXb3o-S61vZOE2WuQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM e7248731fbfcd492ea903fd2eb0647a2 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/bdb8c7cc7c2cce13b569c1d22449a679.tif?Expires=1777507200&Signature=ZIn7cTWjFkuDv%7E4%7EU8mY7WjtLhvu6tyAzcpGemWGn4W3Yxy8MxtBQUot-B6yxgt1phUq4h7RtHUy4c405NyyZ9pY0mKoGCbWE%7E6wZspZbnors6Vu3SUE3FM%7Ed4HG5-Or54Pt3Iy7uirAM39ERkk1RpU%7EIAfAsDLd-i3FRWYwkAVvI3Pfpj%7E90TYfhK-RrNVfJLZh0EAYKXkG%7E3bhkouy35gDD5zhhNhEg1qYCJUuf5mWBqlUjo6mboPQBpEnfgukEvqtWkRdkNqF6IbOLgb8y69AKjw6UXzsyhdELGAm5IZlvUjeBLi62EAE0XA8cPOemXfF7IPiMv0BJNdsYzRZFw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 4a2f2063947924dfc2938dd2083f5be1 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/8afd413ae387fb013233fb33e2f0e752.tif?Expires=1777507200&Signature=PJeIsl9rXp6RgeSSjoHPi3ESVu3Fjyi1C2gy5K5NhM-GGzzpoQcZNVoeAKLaUXyomE2MIKqtByhRAjFqiWEZlZP4uQJ%7EbctvJ4l%7EzaZGGQBpTMIvFI7XVAlxXolnOC9iQ4SjTyVxgdz--eq3WdTrg27G%7Ees6G-lsDJXC3IBnur%7EexLXcyl6jmqIPJY8s1vJnWS3FUFl7tuPvjdCSaJmMqW9C8KeL4Y7vHoUjlTvnGEOFAh%7EPV4S-bBi6s65Mp%7EYEkinhGtvghjYdQL101ckeIJ8PJoHvFJPq2CMV%7EPrqoJNa6lbFavVYIvT5GJ7NEi4kJOu6nAGsWXA6wwilRbOC0g__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM f09796b31a1ea80bad0d4785ed436d78 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Queer Resistance Description An account of the resource Selection of materials digitized from the History Project's collections as part of the <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/exhibits/show/queerresistance/home">Queer Resistance, Queer Joy exhibition.</a> Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource National March on Washington for Lesbian & Gay Rights, 1987 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987 Description An account of the resource Pamphlet for the second National March on Washington for Lesbian & Gay Rights, October 14, 1987. https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/e7aacb5d604aeaed41955f5a8f06d00c.tif?Expires=1777507200&Signature=C9VvYMhIbzP9Umq29bU7SbZP8srl-zx2C%7EKM6PueVh34NehGZ1k6f%7EUBVwvvQWhk-IeditdfJOkTo12chYG2wugW8uPMmEbGGhoVU%7EkXaHk8Cwz4sOU450cKOEb1Cf3sHD9T%7EuFZDbGARdbn9wqRJa%7EdIpeega2LNRSy3O4sfd-2PYAmR5YM5umXkvxq9Sdl6nZFkegidclZoRBiAHH7%7EzCIqGFncw2qRg2Lo2QvL1A-e4pJa6huV%7EYvxPNZ0SFtEtXNG4wteJU9QUGsn6hMQm-4oC2ZTbGzxkM-J8CDDrUbk0nEY3-T536pe1-Kh2Z9c1O8UNiIZc3Vk1eWTh%7EI0A__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 070170056fc5244d697d50baffce8b01 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/0bbfef4b923dfb8d29215607f3ee823d.tif?Expires=1777507200&Signature=hE4Ud7lEmGxB21PJxvsRc2fKDjO5DAIVbIuR%7EwKYkoCK6Bxi7trb4TvKoQpUKrf3dJO9TzR9MP6SNRKOAfkyOyOC2dgp4n7t7TL97ZfZDxOtpsz1a1CnEnzntdhnyD2IyL-oHLzWiG7phsR9-pfTmkn6RLMZa6wUgjz1FFQD42pAfXiXL3lkqo4g9ny9N3CyLLpSE9TdE3OrlADWp6l4PKH5PpBEwk-StUNIoAIxR-9jlSITaRSOL5uvKWoo41%7ExxI49DlAIiDlzP0wmgd%7EGiGgm9K2fs3l5QW%7EIONTmV2e5MEZPcmppDz4Xn8xCPQZQKQatRY8L5nbRJlTy%7EqM%7EmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 1cfb89f33cf2c4bc1cb4851441478e4a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Queer Resistance Description An account of the resource Selection of materials digitized from the History Project's collections as part of the <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/exhibits/show/queerresistance/home">Queer Resistance, Queer Joy exhibition.</a> Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource A Dyke Manifesto Calling all Lesbians Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Circa 1990s Description An account of the resource A call-to-action by the Boston Lesbian Avengers, circa 1990s Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Lesbian Avengers https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/a695e13c954c2c3b8a900cc6d2c45df0.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=X4etCxXN492RwqYtb7CteXzW%7EDM0FXxvwTtM9RSLmls78cqWZz7M6oJWfzJmxrzHK8Umax742L-RoONISPUPWVBYJNbwBKwzSQeYuiUFmAk0cksSgUzNmWNsRzCaTVNtYu-m666Y1PaizqU2l8oIpexChCJRcjZQTaQlS0oIVY0oRWFhDZaG7Ph9TJLEfkrsbT%7EBOhdpNefbyDDrxjSBWj07UigL7oz3Xm9L5p6xkz9taumvz40DMZaVqAT1y8KM9NFI%7E1XHeqbqAdg6OoBBe8hr-YYGXWlUqM8ZzQjr4lGIde69tNOBefWMGWAcQaRGjbIWRIkzV5AlXXq-Y07OmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 179f3ede2990a6c0dbec5d3bea8b3997 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Marriage Equality Collection Description An account of the resource The story of marriage equality in Massachusetts is often shared through a legal perspective: the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health case, the work of legal and advocacy groups, and the relationships of the seven plaintiff couples. While this perspective is crucial to understanding marriage equality as a whole, countless personal stories of LGBTQ+ love and joy from the past 20 years have not been documented. To address this historical gap, The History Project is launching The Marriage Equality Collection, a digital collecting initiative that enables community members to submit their own wedding stories, their photographs, invitations, vows, and other materials. Submissions will be preserved and shared in The History Project’s digital archives for future generations. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Julia and Carly Title A name given to the resource Break the glass after our ceremony Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 08/31/2024 Description An account of the resource Carly is on the left, Julia is on the right. We are both smashing the glass after our ceremony under the chuppa that Julia built for the wedding Subject The topic of the resource Carly is on the left, julia is on the right, Rabbi Jessica Lowenthal is pictured in the back Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Lindsey Michelle https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/035e357e006f1fe50b24f688a5c33672.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=hIcFlUYFf6Gxa44V5R78KwYHST4w8XIC951dRlOFoyWOs3STanULbDUwXSLCPNxy5DBgl4YAYVTEO-Hs%7EA3fmKqpM2790P0Tu2OmfL0wYc6YY5oJSPZNbCd-cII0RO1DL6GJKlVaMEgXiinUaYW%7ERY7V%7ECUnU1ITlMxD97V8rSnE1dWHhL5R7Tp6jodF14igckRAr17Bk6v%7EN1pl-lT0nQWmX9H578MfRR8ukgpg28Q9hhYkc809wkwOCTZXFAurfWx1mY6HxOErbUbIJ-Dblwzwv8VRwkXF%7E9JXbu53HPQBhVs-RI3bJZrzbdNiO949niZFrnajTsPLSlWvzIvi1g__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM df743770e6c4a0a821c27c7e38a07867 PDF Text Text Archives and Research Finding Aid COLLECTION NUMBER: TITLE: Coll. 29 SpeakOut Records COLLECTION SUMMARY Creator: Title: Extent: Date Span: Repository: SpeakOut SpeakOut Records 5 boxes (5 linear feet) 1977-2005 The History Project, Archives and Records Department Finding aid prepared for The History Project, Archives and Records Department, by GSLIS student Sara Beneman, March-May 2012. SUBJECT TERMS Subject Names: SpeakOut Gay and Lesbian Speakers Bureau Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth Subject Topics: Bisexual youth -- Massachusetts. Bisexual youth -- Services for -- United States -- Massachusetts. Gay college students -- Massachusetts Gay youth -- Massachusetts. Gay youth -- Services for -- United States -- Massachusetts. Gender identity -- United States. Lesbian youth -- Massachusetts. Lesbian youth -- Services for -- United States -- Massachusetts. Transsexual youth -- Massachusetts. Transsexual youth -- Services for -- United States -- Massachusetts ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Terms of Use/Copyright: Unrestricted, though some items in the collection are copyrighted by individuals and/or organizations outside The History Project. Contact The History Project for further information: 1 �29 Stanhope Street Boston, MA 02116 617.266.7733 info@historyproject.org www.historyproject.org HISTORICAL ABSTRACT SpeakOut’s roots trace back to 1972, when the Daughters of Bilitis and the Homophile Union of Boston joined forces to create the Gay Speakers Bureau. Since then, the organization has evolved and expanded to reflect the rich diversity of the GLBT community, including bisexual, transgender and intersex people. SpeakOut was known as the Gay and Lesbian Speakers Bureau throughout the 1990s. SpeakOut works to create a world free of homo-bi-trans-phobia and other forms of prejudice by telling the truths of people’s lives. Its main activities are training speakers to use public speaking as a means of creating positive cultural change by sharing their lives and experiences and sending those speakers to schools, businesses, churches, and other institutions in order to educate people about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender lives and issues. (The above adapted from the SpeakOut website, speakoutboston.org) SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE This collection is primarily comprised of speaker training materials and audience evaluations of speakers. It also contains grant applications, financial information, committee meeting minutes, workshops, resource packets, project planning papers, and the SpeakOut newsletter The Speaker. SpeakOut visited a large number of schools and other institutions in the Boston area throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. These included Brookline High School, Emerson College, Merrimack College, General Electric, Camp Atwater, Berklee College of Music, Lexington High School, Randolph High School, Stonehill College, and dozens of others. The audience was asked to fill out anonymous evaluations each time, and they were painstakingly collected and saved to improve future presentations. Training and evaluation materials which fall under a more specific category are filed with that category; for example, training for the Youth Speak Out project is filed in Series II, Projects. Evaluations of training exercises are filed within Series VI, Training. DESCRIPTION OF SERIES Series I: Administrative (records pertaining to the running of SpeakOut). Alphabetical order. Subseries A: Committees (committee meetings and minutes) Subseries B: Grants (applications and information about grants) 2 �Series II: Projects (specific projects undertaken by SpeakOut, including the Governor’s Commission on Youth). Alphabetical order. Series III: Publications (primarily The Speaker, the SpeakOut monthly newsletter) Alphabetical order. Series IV: Resources (primarily information for dealing with LGBT issues and different religions). Alphabetical order. Series V: Speaking Engagements (records of speaking engagements; primarily evaluation forms filled out by audience members). Chronological order. Series VI: Training (documents relating to training staff and speakers, including manuals). Chronological order. SERIES AND FOLDER LIST Box 1 Series I: Administrative Folder 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Name Administrative and Blank Forms Advertising Annual Report, 1996 Board of Directors, 1996-1998 Board of Directors Minutes, 1996 Board of Directors Minutes, 1997 Board of Directors Minutes, 1998 Board of Directors Minutes, 1999 Board of Directors Workshop, 1999 Board of Directors Minutes, 2000 Board of Directors Minutes, 2001 Board of Directors Retreat, 2001 Board of Directors Elections, 2002-2003 Board of Directors Minutes, 2002 Board of Directors Retreat, 2002 Board of Directors Team Reports, 2002 Board of Directors Minutes, 2003 Board of Directors Manual, 2004-2005 Board of Directors Minutes, 2004 Budget, 1993 Business Plan, 1995 Bylaws, 1977-1995 Bylaws and Mission Revision, 1998 Subseries A: Committees Continuing Education Committee, 1995 Development Committee, 1997 Development Committee, 2001-2002 3 �Folder 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 Box 2 Folder 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 Name Fundraising Committee, 1993-1994 Fundraising Committee, 1993-1995 Ongoing Training Committee, 1994-1995 Procedures Committee, 1997 Staff Committee, 1997 Staff Committee, 1997-1998 Steering Committee, 1993-1994 Steering Committee, 1995 Correspondence, 1990-1993 Diversity Advisory Group Budget, 2001 Diversity Advisory Group Grants, 2000 Diversity Advisory Group Development, 2000 Diversity Advisory Group Tasks, 2001 Diversity Advisory Group Workshop, 2001 Department of Public Health, 2000-2001 Department of Public Health Contracts, 2001-2003 Donations, 1997-1998 Electronic Speaking Funding, 2002 Fundraising, Comedy, 2001-2002 Fundraising Strategy, 2002 Subseries B: Grants Bank Boston Grant, 1998 Boston Foundation Grant, 2000 Fleet Boston Grant, 1999 Forest Foundation Grant, 1998 Grass Roots Gay Rights Fund, 1997 Grass Roots Gay Rights Fund, 1998-2001 Haymarket Grant, 1998 Hiring, 1996-1998 IRS Exemptions, 1983, 1992 Long Range Plan, 1995 Long Range Planning, 1995 Name Miscellaneous Outreach, 1997-1999 Photographs Police Outreach, 2001 Press Promotional Materials Religious Outreach Intern Sample Membership Forms Survey of Members 4 �Series II: Projects Folder 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Name Altogether.com, 1998 The Answer Channel, 1993-1999 Boston Living Center Thanksgiving, 2000 Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth: Making Schools Safe, 1993 Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth: Making Colleges and Universities Safe, 1993 Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth: Prevention of Health Problems, 1994 Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth: GSA Support, 1996 Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth, 2002-2003 Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth: Youth Speak Out Grant, 1998 Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth: Youth Speak Out Manual, 1998 Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth: Youth Speak Out Report, 1999 Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth: Youth Speak Out Training, 1999 Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth: Youth Speak Out Training, 2000 Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth: Youth Speak Out Outreach, 2001 Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth: Youth Speak Out Training Evaluations, 2001 Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth: Youth Speak Out Training Materials, 2001 Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth: Youth Speak Out Training- Small Groups, 2001 Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth: Youth Speak Out Training- Speaker Summary Forms, 2001 Greater Boston PFLAG, 1999 Melrose Project, 2001 Outreach Project, 1994 Pride, 1997-1999 Safe Neighborhoods, 1994-1996 Safe Neighborhoods, 1995-1996 Safe Neighborhoods, 1998 Sexual Minority Youth Prevention, 2002-2003 Trans* Education, 1996 Video Project, 1991 Wellness Commission, 2002-2003 Youth Pride, 1995 5 �Series III: Publications Folder 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Name Brochures The Speaker, 1998, 1991 The Speaker, 1992 The Speaker, 1993 The Speaker, 1994 The Speaker, 1995 The Speaker, 1996 The Speaker, 1997 The Speaker, 1998 The Speaker, 1999 The Speaker, 2000 The Stories We Tell, 1998 (cassette tape) Series IV: Resources Folder 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Name Baptist Resources Bisexuality Resources Catholic Resources Episcopal Resources Gay-Straight Alliance Resources Health (GLBT) Resources Jewish Resources Box 3: Folder 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Name Lambda Directory Methodist Resources Metropolitan Community Church Resources Presbyterian Resources Protestant Resources Religious Resource Packet Student Resource Guide Trans* Resources Unitarian Universalism Resources United Church of Christ Resources Workplace Resources Youth Resources Series V: Speaking Engagements Folder Name 6 �Folder 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Name Evaluations, Pre-1993 Evaluations, January-March 1993 Evaluations, April-June 1993 Evaluations, July-September 1993 Evaluations, October-December 1993 Evaluations, January-April 1994 Evaluations, May-December 1994 Evaluations, 1995 Evaluations, 1996 Evaluations, 1997 Evaluations, February-June 1998 Evaluations, July-November 1998 Evaluations, November-December 1998 Evaluations, December; Miscellaneous 1998 Evaluations, Greater Boston Business Council, 1998-1999 Evaluations, January-February 1999 Evaluations, February-March 1999 Evaluations, March-April 1999 Evaluations, April-August 1999 Evaluations, October 1999 Evaluations, November-December 1999 Evaluations, January-March 2000 Evaluations, April-May 2000 Box 4: Folder 24 25-29 30-31 32 33 34-38 39 40 41 42 Name Evaluations, November-December 2000 Evaluations, 2001 (4 folders) Evaluations, 2002 (2 folders) Evaluations, January-March 2003 Evaluations, April 2003 Evaluations, May 2003 (5 folders) Evaluations, June-December 2003 Evaluations, 2004 Evaluations, Undated Evaluations, Blank Forms Series VI: Training Folder 1 2 3 4 5-6 Name Manual, 1988 Training, 1990 Training, 1991 Manual, 1992 Manual, 1993 (2 folders) 7 �Folder 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Name Training, 1993 Training, March 1994 PFLAG Training, April 1994 Annual Training, October 1994 Training, February 1995 GLBSB Training for Maine Speak Out Project, 1995 Maine Speak Out Project Training, 1995 Fall Forum, October 1995 Creating Change, 1995 Fall Forum, 1996 Staff Manual, 1996 Fall Forum, 1997 Fall Forum Evaluations, 1997 Training Materials, 1998 Evaluations, 1998 Box 6: Folder 22 23 24 25 26 27-28 29 30-31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 Name Fall Forum, 1999 Fall Forum Evaluations, 1999 Fall Forum, 2000 Fall Forum Evaluations, 2000 Fall Forum Speaker Evaluations, 2000 Fall Forum Manuals, 2000 (2 folders) Fall Forum Workshops, 2000 Fall Forum, 2001 (2 folders) Fall Forum Evaluations, 2001 Fall Forum Panel Evaluations, 2001 Fall Forum Speaker Evaluations, 2001 Fall Forum Workshop Evaluations, 2001 Fall Forum Training Packet, 2001 Spring Training, 2002 Summer Training, 2002 Fall Training, 2002 Fall Training Evaluations, 2002 Fall Training Speaker Evaluations, 2002 Fall Training Small Groups, 2002 Training Manual, 2003 Training Manual, 2004 Speaker Evaluations, n.d. Religious Workshops, n.d. Training Materials, n.d. 8 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Our collection descriptions—also known as finding aids—can be found below. The following collections have not yet been digitized, but can be viewed in-person by appointment. If you are interested in arranging a time to see a collection, please <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWWwRXzcoodt9rbvOu2lSOrSV1ajmOR_GzElajK8Tz4vic9w/viewform" title="Request appointment" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">request an appointment here</a>. Thank you! Title A name given to the resource Queer History Boston Collection Guides Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Coll. 029: SpeakOut Records Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1977-2005 Description An account of the resource SpeakOut’s roots trace back to 1972, when the Daughters of Bilitis and the Homophile Union of Boston joined forces to create the Gay Speakers Bureau. Since then, the organization has evolved and expanded to reflect the rich diversity of the GLBT community, including bisexual, transgender and intersex people. SpeakOut was known as the Gay and Lesbian Speakers Bureau throughout the 1990s. SpeakOut works to create a world free of homo-bi-trans-phobia and other forms of prejudice by telling the truths of people’s lives. Its main activities are training speakers to use public speaking as a means of creating positive cultural change by sharing their lives and experiences and sending those speakers to schools, businesses, churches, and other institutions in order to educate people about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender lives and issues. (The above adapted from the SpeakOut website, speakoutboston.org) This collection is primarily comprised of speaker training materials and audience evaluations of speakers. It also contains grant applications, financial information, committee meeting minutes, workshops, resource packets, project planning papers, and the SpeakOut newsletter The Speaker. SpeakOut visited a large number of schools and other institutions in the Boston area throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. These included Brookline High School, Emerson College, Merrimack College, General Electric, Camp Atwater, Berklee College of Music, Lexington High School, Randolph High School, Stonehill College, and dozens of others. The audience was asked to fill out anonymous evaluations each time, and they were painstakingly collected and saved to improve future presentations. Training and evaluation materials which fall under a more specific category are filed with that category; for example, training for the Youth Speak Out project is filed in Series II, Projects. Evaluations of training exercises are filed within Series VI, Training. Daughters of Bilitis Gay Speakers Bureau Homophile Union of Boston SpeakOut Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Our collection descriptions—also known as finding aids—can be found below. The following collections have not yet been digitized, but can be viewed in-person by appointment. If you are interested in arranging a time to see a collection, please <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWWwRXzcoodt9rbvOu2lSOrSV1ajmOR_GzElajK8Tz4vic9w/viewform" title="Request appointment" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">request an appointment here</a>. Thank you! Title A name given to the resource Queer History Boston Collection Guides Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Coll. 016 Gay Community News (publication and photographs) Description An account of the resource The History Project holds a complete run of <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/collections/show/35">Gay Community News (1973-1999)</a>, as well as the extensive <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/collections/show/3">Gay Community News photograph collection</a>. When Gay Community News began in 1973, it was as a fairly simple local newsletter featuring a calendar of events for the gay community in Boston and New England. In the first issue of the Gay Community Newsletter, as it was initially and very briefly called, the editors and collective members wrote about the need for a publication of this sort: "There has been a long-standing need in the Boston gay community for improved communication between the various gay organizations and the gay individual. The lack of coverage in the "straight" press has added to this problem of getting necessary information to our community. Gay groups have attempted to overcome this problem by newsletters to their members, but this has lead to duplication of efforts, with vast portions of the community left uninformed about events until after they have passed. The Gay Community Newsletter is meant as a means to solve this problem. The purpose will be to list all of the events and information of interest to the gay community in one publication. This will not be a literary publication. We are fortunate to have several already serving the community. We feel weekly publication will be necessary to fill this need for quick current information." By the second issue of Gay Community News, just a week later, the editors had changed their tone and had this to say: "This will be the last issue of GCN that will have the appearance of a PTA bulletin. To give you a more concise professional paper, next week we will be switching to offset printing. The paper will be then printed on regular newsprint, with our manpower needs reduced ... We are trying to give you the best paper possible, but your interest and support alone will determine how well we can do this." The news coverage in Gay Community News quickly expanded, then, and in a few short years, it was a national publication in both scope and readership. During a critical period in the lesbian and gay rights movement, GCN was a nationally respected, and oftentimes controversial, source of information about the community and a catalyst for political debate. Gay Community News https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/c042f72ee449f9fdefbece5b9a604d23.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=mblyiJww89rnlpHJ7jAErL%7EFWaZ30YD7ZLHi208BtF6c34G9bdpDs9sNIDHo5UUoRCJWZsgMIpVIL5dtGzBNsFculUzZ3ZmeB669g%7E8md3DBxE2zOLNPG-fzMECnYqBobTdunEgayWu5OvR-rkcqByWgW7tyakh0473snX6lCvIJtPAn1Idzz0vXUuyhbWfnfcuVKWe2hzBSPKo0cpbe7Wu6zBqbfKMeunMbRyxEOvk7hOPPihekONXjrfEelaWydiQFPxbDm4Q9O2cDFKE897qNQFNmb5dFQUTMTRQ9RAGBig%7ERDML2-A0oojG3akQMsRPaD0bpDwsHi1qlv%7EUNmw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 4f7235515d1858ef0af71c36655f5e84 PDF Text Text Archives and Records Finding Aid COLLECTION NUMBER: TITLE: Coll.3 Bay Windows Publication COLLECTION SUMMARY Creator(s): Title: Extent: Date Span: Location: Bay Windows Newspaper Bay Windows Publication 15 record cartons, approximately 14 linear feet 1983 – ongoing The History Project, Archives and Records Department SUBJECT TERMS Homosexuality—Massachusetts—Boston—Newspapers Lesbians—Massachusetts—Boston—Newspapers ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Terms of Use/Copyright: Unrestricted, though some items in the collection are copyrighted by individuals and/or organizations outside The History Project. Contact The History Project for further information: 29 Stanhope Street Boston, MA 02116 617.266.7733 info@historyproject.org www.historyproject.org ABSTRACT The Boston newspaper Bay Windows is an active weekly publication in tabloid format, first printed and distributed in 1983. Its website, www.baywindows.com, has online articles with a searchable archive for issues from December 1998 to present. Today, Bay Windows remains New England’s largest Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) publication in newspaper format, with a current circulation of about 47,000. News articles of local, national and international interest are accompanied by articles on fashion, food, and media reviews, as well as freelance works, upcoming local and national events, obituaries, art, poetry, question and answer, press releases, classified and social announcements, and advertisements. 1 �SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE The majority of the collection is contained in thirteen archival boxes measuring approximately 18"x5"x30" and two record cartons. The thirteen smaller boxes contain papers from the first issue in 1983 to Volume 23 No. 51 in 2005. The two larger record cartons contain duplicate issues of the paper, and their corresponding issues in the collection are indicated on the attached index. No papers from August 1991 to May 2001 are present in the collection. See index for issue range and information. Most issues offer a “Community Guide in Brief” section with relevant phone numbers for information and support groups in the Boston area. “AIDS Update,” (later called “Notes on an Epidemic,”) runs throughout most issues and the corresponding page number is indicated in the index. The “LeDogg” mascot, a small stuffed animal photographed in various locations and captioned for each issue, can be found primarily in volumes 1 through 12, and the “Encyclopedia of Homophilica,” which gives historical commentary on homosexuality, runs briefly in Volume 3. Poetry submissions run sporadically and merit study, as does the evolution of the full-page advertisements for local clubs, events, and fund-raisers. BAY WINDOWS ISSUES OF NOTE HIV/AIDS, predictably, enjoys heavy coverage in the paper, especially in the early to mid 1980s. Headlines pertaining to the HIV/AIDS epidemic run in the following issues: ▪ “What You Should Know,” Vol. 1 No. 1; ▪ “A Community Responds,” Vol. 2 No. 8; ▪ “AIDS Action Committee Annual Report,” Vol. 4 No. 16; ▪ The AIDS Quilt, Vol. 5 No. 43 and Vol. 6 No. 23 and 25; ▪ The 100,000 Dead Mark, Vol. 7 No. 31, ▪ “AIDS in the 90's,” Vol. 14 No. 8 and Vol. 15 No. 42. Other important topics that may be of interest to the researcher are: ▪ The March on Washington: Vol. 5, No. 41 ▪ Boston Pride: 1989 Event in Vol. 7 No. 23 and The “Pride Guide ‘05” in Vol. 23 issues 24 through 26. ▪ Gay Marriage: The article, “Court Rules Couples May Wed,” can be found in Vol. 21 No. 49. DESCRIPTION OF ARRANGEMENT The collection is arranged by date, with corresponding volume and issue numbers, as listed below. Many issues from the 1990's are missing, but the early years of the paper are nearly complete in the collection. Duplicates are housed in two separate record cartons, boxes 14 and 15, and are marked as such. The corresponding duplicate issues in the collection are noted on the attached index. 2 �BOX CONTENTS LIST Box # Start Date End Date 1 March 1983 Vol. 1 No. 1 Apr 12 - Apr 25, 1984 Vol. 2 No. 8 2 Apr 26 - May 9, 1984 Vol. 2 No. 9 Mar 21 - Apr 3, 1985 Vol. 3 No. 6 3 Apr 3 - Apr 18, 1985 Vol. 3 No. 7 Oct 17 - Oct 23, 1985 Vol. 3 No. 32 4 Oct 26 - Oct 30, 1985 Vol. 3 No. 33 May 8 - May 14, 1986 Vol. 4 No. 19 5 May 29 - Jun 4, 1986 Vol. 2 No. 22 Dec 23 - Jan 7, 1987 Vol. 4 No. 52 6 Dec 23 - Jan 14, 1987 Vol. 5 No. 1 Sept 10 - Sept 16, 1987 Vol.5 No. 36 7 Sept 24 - Sept 30, 1987 Vol.5 No.38 May 19 - May 25, 1988 Vol.6 No. 20 8 May 26 - Jun 1, 1988 Vol. 6 No. 21 Dec 22 - Dec 28, 1988 Vol. 6 No. 51 9 Jan 5 - Jan 11, 1989 Vol. 7 No. 1 Dec 13 - Dec 19, 1990 Vol. 8 No. 50 10 July 4 - July 10, 1991 Vol. 9 No. 27 May 31 - Jun 6, 2001 Vol. 19 No. 24 11 Apr 25 - May 1, 2002 Vol.20 No. 19 Apr 24 - Apr 30, 2003 Vol.21 No. 19 12 May 1 - May 7, 2003 Vol. 21 No. 20 Dec 9 - Dec 15, 2004 Vol. 22 No. 52 13 Dec 23 - Dec 29, 2004 Vol. 23 No. 1 Dec 8 - Dec 14, 2005 Vol. 23 No. 51 14 Duplicate Issues Duplicate Issues 15 Duplicate Issues Duplicate Issues 3 � https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/c72884397543051296555f35a8ea9ee6.xlsx?Expires=1777507200&Signature=ZOxpEOpJF73mOSTr5cSyC1VvSpeBX%7EbgNQz6Uq9ZITsVEnJhGWAPtHLo4%7EwxD7mwe343egNe3RkWEoDiMW7DBne3voLtaqsZNuzvmKqoaHlPXj13Zo9fGHzAt%7ELNjGxp7gdPlGXliKOXTUFZVpyaG55hr7DATL-4m14iQm1YIHU9NQWIqV%7E3WtknJwL8IVAbbG9LRxKh00nMAldi52s5BlI7z2w4rjpD2xYllaTMm9mGFx%7Ei7MSV%7E%7EVBs7jK4raVbwR3KsSh6BYGlLMRTrLJ32k%7E5Eg-lFQnrgi6%7EHjcGyIYEShv4kqPamZS1EOBFu1lreTV6wCXWEhrwFUOINWmqA__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM e8f978a3ecd3c5f53d9ebeeb3169c04d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Our collection descriptions—also known as finding aids—can be found below. The following collections have not yet been digitized, but can be viewed in-person by appointment. If you are interested in arranging a time to see a collection, please <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWWwRXzcoodt9rbvOu2lSOrSV1ajmOR_GzElajK8Tz4vic9w/viewform" title="Request appointment" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">request an appointment here</a>. Thank you! Title A name given to the resource Queer History Boston Collection Guides Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Coll. 003: Bay Windows publication Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1983-present Description An account of the resource The Boston-based weekly Bay Windows was first printed and distributed in 1983. The History Project has an incomplete run dating from March 1983-December 2022. To view this collection in person, email: info@historyproject.org. https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/6d90090a72e41a25deddb2ce7c07c7da.jpeg?Expires=1777507200&Signature=nK7H9ExNgtmpZ2r4-jSldGL-h45s4XVZqlOde-lPx2wWCxttESnuc%7EDqwgZzlkFaOOIOrCh2dc0NFJOBILkM-M4WqU2G4RfE3zOM3O5LqzvnJDt0zjbtEdeuaZjnFr-Adt8HLhZfNHRDvRMJrM3lKu4gxsFmNxTJ1wpqBmmiGpNLmbrG7Kn5CRg0YpG9FLFhZrqa3n7wpqmqSz%7EhiUtB2Oa-sfJaTv0E67F3xFWSxWxG78wwXQyZp7eWx-VWrsK1sm8TqcFcVtOdP4TfnGEAT3AJfXZerIdbSkFd4U-pyICZ%7E-ogfKGsGG2b%7EgxHxpqT8RIqvSMLADpiL3u%7Eq8xQzA__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 6b698582456a688384f20c29232905ff Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Marriage Equality Collection Description An account of the resource The story of marriage equality in Massachusetts is often shared through a legal perspective: the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health case, the work of legal and advocacy groups, and the relationships of the seven plaintiff couples. While this perspective is crucial to understanding marriage equality as a whole, countless personal stories of LGBTQ+ love and joy from the past 20 years have not been documented. To address this historical gap, The History Project is launching The Marriage Equality Collection, a digital collecting initiative that enables community members to submit their own wedding stories, their photographs, invitations, vows, and other materials. Submissions will be preserved and shared in The History Project’s digital archives for future generations. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Matisse DuPont and Massoud Bagheri Title A name given to the resource M+M get married at Boston City Hall. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Feb 12, 2019 Description An account of the resource Matisse DuPont (left) Massoud Bagheri (right) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Sina Bagheri https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/47d84d6fa468944f0c86451ce20c372b.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=o8nlEva4dFaxVKdhGH8uvsjisNFhD-sNg3QolFNG4fkQMDg2MHJ9HUwE1CmRjxfzLANwlEK2rKqocdoFklsr2lSMeiVG6qrQyJBgNbNC31nexZYX2BJk--msCKY0Mv1Jl76KchjtREqwiiFgmlJetxZgpcPailyhf-1fbjT2lV7njePzB3QHHsIpHnkXD9H2CCbxlaWKxg6FzC2QwyAAY8XC8lQJCPCCVSidI29lAjhEj4HXdP1MnvwLhhqL7ho-cmAymqgOoEVMf%7EWe7Psf-mkEK92uujDr51ppjnAXYCl8M1hyF0Xq6Hf4u%7EFmz8gPKawsBqF6EZy4dbF4xrsh0A__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM a5a9a588e07792ca4474d2f1af858c5c PDF Text Text �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Marriage Equality Collection Description An account of the resource The story of marriage equality in Massachusetts is often shared through a legal perspective: the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health case, the work of legal and advocacy groups, and the relationships of the seven plaintiff couples. While this perspective is crucial to understanding marriage equality as a whole, countless personal stories of LGBTQ+ love and joy from the past 20 years have not been documented. To address this historical gap, The History Project is launching The Marriage Equality Collection, a digital collecting initiative that enables community members to submit their own wedding stories, their photographs, invitations, vows, and other materials. Submissions will be preserved and shared in The History Project’s digital archives for future generations. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "Work for Justice..." Coalition for the Freedom to Marry Postcard https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/def29a1fa9cf33e9df35ee1cc00970cc.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=VlXt%7EG99okYUqWjW9mf7THdx7JidmBdijCXbAX2wDM4UZeY6OkHFgRIIn5mIwjVWFLMWxxICLC3DquJCQle8VGpvEMQHXaUdymP3sFTcaRZlgfHf65Bf8PdGBgdg371X2xw2nzLVlLzijOTOBW-iAflS7laCIH88XLroh8fY%7Ejc-aPpXt5RK9cZva5GTMg3pMost0sxyesTauXQ6eJh%7Et-TcOOvFLfTf2ekTM%7E1a4XNsGgtayvk75IhCVO7zwEN916Yk7laHgUW-tNE8AbaP4FK5HqwhIIjm5%7ES6szyGVq-4lsJYtG060mFtAdoCp1lGB48SgTLJvAWu789jCOH3GA__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 9240ce6fea64f98255e88be8f0203213 PDF Text Text �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Marriage Equality Collection Description An account of the resource The story of marriage equality in Massachusetts is often shared through a legal perspective: the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health case, the work of legal and advocacy groups, and the relationships of the seven plaintiff couples. While this perspective is crucial to understanding marriage equality as a whole, countless personal stories of LGBTQ+ love and joy from the past 20 years have not been documented. To address this historical gap, The History Project is launching The Marriage Equality Collection, a digital collecting initiative that enables community members to submit their own wedding stories, their photographs, invitations, vows, and other materials. Submissions will be preserved and shared in The History Project’s digital archives for future generations. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "Hey! Let's Get Married" postcard https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/277f5abc87e5b89e7b29e228a2dadc0f.tif?Expires=1777507200&Signature=cl1swd1EggFY%7EBLWbVulGD76gnVKN-nG4rTFaOgKtrEHG8OsZYBVnOEGxbtWAwZm5x-T9Wa7Zz-bCiXBzbDlXPt-BoOfCwz9Yk9a0MWNaR-kVPq3VqxjcAXk0rVUf35wEtXteYzlzlPE1LS8cwpHV8l93XKyVZZKg5RjMiJ1x%7EFEa4jzIseLTcWTRcTRcmSqjlXnkCmak4ayJOondV-P4vYbkRBYe4%7EEjkOivhPaN4ECcH0qeMKl2-xACsH1IA8N5IW7pHRSwUL0J8zs3CMOzfXxd9v3HfMP6otd6n5wwVRsx%7EHafpcP1OPi0i8iEp8Ri%7E9oXZRoVq3z1uhCZc8a8w__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 60fede07939d8ad11587386ec98639a4 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Marriage Equality Collection Description An account of the resource The story of marriage equality in Massachusetts is often shared through a legal perspective: the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health case, the work of legal and advocacy groups, and the relationships of the seven plaintiff couples. While this perspective is crucial to understanding marriage equality as a whole, countless personal stories of LGBTQ+ love and joy from the past 20 years have not been documented. To address this historical gap, The History Project is launching The Marriage Equality Collection, a digital collecting initiative that enables community members to submit their own wedding stories, their photographs, invitations, vows, and other materials. Submissions will be preserved and shared in The History Project’s digital archives for future generations. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "Help Save Marriage in Massachusetts" flyer Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Circa 2004 Description An account of the resource Flyer produced by MassEquality.org, a coalition of local and national organizations dedicated to defending equal marriage rights for same-sex couples in Massachusetts. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Mass Equality Subject The topic of the resource Same-sex marriage Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Digital content made available by The History Project on DOCUMENTED 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. The History Project holds copyright to select content made available in DOCUMENTED. 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 in The History Project should be sent to info@historyproject.org. https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/838e8035e809016c8dc477527225928d.tif?Expires=1777507200&Signature=WGoo4M%7EQsmSb2PXmY2rrQhfhQmRUbQmX0ORdWCgSn6nc3tFpjgD69Stj9rnFHgkSjLAYrl9elt40JXyQwoq-PWOxl7ArXKiOvqsjUbdeVrKi8SEYkxuFjUlXJUYjAOuRUNBWtVGWBw2aNFuugn6mw3xXLOuI5Oa2WBd-g%7Ej35nHKXyD1cq4qtjyu43uPEuHf51JTKTctL1X8f6H5o8TYdmMaU8AF3P6pTWQlg8S4fXOMGBkvUhg6FTxlXph27odKoGkgOozrMvIHNpoTIddPFP5uqiJwN-FsKSbtx8YTKl3weNrAF4eD-ob1PgjhvU2HFHjDUaAYo9EGmguuuTaS%7Ew__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 66d2e9f4e946b830b3a437a2457b0d2a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Marriage Equality Collection Description An account of the resource The story of marriage equality in Massachusetts is often shared through a legal perspective: the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health case, the work of legal and advocacy groups, and the relationships of the seven plaintiff couples. While this perspective is crucial to understanding marriage equality as a whole, countless personal stories of LGBTQ+ love and joy from the past 20 years have not been documented. To address this historical gap, The History Project is launching The Marriage Equality Collection, a digital collecting initiative that enables community members to submit their own wedding stories, their photographs, invitations, vows, and other materials. Submissions will be preserved and shared in The History Project’s digital archives for future generations. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "Marriage is a Fundamental Human Right" sticker Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Circa 2003-2004 Description An account of the resource Sticker produced by the Freedom to Marry Coalition of Massachusetts. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Freedom to Marry Coalition of Massachusetts Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Digital content made available by The History Project on DOCUMENTED 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. The History Project holds copyright to select content made available in DOCUMENTED. 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 in The History Project should be sent to info@historyproject.org. https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/e0a2af203d2ed92f725734c7fce7bad2.tif?Expires=1777507200&Signature=PqQEFnpUSRBFX0nm11DUMdsuHd7cGJcYoqFxmvXsRj8c4khgX0dMw3u%7EPiAVyZOyalSJSqLfvLnxtLUyaU8UHh6c-YmylkybvbOUHIMHO8L2dT3rEPGDYS96T9tUeXU3qee1dmfDjKGKGaBuxTMf94kWI2h2uJzfL%7EL%7EqsZyrL8ryH9FBR6obto4Ld17TO4%7EkwbMEpIchms0N7ehYBoHldxtg7-C38wZvw7zE9OHBIR9xJbEbwXNBkHVIQQSMwUO2cjMqWFdtWt1UMHdNspSyKB4J60B1jiUQDeytzuV9tt9TO37SdUL4scp%7EKpemJrVgfyFOna94c4z4pw56Vi8Dg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 157093ff4fcb8983c8d8e57e3625638c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Marriage Equality Collection Description An account of the resource The story of marriage equality in Massachusetts is often shared through a legal perspective: the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health case, the work of legal and advocacy groups, and the relationships of the seven plaintiff couples. While this perspective is crucial to understanding marriage equality as a whole, countless personal stories of LGBTQ+ love and joy from the past 20 years have not been documented. To address this historical gap, The History Project is launching The Marriage Equality Collection, a digital collecting initiative that enables community members to submit their own wedding stories, their photographs, invitations, vows, and other materials. Submissions will be preserved and shared in The History Project’s digital archives for future generations. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource EqualMarriage.Org stickers Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Circa 2004 Description An account of the resource EqualMarriage.org stickers produced by the Freedom to Marry Coalition of Massachusetts. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Freedom to Marry Coalition of Massachusetts Subject The topic of the resource Same-sex marriage Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Digital content made available by The History Project on DOCUMENTED 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. The History Project holds copyright to select content made available in DOCUMENTED. 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 in The History Project should be sent to info@historyproject.org. https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/bb642b1b81f0d4ffd63f68d2d27887ae.tif?Expires=1777507200&Signature=neJ1upcruSaWo7uAAhCCD6hHkGP944aEOn030w%7EVwCyjyO6PXW8pE5ZQDuFgbzsL5-YFZk8IXdozwYsKsEdjLXkJ%7EcpbqPiIJWSr%7ERv0B%7EmbvVYlYFvODX%7EAUMiIZorQo94pK5DCl56bhgAES5ajQ86ixC7IM1YPr0ViX6Q2P8NXR2CKY2-a6ER9Xp5SL29Z2Eg8hJw8xJxnTFcjfHYK0sWbMlLHPhQ10-vHY8X79ll-khX87Y5XLlrYwHU6ZfY-JKhVZjJ6jux%7EXR4PlGh96%7Ez%7EWD0uVm8pqpAudCcooUGYMJXEIo4peoKzh9Kr-tPDPEOJcgWJUmvae8h6nZyasA__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM cdb96ecfc4ca55cae152e7f38a9782e1 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Marriage Equality Collection Description An account of the resource The story of marriage equality in Massachusetts is often shared through a legal perspective: the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health case, the work of legal and advocacy groups, and the relationships of the seven plaintiff couples. While this perspective is crucial to understanding marriage equality as a whole, countless personal stories of LGBTQ+ love and joy from the past 20 years have not been documented. To address this historical gap, The History Project is launching The Marriage Equality Collection, a digital collecting initiative that enables community members to submit their own wedding stories, their photographs, invitations, vows, and other materials. Submissions will be preserved and shared in The History Project’s digital archives for future generations. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource E. Denise Simmons, Justice of the Peace Description An account of the resource Information card for services by Justice of the Peace E. Denise Simmons. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simmons, Denise Subject The topic of the resource Same-sex marriage Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Digital content made available by The History Project on DOCUMENTED 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. The History Project holds copyright to select content made available in DOCUMENTED. 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 in The History Project should be sent to info@historyproject.org. https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/d234da755f5110937f448b3762a837fa.tif?Expires=1777507200&Signature=I68OLHods-coSq%7E5PSM3oCc6sMiNHjvAgIj4zam0LWddFH2TFX6nYWWpBEsCo9%7E9epL91gyZY-6o1VhJIsOjCIeXNHC9YKqtxlsf5EEMykvOuUHNnVsCzwg-Csq6vzNHZDuh9JjDmsr0j0fOvXc8UM-9mAOVCcTrCwZUS7AK6J%7E6vWpIJ5s8qFvUGUUJQZ8O2buzlKD7znJG4E62xxCJ5lSbOTGeZzJmSL34cWRZ94IaPgobfq6zSZSJLKs8Z0APSKbaOqVxw46PPRQCX0IKC%7EtCZxG%7EjJCow51aKSPDuCERPL%7EThDGe6R5S18bSWyeJGebxdPMfs4IQTLdrxgQwxw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 8009ff4b505edc931402a7dffc137e1c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Marriage Equality Collection Description An account of the resource The story of marriage equality in Massachusetts is often shared through a legal perspective: the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health case, the work of legal and advocacy groups, and the relationships of the seven plaintiff couples. While this perspective is crucial to understanding marriage equality as a whole, countless personal stories of LGBTQ+ love and joy from the past 20 years have not been documented. To address this historical gap, The History Project is launching The Marriage Equality Collection, a digital collecting initiative that enables community members to submit their own wedding stories, their photographs, invitations, vows, and other materials. Submissions will be preserved and shared in The History Project’s digital archives for future generations. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter from Denise Simmons to Libby Bouvier and Andrea Devine, 2004 June 21 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2004-06-21 Description An account of the resource Letter from Justice of the Peace Denise Simmons to Libby Bouvier and Andrea Devine thanking them for the honor of being able to officiate their marriage ceremony on June 4, 2004. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Simmons, Denise Subject The topic of the resource Same-sex marriage Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Digital content made available by The History Project on DOCUMENTED 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. The History Project holds copyright to select content made available in DOCUMENTED. 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 in The History Project should be sent to info@historyproject.org. https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/f8336d21739208a928749f644952523a.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=GO7JO5m8ZRqo-QyMWzle-PmSPDeBxUR-6Rz5PLY%7EcpExi9sfaax4T4YfroAxNDHflPGsIGmHUzbQxrg8aBKS0C7T6xBuQg6KEFbtBTExljm5kE4A5h%7EdPSqesv1juEMKkwmdNTro10kjByXZa0jTD3luSlqBnBucSYu5iJb6L3DQZRydhAJkTt1OHgfZbxq9F9nYCwvDBVyOYu5dKrYETa1BF4dfalBLW6ro333R0hJT1Y%7E-%7EeUo0ivpj0EamLVl1QCDSVxHA-M9YF85DHR1FW12OCK6PRoZ-X%7EYtFCATmk6IomQ4JmJyagAJe9Bb7QOxh%7EDGeYgJI0t-sxRCj8S2w__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 324546ca53e1e70f1a8d4a19d5d0a665 PDF Text Text �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Marriage Equality Collection Description An account of the resource The story of marriage equality in Massachusetts is often shared through a legal perspective: the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health case, the work of legal and advocacy groups, and the relationships of the seven plaintiff couples. While this perspective is crucial to understanding marriage equality as a whole, countless personal stories of LGBTQ+ love and joy from the past 20 years have not been documented. To address this historical gap, The History Project is launching The Marriage Equality Collection, a digital collecting initiative that enables community members to submit their own wedding stories, their photographs, invitations, vows, and other materials. Submissions will be preserved and shared in The History Project’s digital archives for future generations. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Queer Wedding Vows, circa 1990 or 1991 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Circa 1990 Description An account of the resource Sample wedding vows for a same-sex marriage ceremony, produced by Queer Nation. Writing on the item notes that these may be from 1991, but it is likely that these were produced as part of a Queer Nation demonstration at the Holy Cross Cathedral in Boston, Massachusetts, in August 1990. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Queer Nation Subject The topic of the resource Same-sex marriage Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Digital content made available by The History Project on DOCUMENTED 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. The History Project holds copyright to select content made available in DOCUMENTED. 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 in The History Project should be sent to info@historyproject.org. https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/86fbdc0961ad7cca6795fde5a3911ac7.tif?Expires=1777507200&Signature=CqPFlVmWk99JAovK4ZAPQvZWTKTF4o%7EThp8YYU5Dn75M90FTeyexhiaJp29LuyeUXwcPO1F-aCyyxydQKu2NmkDLnDJboEraiwPma52aAqPsftbBc400wRt-UhR43xdD27%7Ev8XhFwkI0hxsEva4jgWS2WW7OaBoUWbccV1Luz1Je5uuMbq%7EC1Oo7c%7Ev9KQc1CxinwQnHwycEtwaV7j0G4ubWY4qNGhN1SWCnu4p-KdOrzOgROU8AqZnnMEG3pJdLI7v6kGAv-6h2rutCgumbIN%7EGjPA4iPMDNeJY64bxjK1skPSOTkei2J9BLJ0m%7EBkvzzjx9llc8VHJs%7E70KZt6bg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 57d8469d5d82c1008cb31a09af0d38ee Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Marriage Equality Collection Description An account of the resource The story of marriage equality in Massachusetts is often shared through a legal perspective: the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health case, the work of legal and advocacy groups, and the relationships of the seven plaintiff couples. While this perspective is crucial to understanding marriage equality as a whole, countless personal stories of LGBTQ+ love and joy from the past 20 years have not been documented. To address this historical gap, The History Project is launching The Marriage Equality Collection, a digital collecting initiative that enables community members to submit their own wedding stories, their photographs, invitations, vows, and other materials. Submissions will be preserved and shared in The History Project’s digital archives for future generations. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Queers Get Married sticker Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1990-08-18; 2001-08-18 Description An account of the resource Sticker, likely from 1990 or 2001, produced by Queer Nation about an action related to same-sex marriage at the Holy Cross Cathedral on Washington Street in Boston, Massachusetts. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Queer Nation (Boston, Mass.) Subject The topic of the resource Same-sex marriage Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Digital content made available by The History Project on DOCUMENTED 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. The History Project holds copyright to select content made available in DOCUMENTED. 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 in The History Project should be sent to info@historyproject.org. https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/92c9e2525da54083861eaa131c4f7f96.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=WWyA-S3mtANCBiU5egrR2o-zVBW3sUlHROB7y2pQ95RMVF5NXC6SNBtJ1KGP6xBT80rxI1g%7EkKSG-vg4a3xVS5gp%7Em4Hahb-ESzrgsxscI6QDegs3DpjE00UaB%7EzBTyFUqXPJo49hwMQ7d60UD8X4IC0BhCQ8H2XptxP714op6-omnvnNb5t3FBsfU0tK8oNfzWCKVMXHqVOySwbGJ66TRCTsJYT-kk02QEayPxz0trEupI9nvB%7EPoeWzWQH7QCtTzSFbhdkdHaZ%7EYjTtgTnJYCQm0gzG%7E4Pxr19XL9c7ipX7G7EPg1UKTmiRi4VqYy6IChmkz9G7LAujQkvmQTdAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 748226f525858518ad136507ca23b8bd PDF Text Text �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Marriage Equality Collection Description An account of the resource The story of marriage equality in Massachusetts is often shared through a legal perspective: the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health case, the work of legal and advocacy groups, and the relationships of the seven plaintiff couples. While this perspective is crucial to understanding marriage equality as a whole, countless personal stories of LGBTQ+ love and joy from the past 20 years have not been documented. To address this historical gap, The History Project is launching The Marriage Equality Collection, a digital collecting initiative that enables community members to submit their own wedding stories, their photographs, invitations, vows, and other materials. Submissions will be preserved and shared in The History Project’s digital archives for future generations. Moving Image A series of visual representations that, when shown in succession, impart an impression of motion. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource DVD insert for Mass Matrimony production by Cambridge Community Television, circa 2004 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2004 Description An account of the resource Sleeve insert for DVD of the Cambridge Community Television production, "Mass Matrimony." The cover text reads: "This DVD covers the first same sex couples allowed to file for marriage licenses in the state of Massachusetts, including footage of couples, well wishers, police, officials, protestors, and the 5000 supporters outside Cambridge City Hall. This program was produced by Cambridge residents together with Cambridge Community Television." Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Cambridge Community Television Subject The topic of the resource Same-sex marriage Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Digital content made available by The History Project on DOCUMENTED 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. The History Project holds copyright to select content made available in DOCUMENTED. 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 in The History Project should be sent to info@historyproject.org. https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/0ddcec7cb133e455c06a9ceb8adfc8f9.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=GQrV5y7kCRbuq31CDktBIhXzUBNlP0wFgA2jK0c2ri8wHLRSvXARrjFBCWIHhJmdXEEkaLEl%7EkM2MKcoOGw6zLt5xcR%7ETxgPsqLPOU55TDJ4ZNqi-a-5-wTUbc8k1Pku4cLQYwawRflGWp0NAZcpajPmDnBZnawHeZ%7ERyvmINBsYXIkh42Q7CelY7w4YrbCKLyxf%7Ef5e4Eor5UK7HxIF8lfLfLxtdR9KkqXv2s6-yaEaGu9dTNMQWpV-kNLMzeDN0kkfDa29PocxALeJop9aWQCOGgQJb3U4hLn1OMKcpKCSTHDdZmsoijtYAeL%7Elx9O70lHLNTF1tlS2Y5if7ib5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 29411c535e4ecac8228b18906e8ea5e4 PDF Text Text �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Marriage Equality Collection Description An account of the resource The story of marriage equality in Massachusetts is often shared through a legal perspective: the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health case, the work of legal and advocacy groups, and the relationships of the seven plaintiff couples. While this perspective is crucial to understanding marriage equality as a whole, countless personal stories of LGBTQ+ love and joy from the past 20 years have not been documented. To address this historical gap, The History Project is launching The Marriage Equality Collection, a digital collecting initiative that enables community members to submit their own wedding stories, their photographs, invitations, vows, and other materials. Submissions will be preserved and shared in The History Project’s digital archives for future generations. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Twenty Years of the Freedom to Marry: Community Celebration [program], 2024 May 17 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024-05-17 Description An account of the resource Program book for event commemorating the 20th anniversary of when the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's ruling in Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health, which legalized same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, took effect. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Arlington Street Church; Centerline Liberties, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders; The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston; MassEquality Subject The topic of the resource Same-sex marriage Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Digital content made available by The History Project on DOCUMENTED 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. The History Project holds copyright to select content made available in DOCUMENTED. 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 in The History Project should be sent to info@historyproject.org. https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/a7b73156ed1ff3e1d3798823f50c4b40.tif?Expires=1777507200&Signature=KgmaSUJUnuaaE9rBHQadSN8ynA2xJ71LOcYJqYg5%7E7Ln86jXibzWXY4vUmuPqNQcICReep1mpJl8-wFP9%7EQiZzwVJK3YqY-cDN0c10RAdRoHUi9pQh20nlVGyw7t0N8GRK3Udv5LkRg3kZnCSFqLzeAULQ%7EU1ZuaSROemSn4%7EYaOAKPLKA5-kBhOexEHUu5BLOcghPd-XAKCVZETJX6aQU7hY3jrIU3Y%7EzUBnanG01Mqiegthg12qGCBMLWB6dQVMV7ebvhPcLV0bFxSv7Jchevb1luuNE7caHk%7E2YR73aTbVvlqcAgs3Rs2s%7EmcYumiEDjMiTsJHydo5TOyWc4BXg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM de9d580b438929408bb7477fea3c3a45 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Marriage Equality Collection Description An account of the resource The story of marriage equality in Massachusetts is often shared through a legal perspective: the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health case, the work of legal and advocacy groups, and the relationships of the seven plaintiff couples. While this perspective is crucial to understanding marriage equality as a whole, countless personal stories of LGBTQ+ love and joy from the past 20 years have not been documented. To address this historical gap, The History Project is launching The Marriage Equality Collection, a digital collecting initiative that enables community members to submit their own wedding stories, their photographs, invitations, vows, and other materials. Submissions will be preserved and shared in The History Project’s digital archives for future generations. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Title A name given to the resource Liz Malia Constitutional Convention bookmark, 2007 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2007 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Committee to Elect Liz Malia Description An account of the resource Bookmark created and distributed by Representative Liz Malia reminding people about the Constitutional Convention related to Marriage Equality scheduled to be held at the Massachusetts State House on June 14, 2007. From The History Project's Marriage Collection 22. Subject The topic of the resource Malia, Liz Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Digital content made available by The History Project on DOCUMENTED 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. The History Project holds copyright to select content made available in DOCUMENTED. 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 in The History Project should be sent to info@historyproject.org. https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/483a51c80fdf62553f3f3411835aa857.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=rCvibYGFjDxUpRTjajjFKfF%7ELTYejXqdAOMdm38047%7ECwpWm9HFsTs-bekB-6hHRpMuYQJqhitY3DVvljQlPMP%7E6sgFoHB4yhplvJAT6ltZy28Q%7EmYyZYwfi4vUiC-s1mzIuuwkqoBZpxzuSCR2IvvPCUqF5I8prfv3he7TqO7HqryK3Fv3Z9E-oQUVrsZJMa-x2QxOrMfyxUqLMilcQtuuYKHwVngAL3C445UW5YqXI81O70WeosUs0IxNSFMxPgSCH4sYYHBcgLcWX37Gk9sU8DTaPoOvX6PFjHVfHpZE53DVmAP9pGtz3DqJlLmS2aUbrJa-u-Q-eUHNUxp-AMw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 32a0bc7f78cc546dcf57094ca969fd93 PDF Text Text �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource #QueerArchivesAtHome Description An account of the resource <div class="large-8 medium-8 small-12 columns thp-2col-hero--leftcol"> <div class="body field field-node--body field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"> #QueerArchivesAtHome is a crowdsourced digital archives of pictures, videos, and stories; a space where we in the LGBTQ community can come together during this time of social distancing through sharing our personal history. Look through your boxes, closets, drawers, and bags. What do you have with you right now that tells a little part of the many stories of LGBTQ history? <div id="region-main" class="large-9 columns in-current"> <div> <div class="row thp-2col-hero"> <div class="large-4 medium-4 small-12 columns thp-2col-hero--rightcol"> <div class="field-wrapper field field-node--field-projects-paragraphs-sideba field-name-field-projects-paragraphs-sideba field-type-entity-reference-revisions field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"> <div class="row thp-1col"> <div class="medium-12 columns"> <div class="field-wrapper field field-paragraph--field-project-donor-subsection field-name-field-project-donor-subsection field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"> If you have a Google account, <a href="https://forms.gle/kQwGEbcG7Ky4CpPB6">please complete this survey and upload your submission directly to Google Drive</a>. If you'd rather contact us by email, <a href="http://historyproject.org/sites/default/files/2020-03/%23QueerArchivesAtHome_PDF.pdf">please fill out this form with your submission</a> and <a href="mailto:thehistoryproject@gmail.com">email us</a>. </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> While The History Project's collections focus on the stories of Boston and Massachusetts' LGBTQ communities, in this time of taking physical distance to protect our community, it has become clearer than ever how little geographical boundaries represent who we are. We invite all to participate in this project, regardless of location. Make your history a part of the records of LGBTQ history! We'll share your materials on our social media pages (<a href="http://instagram.com/bostonlgbtqhistory">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HistoryProject/">Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/lgbtq_history">Twitter</a>), and upload submissions to our digital repository (<a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/">Documented</a>). As of March 12, 2020, The History Project is closed to the public in response to COVID-19 (<a href="http://historyproject.org/news/2020-03/our-response-covid-19">see Our Reponse to COVID-19</a>). During this time, we want to share your history at home. </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="large-4 medium-4 small-12 columns thp-2col-hero--rightcol"> <div class="field-wrapper field field-node--field-projects-paragraphs-sideba field-name-field-projects-paragraphs-sideba field-type-entity-reference-revisions field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--red-action-button paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="field-wrapper field field-paragraph--field-action-button-link field-name-field-action-button-link field-type-link field-label-hidden"> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright restrictions may apply. Email info@historyproject.org for more information. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource B.I.T.C.H. 1991 [Boston Invitation Tournament on Columbus Holiday] Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Beantown Bowling League Collection, Series II: Tournaments (1987-1992) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1991 Description An account of the resource Program booklet for B.I.T.C.H. 1991 [Boston Invitation Tournament on Columbus Holiday]. The Beantown Bowling League began in 1986. The group held weekly Tuesday night bowling and participated in a wide array of tournaments across the United States and Canada. Initially, the organization had approximately 70-80 bowlers, broken up into teams each assigned a captain. In addition to the Tuesday night bowling and tournaments, the organization participated in several fundraisers and held an annual Christmas banquet. Also represented in the collection is the IGBO (International Gay Bowling Organization), which ran annual tournaments and sponsored tournaments for gay and lesbian bowlers. The IGBO was founded in 1980, and is considered “the sports membership organization of choice for the gay community worldwide.” Tournaments hosted by the IGBO include annual tournaments and mid-year tournaments. https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/fb105823227cc1f74689e2b782d10700.mp3?Expires=1777507200&Signature=N41SYk49oOs0k9TbmzMU-iIyZxvZzzWXT2Y7kzh-N7D1T6769JZUBt7nt1aSqGq-QVKZHuTS5ocuDMcwaBB6Uzh2edkShs%7EdXF7NyiLr-3TilUREtSdFg7qEjjTQPipVDrQ8%7Ec5sKrbIUnGA0FrbkYF6kRaMIM5PbQPrVWfEJtGOYfeSKL1maUFNt%7EtR0Go8RUfvqcWjEZjDnmRd6Q1gieRr18b2f9qmHqka6JUX4hXN%7Ey%7E4u1NYgaTGX1UbrOmSeLUj9xFan99JzTOOTcg2kzE%7EZKxbM5UER0gu6j2LApNlTYVZcgEZViMhwRIpLkWWgcjH4BHc4Y7xo4G3%7E9YUow__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM d154d16216fe2e1d9740c90ac2697273 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/18261b8b8329c49c3531bff568a2d188.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=Boc9uLJobMUbycvD41S9keFHYtH-Di5t1%7EYVcpMsGpHicdTVqmAD5ZG3FsVS0T-q-uE6OpKW0H6Vv3S78xmmlbGQi%7EuFOjf3AbTlXUIJycsDFROt4DUvo6eCUR2yLLYDSH3s7ITdjB2U6Tm9kMoXKfOfZC4QGKLsPnSZ7KLlGDp19qbsKbBj5Gj3GE0nIKTy9eJpm7A7LGVOl257IX4y1x2OjRXbojbi-wD6J%7E3B0F6N6hsgEAvCczyh67y5kqExoHWvm5wcI%7EnU6MQUWsaIln-HbebUoBSxyhXyE0D-lk4-ZmxFBqtd8FTP9K%7E5HiU4iMIU7hH6L7su6Jq2pQybpw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 1e1f1fe62e9ee36a77b313df901c15d5 PDF Text Text Daughters of Bilitis Oral History Project Transcript of: Lois Johnson Interviewer: Judith Sullivan Circa 2016 Interview Part 1 of 4 1 �JUDITH SULLIVAN: And we are going to be starting with talking about Lois’ life. I know you’ve had a fascinating life. LOIS JOHNSON: JS: Well, I don’t know how fascinating, but I’ve enjoyed it. (laughs) Yeah. We could probably talk for weeks about it. But we’ll start with the light version today. LJ: Okay. JS: And you can always go back and add anything else that you want -- LJ: All right. JS: -- later. But you want to say something about your growing up years and how you got started? LJ: Sure. Okay, fine. I was born in Stoneham, Massachusetts, August 21, 1931. I was brought up in a family of Christian Scientists, and for that reason, my mother was in a sanatorium in Stoneham, which was -- there was, of course, no Christian Science sanatorium, but it was a -- it was a Seventh Day Adventist [00:01:00] hospital. This is at least one of the things that I was told as a child. And the reason Mother went there was that it was, sort of, close by, and it was not as medical as other places. It was very vegetarian, and Mother remembers -- and I remember hearing this as a child -- (laughs) they only served, for protein, nuts. Nuts. There was no meat. And she was -- by the time she got home, she was just aching for, you know, something to eat. Anyway, I lived in Everett, Massachusetts, which is also in a similar area to Stoneham, but it’s more of a - a small city. It was a -- let’s see. I’d call it more of a working class city. My father worked for Boston Edison. He was a meter tester. My mother was a housew-- JS: He was -- he was a what? 2 �LJ: A meter tester. JS: Oh, meter tester. LJ: Electrical meter tester. JS: [00:02:00] Mm-hmm. LJ: My mother was a stay-at-home mom for most of her life, but when I was 11, she went out to work at the Christian Science Monitor youth -- Christian Science Monitor in Boston. We lived in a two-family house in Everett. My -- it was owned by my uncle and his sisters, and grandmother, at that time. He was a postman. He worked for the Malden postal department. My aunts -- there were three of them, Elna -- these are all Swedish names -- E-L-N-A, Alice, which is not Swedish, [Aunt?] Hilda, and Anna was my mother’s name. My father’s name was Charles Axel, A-X-E-L, Johnson. My mother’s name was Anna Elizabeth Johnson, [00:03:00] and they -- a Johnson married a Johnson. They were from Sweden, both of them, but they were first generation. They were born here. My mother -- I don’t -- there was never much told to me about family history, but as far as I know, my grandfather on my mother’s side came from southern Sweden, and he knew a lot about glass, so when he came here, he got a job at Pittsburgh Plate Glass. They lived in Chelsea at that time, and there was a family of one, two, three, four girls and one boy. My Uncle Tage -- which is a very Swedish name, too, T-A-G-E -- and the aunts. No one ever married upstairs except for my mother, and then my Aunt Hilda, when she was much older, in her fifties. Let’s see. [00:04:00] I don’t want to lose the thread of this, and just get back to where I was. My father also came from a Swedish 3 �family. He nearly was born in Sweden, but his mother emigrated on a boat, and he was born just a few days after she landed, so he was an American citizen, though he was Swedish. JS: Interesting, yeah. LJ: Which is interesting. One of the things that happened in those days was that people did not have proper medical care, so he was born without the silver nitrate drops which they usually had put into children’s eyes at that time when they were born. And he -- all he had -- always had astigmatism. That might have been a blessing, because that and his age kept him out of the Second World War, or the First World War. He had been married before, and he had three sons, none of whom I ever met, because once he [00:05:00] divorced his wife, which was unusual in those days -- that would have been prior to 1920 -- he never wanted to see them again, and he never wanted to see his wife again. JS: Oh. LJ: He lived in Malden. He was brought up as a Methodist, and he became a young mini-Methodist lay minister at a young age. There was a picture of him. I don’t know if I still have it. He was a handsome young man with red hair in a black suit. And he used to go around, he told me, visiting the sick, and reading the Bible, and singing songs, and so forth, singing hymns, et cetera. He also was brought up in a rather unusual way. His mother was widowed, or she was divorced, one or the other. Or her husband didn’t come with her. So she was here alone, and she was running a boardinghouse for Swedish [00:06:00] immigrants in Malden, and that would have been in the late nineteenth century, early twentieth century. And my father was the only child that she had. So he learned a lot of things. He learned how to cook, not extensively, but he used to make 4 �wonderful cornbread, and he knew how to make his coffee. He knew how to do a lot of things. And he would go with her weekly into Boston to the -- well, it was called the food market, I guess, in those days, down at Hanover Street? JS: Mm-hmm. LJ: And he would help her carry things home, and learned how to choose food. And he would help her serve food. And she’d serve big breakfast to the immigrants. They also had rooms in the house, I guess. And he learned how to clean, and he learned how to take care of thing, so he was -- he was well-versed in those things, more like -- he used to say, “I was brought up as a girl.” (laughs) “I learned all the girls’ things in those days.” He was a very good [00:07:00] man, but he was -- well, for some reason, he had some sort of an inferiority complex. He was very, very bright. If he had had the advantages of today, and all -- in those days, children went to school, but they graduated at the eighth grade, and if they had extra money, or their families did, they went to high school, but they didn’t go on a normal basis. So he had to work. So he got a job when he was about 16 in town working for -- as -- a drapery company, I guess. I forget where it was. I think it was down at North Station. And so he got to know Boston very, very well. So as a result, he used to take me around when I was little. As soon as I could toddle and was continent, (laughter) as little children often [are?] -- JS: Yeah. LJ: When I was six or seven, Daddy used to -- he started taking [00:08:00] me into Boston. Mother was always invited to come, but she wanted Daddy and me to bond, I guess. So she said, “Why don’t you go with her?” JS: Are you an only child? 5 �LJ: No. I had a sister. I fo-- I’m not forgetting my sister. JS: Well, you can talk about your -- LJ: Yeah, we’ll talk about the sibling. JS: -- your trips with your father. LJ: Yeah. We went into Boston on the El, the elevated train, which started at Everett -- still does -- and so he would take me to the Custom House Tower, and as I grew older, to Esplanade concerts. He would walk me around Hanover to the food marts. He’d take me up and down looking at all the shops. We went everywhere in Boston, so I grew to love it. I just loved Boston. I have one sister who is 10 years older than I. She was born in 1921. And her name was Ruth Sigred. She was named after my grandmother Sigred. JS: [00:09:00] How do you spell that? LJ: Sigred, S-I-G-R-E-D. Sigred is a very, you know, Scandinavian name. JS: Yeah. LJ: And Ruth was a wonderful woman. When my mother died -- because she died early, at 54, of liver cancer -- my sister had always loved me and taken care of me, but she served as my mother at that time. I was 17, and I still needed a lot of direction and someone to lean on. My father helped me, but my sister did a lot. Ruth was wonderful. She and I were good friends, even though I was 10 years younger. She took me to museums. She took me to the Agassiz. She took me to the MFA. She took me to Harvard Square. She took me everywhere and anywhere that she was going, you know, that -- you know, on the weekends. And we’d have long conversations. We’d share poetry together. She [00:10:00] worked with me, so I learned to read at an early age. You know, beginning preschool a little bit, and into the first grade. 6 �JS: Oh, that’s wonderful. LJ: So she was indeed a loving and kind sister. And she was a teacher. She went to Boston University, which I followed her in. I went to BU. And she graduated in 19-- when did she graduate? Nineteen forty-three, I think it was. She taught in Canton, Massachusetts, for quite a long time as a high school teacher, teaching English. And then she married in 1952, I think it was, and she and her husband had two children, one boy and one girl. She then took care of the kids for quite awhile, and then after that, she became [00:11:00] a school librarian for many years in the city of Lexington -- the town of Lexington. But anyway, to go back to her. Let me see, now. Where was I with my father and my mother? Upstairs we had Uncle Tage, who was indeed a very -- my aunts -- I was brought up -- you know, I was saying this to somebody last night. I’m one of those lucky people in life. People adored me as (laughs) a child, because my sister was older, and she’d been a very cherished child, too, but because I came along, I was often said -- once in awhile, I heard this from my father. It wasn’t meant to be derogatory, but I was an accident. Nobody planned it. Nobody was using birth control. It was 1931, the very depths of the Depression. And my father did not lose his job, by the grace of God. (laughs) He continued to have a good job. [00:12:00] And my uncle had a job in the postal service all during the Depression. The aunts had jobs. So everybody -no one was rich, but we never wanted for anything. 7 �The aunts upstairs were so kind and good to me, and Uncle also. Uncle -- I always just called him Uncle. Uncle Tage -- Uncle Tage had -- what shall we say? He and Elna both shared, maybe, my grandmother’s side of the family, because they had short tempers -which was never turned on me, but -- and they were also difficult people in some ways, but they were so generous. They were kind and generous people. And with me, my uncle would always say, “Come on, [Loie?], we’re going to go and get you a pair of shoes.” So that’s -- it really helped my family downstairs. Daddy didn’t have to do that. Or aunts would take me in [00:13:00] town and say, “Lois, we’re going to buy you some dresses, you know, so you’ll have them for your school [back?].” And so I was well taken care of. My mother was one of those angelic people who was just wonderful. She loved her children dearly. She took good care of them, and she was kind. And she was a very Christian woman. She’d been brought up, I guess, as a Congregationalist, but she and my father met in the Christian Science church in Chelsea. When they met, I guess it was love at first sight, and it continued to be a love affair for their whole life. They really loved one another. She died, as I said, in ’54. But before that, she went to work at the Christian Science Publishing Society, and she was -- I don’t know. I think she was doing addressograph, if you know what that means. JS: Yeah. LJ: That’s an old-fashioned term. [00:14:00] Because the family needed some extra money at that point. But she was very social. She was outgoing. She belonged to the Rebekah Lodge in Everett. She became a Noble Grand. One of my fondest little memories as a 8 �little child -- I must have been five, six. Mother was being installed, as they said, as a Noble Grand. And I, as a little child, was asked to come. And I was given the roses to bring to Mother. Walked across the floor, you know. And I’ll always remember that. That was -- that was wonderful. JS: Very special. LJ: Yeah, very special. Mother and I were very close. We went to a lot of places together. I remember -- she went to church with me. We went to the Malden Christian Science church. Not every Sunday, but I went to Sunday school from age three. I was brought into Sunday school into the nursery, and I remember the one thing [00:15:00] from that childhood day that I’ll always remember. Up on the wall was one of those sepia prints. Do you know what sepia means? Because they didn’t have color in those days. And it was Daniel in the lion’s den. And I was just -- I’d always look at it as a little child, trying to figure out what it was. So anyway, I stayed in Sunday school, as you do in the Christian Science Church, till you’re 21. And I normally went to Sunday school, (laughs) but I went not -- not when I was little, but when I grew up, in later -- in later years, you’d go to Sunday school, you’d go to Wednesday service, and you’d go to Sunday (laughs) service. So that was a busy time for me. I had all the basics of Christian Science deeply instilled in me. And so -- and I became a Sunday school teacher. When I went to Boston University, I was -- belonged to the Christian Science college organization. I would often volunteer [00:16:00] to be the person leading the service. And so I was well on my way, I think, to becoming (laughs) a Christian Science practitioner at that time. And I worked for the 9 �Christian Science Monitor, and I also worked for the Christian Science Monitor Youth Forum, and I belonged to the Youth Forum, which began in, oh, I guess, the late ’40s. So let me see. What else about my family? Anyway, again, another fond memory -- two fond memories of the aunts. And this was the way it was. My sister and I shared a bedroom. We had twin beds. And there were two windows. It was on the first floor, and the aunts lived upstairs. They would go to work early in the morning, say, seven o’clock in the morning to go catch the bus and get into Boston, and they would always knock on the window or whatever, even though it was up here, and they’d hand me a dime or a nickel, (F1 laughs) you know, or something for the day, which was really sweet. On Valentine’s Day, they had a tradition whereby they [00:17:00] were upstairs, and their doors -- you know, a two-family house, were [side by side?]. And so the aunts would come down the stairs. They would buy quite a few Valentine’s Day gifts. I was inside. They would ring the bell. Then they’d disappear. And they’d leave a book, like The Bobbsey Twins, or they’d leave some candy, or whatever. And they had about -- I think they must have enjoyed it, because they did it every year when I was a little kid. (laughter) So, let me see. What else? I’m losing the thread here. Pick me up (overlapping dialogue; inaudible) -JS: Did you have any chores to do at your home? LJ: Oh, yes, yeah. I -- I polished the pipes in the kitchen. People will probably not know this unless they come from our generation, or my generation. The house was two family. It was probably built in 1915, something like that. And in the kitchen, you had a slate sink. 10 �You didn’t have an enameled sink. And it was a dark [00:18:00] colored slate, and it had a place for washing dishes, and two tubs for washing clothes, and up above them was a long piping, which was made of copper or brass, and that had to be polished every week, because copper turns green. And being a Swedish family, everything had to be very clean. (laughs) JS: Oh, yeah, it would be wonderfully -- yeah. LJ: So I -- you know, I w-- I always -- I remember cleaning those pipes a lot. (laughter) I also set the table, and I helped my mother. I washed dishes. I wiped dishes. My sister and I -- another fond memory. We loved to sing together. She played the piano, and I took piano lessons, too, and played the piano. And she had a very nice mezzo voice. So Ruth would wash the dishes, I would wipe them, and we would sing together at supper. So I always enjoyed that, [00:19:00] you know. JS: You know, my sister and I did that, too. LJ: Did you do that, too? JS: Yeah. Yeah. LJ: Yeah. It made it less -- JS: It’s a wonderful memory. LJ: -- it’s a wonderful memory -- less of a chore. In fact, one of the things -- because I was a very serious child, I read all the Christian Science literature as soon as I was able to. I read the Bible. I memorized a lot. And I remember [books?] -- excuse me. (begins to cry) I remember being in the pantry and saying, “I will always help my mother. I love my mother so much.” Excuse me. I’ve been through a lot of therapy [00:20:00] to get 11 �through this, but just thinking about her, I loved her so much. And I lost her so early. I’m sorry. JS: It’s okay. Take your time. LJ: Yeah, yeah. But anyway, I always said I would do anything for her. (laughs) But I didn’t have a chance to help her in her old age, because she had no old age. And -- but -- but anyway. JS: That’s very hard, coming from such a family as yours -- LJ: Oh, yeah. Yeah. JS: -- to lose a per-- the key person, really. LJ: Oh, the key person, yeah. And my father was very caring, but of course, he was a man, (laughs) and there’s a great difference. And my sister was there, but she was in Canton by that time, teaching. But it was fine, you know? I got over it, because the aunts, of course, came to my rescue, and they [00:21:00] helped me as much as possible. And I -you know, I slowly got over it. JS: You stayed in -- though, in the same home -- LJ: Oh, yes. JS: -- with your father. LJ: We stayed in the same home, yes. JS: Did anyone move in with you? LJ: Pardon, please? JS: Were they -- did they all still live upstairs, or did anybody -- LJ: Oh, they all lived upstairs, yeah. And my father and I lived downstairs. Essentially, it was the two of us, and my sister was commuting at one point, but then at another point -- 12 �I guess she had taught on the Cape, and she lived down there, but in Canton, she commuted every day. So she was essentially there, too. So she was there with all of us. In those days, one of the strangest things -- of course, it was -- it was burial from the house, not from the -- the funeral home, so one of the strangest memories that I have, (laughs) which doesn’t make me cry but just seems so strange to me, but in those days -you know what a -- sort of, a -- a lamp with the top on it, and it -- it doesn’t have a [00:22:00] shade, but whatever -- it’s on, sort of, a -- I forget what it’s called. But anyway, my mother was laid out in our living room (laughs) with a light at either end. And maybe that’s why I was so affected, too, because I -- I wasn’t afraid, because I, you know, I had my Christian teachings, and I believed in the resurrection, and I -- but it was very strange. I remember that was for two nights, two or three nights, and then there was a service, and Mother was -- was buried up at the cemetery in [Everett?]. But I guess in those days, you know, you just -- that was 19-- it wasn’t that, you know, old days, but it was 1948. And maybe they couldn’t afford the -- taking them to the -- of course, there was some connection with a -- [00:23:00] a funeral home, but that was very peculiar. But it’s a strange memory. But, you know, that imprints on a young person’s mind, you know. JS: What was the strange part, being laid out at home, or -- LJ: Well, just having -- having the body of someone in the same house where you’re sleeping -- JS: Yeah. 13 �LJ: -- yeah -- is -- and the body is not alive, (laughs) you know? It was very strange. It was very strange, yeah. Yeah. But anyway, let’s see, now. Let me see. What else can I tell you about? JS: Well, I’m thinking, if you want to move into anything that had to do, as you grew up, noticing that you were -- you couldn’t do things the boys did -- LJ: Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah, well -- JS: -- or that, you know, you wanted to, or -- LJ: Well, basically, my father, I think, thought of me, you know, sort of, as the boy. He -[00:24:00] because he -- we used to take long walks. We’d go from Everett to Malden, say, on a Sunday afternoon, after dinner, because he was going to take me to the movies. And so we’d walk down into Malden, and there was an old cemetery there, a very old cemetery, seventeenth century, sixteenth century. And so we’d walk along the railroad tracks, which ran along it, and there were no trains at that time. And Daddy would -- he had a jackknife, and we’d -- we’d play games. Like we’d play stick knife on the railroad ties. And we walked all the way through Malden by all the old factories. They had light industry. And go to the movies, and then come home by bus. So that was -- you know, it was, sort of, like a boy. And then at Christmastime, we had a Christmas tree, and Daddy knew how to solder. And, of course, you didn’t spend a lot of money on anything in [00:25:00] those days, so if the Christmas lights went out, you soldered them back together again. So Daddy taught me how to solder. And I spent a lot of time in the basement with him, you know, watching the coal, and watching him shake the furnace down. And he built me a 14 �dollhouse out of orange crates, if you believe it, and aunties helped me furnish it. And then they had an old Victrola, and I used to spend the very, very long summer days with Mother downstairs. She’d bring the -- he’d bring the ironing board downstairs for her, she and I, and I’d play with my dollhouse, or else I’d march around like a little martinet, you know, around seven or eight, to the Victrola music. So I had one of those -- you know, nothing is idyllic, because there were -- there was conflict between upstairs and downstairs. My -- my grandmother, most of all, who had probably gone on by then, did not like my father at all, because he was a divorced [00:26:00] man. That was a no-no in those days. And it was a real prejudice. And my uncle and he never got along, so they, sort of, ignored one another. They’d be shaking the furnace down. He’s over here, he’s over here. They didn’t even talk. That created angst for me, because I wanted everybody to love one another, you know? But -- and so I learned to be a diplomat in those days, because I loved them upstairs, and I loved them -my mother and father downstairs, and you had to make sure -- I didn’t want anybody yelling at one another or any of those things. So I learned how to be the sweet-tongued interrupter to -- to take care of things. And it served me well. Sometimes it hasn’t served me well, but most of the time, [it’s quite?] served me well. Now -JS: That’s interesting. LJ: Yeah. JS: So you want to talk about how you -- LJ: Came out? JS: -- came out, or [00:27:00] discovered -- 15 �LJ: Sure. JS: I mean, did that happen at that point, or much later? LJ: Oh, it happened much later, because -- JS: Well, then, there must be something in between. LJ: Oh, there is something in between. JS: Your schooling, probably. LJ: Oh, yes, the schooling. JS: College. LJ: Yeah. JS: BU. LJ: I went to -- JS: First jobs. LJ: Yeah, I will. I went to public school, of course, and all through public school. And in those days -- that was in the ’40s -- there were still a lot of excellent teachers that had a very fine educational system. I had very good instruction in everything. In high school, particularly, I had two years of Latin, one year of German, a couple years of French, and a lot of things that they don’t teach nowadays in the schools. And the teachers were people who had come from the early twentieth century. A lot of them were women. Some were men. And they were very well versed in their subjects. So I felt very blessed to have the education that I did have [00:28:00] there. And I graduated with high honors from high school. I had always been a good student. I loved -- I loved to study, and so I always got A’s. I’m not bragging, but that’s (laughs) the way it was. And I went on -- JS: I’m not surprised. 16 �LJ: Yeah. (laughs) I went on to Boston University, and I decided to be a teacher, because my sister had been a teacher. I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do. But in those days, I do remember now, as you look back, I had -- I was shy. I was, sort of, a nerd. You know, I liked to study a lot. But I had a lot of friends, mainly girl friends. I have one -- one fellow whom I really -- I never dated in high school. Never ever. I had one friend, Donald, Donald [Jesse?]. Donald was a great guy. He and I, we’d sit [00:29:00] around. We were the same age. We’d sit around after Latin school, or, I mean, after we’d had -when recess was happening in high school. We’d sit on the desks in the room instead of going down to the lunchroom, and eat our lunch upstairs, and decline verbs, Latin verbs, and conjugate verbs. What a couple of nerds. (F1 laughs) But we had good times together. (laughter) And he -- one of the things that I really wanted to do, I wanted a part-time job so bad. I loved to work. And he got a job when he was 16 in a drugstore in his neighborhood, which was a little different neighborhood than ours. And he had a hat, and he could serve ice cream, and all that stuff, and I wanted so badly to do that. And by the time I was 16, also, I guess, I managed to get a job doing that on Saturdays over in Malden, and I was delighted. (laughter) So [00:30:00] let me see now. Donald was really the only guy I was really friendly with, and I had several girl friends. And I remember one of them particularly, because those were the days when there was a lot of guitar playing and the beginnings of the movement of preserving folk songs, et cetera. And so I really wanted to play guitar, but I never did 17 �get to. But Florence -- I remember Florence coming down, and we’d, sort of -- she’d play the guitar, because she played it fairly well, and I played the piano quite well, and so we -- we wouldn’t play together, but we would just -- she’d come and visit. And I remember just having -- I suppose it’s what you would call a crush on her. I really liked her. I thought she was great. (laughs) JS: And you were how old at that point? LJ: I was 15, I’d say, 15. And also, [00:31:00] we went horseback riding together, which was great. Her father was very nice, and he took us out to Saugus, where there were horses. I’d never been on a horse in my life. She had been. And I remember, you know, I didn’t -- I’d do anything. I thought I could do anything (overlapping dialogue; inaudible). So I just climb up on the horse, and I wasn’t afraid or anything. And we’d ride through the brambles and through the bushes, et cetera. I remember one horse I got on, he wanted to back up and get rid of me, and I was a little afraid, but -- and then he started to run, and then I had to haul him in, and it was really something. But she and I had wonderful times together. And I had another girlfriend, [Barbara Healey?], who was a wonderful person. I didn’t have any crushes on her. She was just a good girl friend. But Florence, I remember saying, “Hmm, she’s very nice.” And, okay. We went from there -- oh, one thing I hadn’t mentioned was, music was a big part of our lives [00:32:00] at home. I took music lessons from the time I was six until the time I was about 17, 16 or 17. JS: Piano. 18 �LJ: My sister played quite well. I played quite well. It’s served me well in my future life, because both my relationships, gay relationships, came through music. And so I am ever so glad. And Sheri and I just share music so -- so much. It was a very, very import-- it is an important thing to us. My father was not a trained musician, but he had a good ear, so he could play certain things. We had a player piano, which he bought, very expensive in those days, but he bought it. JS: That’s impressive. LJ: And my mother was a trained musician. She was a violinist. He liked the violin. He could play it by ear, some Swedish songs. And Mother belonged to a women’s orchestra, women’s -- all-women’s orchestra, in those days. [00:33:00] Let’s see. As far as crushes and feelings, I -- as I said, I always felt I could do anything. I’d go out in the garden. I’d rake. I’d shovel. I’d do anything. And in our house, the men both had had hernias, so they -- (laughs) they didn’t really get out there and shovel snow or whatever. They couldn’t. But my mother was always out there with her long coat or sweater on, shoveling off the walks. She didn’t mind. She liked to do it. And my aunts did the same. So I said, “Oh, this is what you’re supposed to do.” So I -(laughter) We played cowboys and Indians. Oh, I had another -- as a young kid, I had a wonderful friend, a boy. His name was [Andersen?]. There were a few Swedes in the city, and [Carl?] and I would play together a lot. We performed some Swedish dances [00:34:00] 19 �when we were about -- I guess we were 10 or so -- together. He was the svensk pojke. I was the svensk flicka. And we had -JS: That’s really cute. LJ: Yeah. (laughs) Cute kids. And his family owned a -- a house, oh, only may-- five minutes away, up a hill. And they had a wonderful backyard with apple trees and crabapple trees. We’d run through the yard and have a great time, play cowboys and Indians, and -- I had more guns than God, and I -- (F1 laughs) for a kid who went to Christian Science Sunday school. I had, you know, one of those -- they weren’t real, of course. They were -- it was a clay shotgun. You know, it wasn’t a pop gun. You’d put it together like this, put it over your shoulder, and (F1 laughs) (overlapping dialogue; inaudible). I had holsters with the Lone Ranger, you know, with the belt. And I had the [side?] with two guns -- and I’m saying, guns. I would never give my child a gun in these days. (laughter) [00:35:00] But in those days, it -- it didn’t matter. I mean, I used to -- one of my favorite games was -- just at the beginning of the Second World War, there was a board game, which had darts. And it was made so that there was a board that you could put down on the floor, and then you had a little machine on top, into which you could put a pricked dart. And you stand looking through a periscope, and you were looking at Germany or some country overseas, and you were bombing. (laughs) JS: Oh, really? Oh, my gosh. 20 �LJ: It was -- it was terrible. But I loved it. I’d put the thing in, and it would go, boing, boing, and I’d see if I could hit, you know, whatever I wanted to hit in Germany. That’s another funny memory. JS: That is. LJ: And Daddy used to bring me every Fourth of July down to the fireworks store, and we’d get plenty of fireworks, and he’d fire them all off. And I’d play with them. I mean, [00:36:00] it’s a wonder I have any fingers left. (F1 laughs) I’d have lady fingers, and I’d just light them in the backyard. Nobody was worried, you know, in those days. Here, here are fireworks, child. JS: Right. Go play -- LJ: You’re six years old, or you’re seven years old. JS: -- in the yard with your fireworks. LJ: Here’s a -- here’s a piece of punk. (laughter) [And we’ll fix it?]. But anyway, so on to ladies. I -- I don’t know how I thought of myself in those days. I was brought up to be a little lady. But I -- you know, I -- I wasn’t that interested in guys, ever. Only as friends. I never really thought that much about dating in high school. I was too busy studying and too busy at home. I was kept busy all the time. And too busy with the family and my sister to worry about guys. So I went on to Boston University. And I remember [00:37:00] having two huge crushes at Boston University on -- in my freshman year and my sophomore year. One was a girl in my gym class, and I just thought she was the cat’s meow. And -- and there was another girl that I, sort of, kept in touch with. In fact, she -- I looked her up. I still 21 �thought of her, you know, wondering what she had done in life. And she was in a book, or rather, a list of people who -- from Boston University. And I just remember her. I’ll always remember her. And she -- (laughs) because I worked with her, too, when I got out of school. Anyway, let me see. At school, I studied English. I was an English major and a -- an [00:38:00] elementary education major. And I -- I had student teaching. And when I finished school, I -- I went and taught for a year, but I -- I wasn’t happy teaching elementary school. I taught sixth grade in Quincy. And they tried their hardest to keep me, because I was a Phi Beta Kappa, and I probably would have made a brilliant teacher, but I didn’t want to do it. And I had nearly a nervous breakdown over it. That was really a very hard time of my life. I just was very unhappy. I’d get up in the morning. I was being driven down by another guy I’d graduated with, because there was no easy way to get down there, and you had to be there at 7:30 in the morning. JS: Were you still living at home? LJ: I was still living at home, yeah. (cell phone rings) Oh, I’m sorry. I’ve got to put that away. JS: That’s your phone. LJ: I’m sorry. I should have taken it off. JS: Ready to go? LJ: Ready to [00:39:00] go. Ready to go. Okay. So at school, there were those intimations that I had of -- I think -- was it at that time? I’m trying to think of it. I was aware of the fact that there was something else out there, but, you know, it never really crossed my 22 �mind very much. I went to the Youth Forum, and the Youth Forum was very -- it was -- I think I went there first when I was 16, and then I went there all the time I was going to college, too. Because -- I should explain what the Christian Science Monitor Youth Forum was. JS: Yeah, I was wondering. LJ: Yeah. This started in the late ’40s, and the Christian Science church, I guess, realized -you see, the Christian Science church is not set up the way other Protestant churches are. If you go, say, to a Congo church or to a [00:40:00] Methodist church, they might have Methodist youth fellowship, or they might have -- Congregationalists have -- there was none of that social activity in my church whatsoever. It was all devoted, mainly, to studying and living the life of a Christian Scientist, and healing, and, you know, learning, and spiritual understanding, and so forth, and so forth. You’d go, and they had lecturers, and they had other things, but people -- if there was going to be social activity, it wasn’t going to be in the church at all. But the -- so, let me see now. I lost -- JS: The Youth Forum. LJ: So the BU Forum -- the Christian Science Monitor Youth Forum was something that was started, I -- maybe because they felt they needed to bring along the young people or whatever. And it was outside of the church, but it was open mainly [00:41:00] to Christian Science people. And so the Monitor Youth Forum is -- they used to have all kinds of things. They’d have activities. They’d have trips. They’d have, you know, skits. They’d have programs of all kinds. And it was -- it was, sort of, a worldwide movement. There was a junior forum and the senior forum. It was the senior forum I belonged to. And there was one in Boston and one in most of the major cities in the 23 �United States at that time, and overseas, also. And they had people who came on scholarships from one country to the other, and I aspired to that, but I never got there. (laughs) So it was very interesting, and I had a good time. And that’s where I really -- I met the first person that I was with for five years, [Diane?], who changed her name to -- after we had been together, changed her name so that her name was -- [00:42:00] how did she [change?] -- Elizabeth. She took Elizabeth for her first name instead of Diane. She didn’t like her name, Diane, so (laughs) it was hard to find her, too. Anyway, I graduated from college, and -JS: And you met Diane where? At the Youth Forum? LJ: And I met Diane in the Christian Science Monitor Youth Forum. JS: Yeah. LJ: Yeah. And that was -- I can’t remember the exact year that was. I think it was -- (break in audio) END OF AUDIO FILE 24 � https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/f49f0f94e6ab8d43ceb256b14f6646c7.MP3?Expires=1777507200&Signature=RieITi-oUljZFaNC4GI6WcoarymMxED4AUdJ7xxlEwZeEL%7EWbQj4I5%7EJ%7E8LtMtEO5ZNjwg2tY-onieRLtnIsgGkeIONc2FZsyn7%7Eko4Mq5EuF1RmppOEqS0J082lc4FFhTkjYRCwxgma5uBuMpXOaxadnUyDZt%7EYYzCAtwbw71U6q9y%7EPo-c9bomm3ePLS6piHzOB3rEYZWRJuGD4iQ8jnl5ycobuva5h-YDEkFmpuqNOFtktsXcMYBzQXsJxy3qWgUkgIemnJ-NhIdx3ZJkaPsDJJPnWGONMWGqQALTtbJaCJyUe-jdeZlbk2H2B8Q-PrbbNFS4bh0pClBITGbdFA__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM aab623d216398c32873a2082fcb58cc1 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/d513b64484d38dfced8fba99a211b42b.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=rRkYfrlGZzXMrIJtEX0PPcdEEMm2FDDH70s9QJEQKxCj11DAySD8Om5Dl9S4OQ59CdxO957IrK4OSZ4hHiAjHKp%7EC%7E-unpikNoMLqVzaj0tLWDefichlqW0fohivjgFOrCGZjU6oiWD5CSs5M0WUehYrUvxISg8nWy456boRMkzB2Yq5pSXyT3vBoaCc5zSlgxq%7EI6-hN-%7Enf%7EwuoiYGjyPV45cvahtL7Ka%7E4KOqLJJRjj6mQAZTsPeiJvpWnPsbdgPjf0-WrlVFX7-uZw%7EYlwAf%7EBFDKf6mHORZ70YT9zbGXBQDZPfhGpt3y2h1Hv4S2fRG9UznjlGfzt--092NUw__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM bd4a7e8919acd7cee4c774fa436437be PDF Text Text Daughters of Bilitis Oral History Project Transcript of: Lois Johnson Interviewers: Sarah Boyer, Judith Sullivan January 22, 2016 Interview Part 2 of 4 1 �SARAH BOYER: Okay, we’re on. JUDITH SULLIVAN: Okay. I’m Judith Sullivan, and I’m interviewing Lois Johnson today. It’s January 22, 2016, and we’re at her condo in Roslindale at 44 -LOIS JOHNSON: Jamaica Plain. SB: Jamaica Plain. JS: Oh, is this Jamaica Plain? LJ: This is Jamaica Plain. JS: (laughs) We’re in Jamaica Plain. Okay. At 44 Allandale Street. And we’re about to start the second of an interview that we’ve already done, that really pretty much covered the early part of your life. And so we’re going to pick up now on what happened after you graduated from Boston University. You’ve had a long and very special life, and I think we have more to cover than what we did before. LJ: Okay. JS: But, you know, we can go a little bit freewheeling on that. LJ: Sure, sure. Okay. Well, after I graduated from [00:01:00] Boston University -- am I speaking loud enough? SB: Yes. LJ: I know I have a very low voice. I can’t change it, or I’ll cough. (laughs) SB: No, you go right ahead. LJ: Okay. After I graduated from BU, I was qualified in teaching, in elementary school teaching, so I taught. And I taught in the city of Quincy. I didn’t particularly care for it. I’m not sure why. It was -- they wanted very much to have me there, but I found the children, even though I’d had experience with them, rather difficult to control, even 2 �though the children of those days -- that was 1954 -- were much more obedient. I had (laughs) children in my class, little kids, who later became nuns and priests, and I had a couple of reprobates who were very difficult to control. But I think I almost had a nervous breakdown over the fact that (laughs) it was just not going to work. And my sister had been a teacher, and -- but I used to agonize [00:02:00] about going there. But anyway, as a long story short, they gave me a -- they wanted me so much in the system, because they needed teachers at that time, they gave me a master teacher, and I worked under her for awhile. And then after that one first year, I said, “You know, this is too much on my psyche. I don’t want to do it, even though I’m prepared for it.” And that was very difficult. So I took an interim job at the New England Mutual Life Insurance Company, just a clerical job, and I spent a lot of time in the city of Boston looking at art on Newbury Street, doing all kinds of things. And I commuted back and forth from Everett to Boston. Then, finally, I decided that what I wanted to do was to take a degree in journalism, because I had been an English major, basically. So I went back to Boston University, went to what was then called SPRC, School of Public Relations and Communications, and I got my master’s degree in -- it was about a year, or a little bit [longer?]. [00:03:00] And, again, [I went?] in my beloved city of Boston, in Copley Square most of the time, which I loved. Following that, I looked for jobs. I worked a little bit at some interim jobs in Boston, 3 �which were, you know, writing for small newspapers and stuff like that, writing feature stories. And then I decided, because I was still very active in Christian Science, and I knew somebody on the West Coast, they had an advertising agency. And they said that they would give me a job as a copywriter. So I said, “Well, I think I’ll go.” My mother had died by that time. My father was still alive. And my father was very much by himself, because my sister had gotten married, and I felt bad leaving him. And my aunts lived upstairs in the two-family house, and they were beside themselves with grief that I was going to leave. (laughs) But they said -- [00:04:00] they let me go. It’s the best thing I ever did. They were all loving, kind, good people, with their own quirks, everybody, including my father, but it was time for me to flaunt my wings. I was about -how old was I? Twenty-three, 24, something like that. A little bit younger. So I had a very best friend who had gone to high school with me, and he went to Boston University with me, Donald. And Donald and I were -- you know, it wasn’t a boyfriend, girlfriend, thing. We were best friends. We were such geeks that we would sit in our Latin class at lunchtime, eating our sandwiches and declining nouns in Latin, (laughter) and conjugating verbs, and having long stories about English grammar. Both of us were real, sure geeks. (laughter) We loved English, both of us. So Donald and I got in the car. He had a Volkswagen. I packed myself up, and off we [00:05:00] went. And we drove across the United States, which was the iconic ’50s trip. It was just so much fun. We went the northern route at first, and it was -- I think -- I guess it was spring when we went, because -- or summer, because there were apples 4 �growing in the orchards, which, you know, we had about -- very little money between us, but we had enough, so we’d buy apples. We’d buy grapes. We’d buy all kinds of fruit. And then we’d travel from one place and find the cheapest motel we could possibly find. And we always took two rooms. Remember, it was 1950. JS: Oh, my gosh. LJ: And my father had said, “(clears throat) Well, you’re going with a man?” And I said, “Yes.” And Daddy said, “Well, take care of yourself.” SB: (laughter) He must have trusted you. LJ: (laughter) Exactly. SB: Or else he knew you were a lesbian before you did. LJ: (laughter) Maybe he did. [00:06:00] Maybe he did. SB: Sorry. JS: He could have said -- when he said a man, he could have said a boy. LJ: That’s right, yeah. (laughs) So anyway. So Donald and I took mostly the northern route across all the states. We went to the Midwest, and then we went to Colorado. We took a trip down to Leadville. The little -- thank God for the little Volkswagens. They’re tough as nails. I could drive in those days, but Donald did most of the driving, because it was his car. So we traveled there. Then we came up through -- I think we went through Arizona, and up and around, and in and out, and up (laughs) to as many places as we could go to on very little money, probably a dollar a day. I don’t know what we ate, but it was mainly sandwiches and stuff like that. But we had a fabulous time. And then we came into California, because he had relatives in southern California. We 5 �came in through Yosemite Park, and we stayed at Yosemite, [00:07:00] in those early days, and went -- visited his friends or family. Stayed with them for awhile. Then we went north to San Francisco. And he was a teacher. He had decided he wanted to stay in teaching, so he went south onto the peninsula and got a job, and I had a job right in the city of San Francisco, which suited me just fine. JS: Great. LJ: And being very prim and proper, I said to myself, “Where can I go that’s, number one, cheap, and number two, safe, and number three, I’m not going to be molested by men?” And I had that in my mind, because -- JS: You knew that. LJ: -- I didn’t want to be bothered. So I went to the YWCA, which was right up on Nob Hill in the best of locations, right near the Episcopal cathedral. And it was -- it was a great place to stay. I think it was $20 a week in those days, something like that. When I arrived in California, I had 40 bucks in my pocket, [00:08:00] but in those days -that was 1958? Fifty-seven, ’56, something like that -- that was worth more like 10 times as much, so I had enough. And that was fine. And the meals were included. At least one meal a day was included there, and you had your room. And then you had all of the large areas. So it was fun. JS: And you could walk to where you wanted to go, so -- LJ: Yeah. And I remember, I made friends with a couple of the young ladies who were there, and I -- I still played the piano very well, so I accompanied someone for singing, and then there was another woman who, sort of, hung on me. One of my funny experiences, 6 �which wasn’t so funny for other people, that happened. I was so prim and proper, and so full of my religion, I -- not that I was out there trying to convert, but I had a very, very firm sense of what I accepted and what I did not accept. JS: I see. LJ: So the one thing that -- JS: [00:09:00] Can you think of an example? LJ: Well, the example was that you didn’t drink. JS: Okay. LJ: And I didn’t drink, either, but we went to some bars, which -- because in those days, there were -- you know, as they have today, karaoke. It wasn’t called that, but -- and I liked to sing. So we would go, and we would sing at the piano bars. And I didn’t play, but I sang sometimes at the piano bars. And this one woman -- I even remember her first name, Dawn -- came with us, and a couple of other people from different parts of California. Well, at that time, there was a guy there who was -- oh, he was very handsome. He was a handsome black guy. And he -- he was playing the piano or whatever. Anyway, he invited everybody back to his apartment. My alarm bells went off immediately, saying, “Oh, yes, it is now one o’clock in the morning. He’s inviting all six of us back? Hmm.” But I went, because I felt as though I had to go, because these were my friends. I went. He was [00:10:00] serving orange juice, and I looked at it, and I said, “No, thank you.” (laughter) I had a feeling that it was -- it was mixed with something. And it was. And it could have been -- you know, in those days, you didn’t have a date rape thing, but 7 �it was -- something was in there, vodka or whatever. Well, one of the girls got absolutely plastered, and I’m looking at her, and looking at him, and he was so handsome, and I said to myself, “There is danger here, Lois. Get these girls out of here. You’re not in charge, but you better get them out of here, because you’re the only one who’s not drinking.” JS: Uh-huh. LJ: So it got to be around two o’clock, and he’s saying, “Oh, stay, stay.” And I’m saying, “Well, no.” And I said to my friends, “(laughter) It is time to go home.” And they said, “No, no.” And I said, “Oh, yes, it is. (JS laughs) Down the stairs.” And I got them all out of there, so nobody got raped. JS: You were the designated walker. LJ: Oh, yeah, yeah. (laughter) (applause) That’s right. And I [was saying?] to him, and he said, “Gee, thanks so much. Goodbye.” You know? (laughter) And we got out of there. And of course, [00:11:00] we lived on the top of Nob Hill, so you had to get these drunk, partially drunk and one very drunk young lady, up the hill. Fortunately, I think the trolleys were still running, you know, at that time of night -- JS: Okay, mm-hmm. LJ: -- or in the morning, and so we got on the little trolley and hauled us -- ourselves up, and sent them off to their rooms. (laughter) I said -- and I said, “Well, dear Lord, I think I have saved someone from a problem. (laughs) Thank you very much for helping me.” You know? JS: That’s a great story. Really. LJ: But that -- it’s a very ’50s story. JS: It is. 8 �LJ: And it’s -- you know, I don’t downplay it. I’m very grateful that nothing happened to them, and I was sure as hell nothing was going to happen to me, baby, because I -(laughs) I would have punched him in the balls. JS: (inaudible) LJ: Pardon me. JS: (laughter) You took a lot of responsibility for them. LJ: I did. Yeah. JS: Yeah. LJ: Yeah. And they were -- they were very nice people. JS: To be in the -- in San Francisco in the ’50s, though -- LJ: Oh, yeah. JS: -- isn’t that something, that you -- LJ: Oh, yeah. JS: -- got yourself out there -- LJ: [00:12:00] Oh, yeah. It was wonderful. JS: -- to that place in particular? Really. LJ: It was just -- it was terrific. And we traveled all over the place. I enjoyed the work at the agency. Again, this rectitude thing of doing the right thing and not pandering to the commercial instincts of, you know, the United States, et cetera, I -- even though I was writing copy and doing stuff for them, and they liked me -- I probably could have stayed - but again, this made me leave them, because I got a job -- I said, “I think I’d much rather write for a newspaper.” So there was a place called the Presidio, which you’ve probably heard of. 9 �JS: I have. LJ: Presidio is, you know -- JS: Yeah, I’ve been there. LJ: It’s a -- it was a fortification, particularly in the Second World War. And it still was in activity. And there was a little newspaper called the Star Presidian. So I was hired as a feature writer. And so I went over there, and I used to take the bus every day, with the clouds of fog rolling in from the ocean, the [00:13:00] Pacific ocean, and go way over to the other side of the city of San Francisco. And I enjoyed that. And again, I had some funny experiences over there that you’ll appreciate, because I had no idea I was a lesbian. I knew women were very nice, and I -- I had had one boyfriend at Boston University, but that had ended, and it was perfectly okay with me that it ended. But I really -- I can remember having crushes on two or three girls at Boston University, but I said, “It’s just because they’re such good friends.” But I was bereft when I didn’t see them over vacation. Yeah. I’d feel like that. And I said, “Well, Lois, you know, that’s just because, you know, you love people, and they love you, et cetera.” So anyway -- so I’m at the Presidio. And it’s in a converted Quonset hut of some kind, which they had a lot left over from -- from the Second World War. And so we were on a, sort of, [00:14:00] a porch. There was an editor, sort of a rough guy. He and I got along, but he was, sort of, oppressive. And I wrote the features, so I didn’t have to be under his thumb all the time, but he was the editor. So I’m writing all kinds of features, going around the city, blah, blah. 10 �And I’m sitting there one day, and I -- I didn’t know who was next to us. There was a door here. I heard a lot of typewriters clacking. And then in comes a couple of women in uniform. The were WACs. And they were very interested in coming in to talk to me. And I said, “Well, isn’t this nice?” (laughter) I have a feeling that they were just looking me over, you know, because it was very -- it was rather plain to me later, you know, that this was so. JS: Uh-huh. LJ: So anyway, I tried a few strange experiences. Nothing with them, but I decided to go. And I went -- I might have gone with one of the girls from the -- the place up in the Hill, [00:15:00] the San Franc-- the residence. But we went down to what was called the Embarcadero. The Embarcadero, of course, was the -- the shipping area, which is now all high-rise, high expensive stuff. But in then -- those days, it was a bit of a slum, to a degree, but it had some interesting -- again, piano bars and places where people sang. And there was a woman singing, you know, the songs of the day, the ’60s and, sort of, all that stuff. So we went over there. And then we went to shops, which were in the, sort of, the gaslight section of -- of San Francisco. And I was -- and I’m sure -- I went to a bookstore, you know, naturally to go buy a book, so I could look as though I was reading Ulysses (JS laughs) or something. And there was a woman there who -- there was the strangest feeling I had come over me. I wasn’t at all attracted to her. In fact, I was a little afraid of her. And she [00:16:00] just, sort of, turned me off. But anyway, I met her again when I went to work -- I got another job, 11 �which was as a salesgirl, a side job, at the -- it was a department store. And she -- she was on my tail all the time, and I just -- I didn’t like that. She was following me around. JS: Your age? She was your age? LJ: Maybe she was a trifle bit older. JS: Mm-hmm. LJ: Yeah. And I said to myself, “There’s something strange going on here.” (laughs) And I just, sort of, edged away from her. She -- she didn’t frighten me, because I was never afraid of anything, but I was -- I just felt uncomfortable. And I’m sure she was a lesbian, too. So that was, sort of, my first -- the slight recognition up here. JS: Okay. LJ: So I went to -- JS: She’s interested in me in a sexual way. LJ: In a sexual way. JS: Yeah. LJ: And I got that. And I said, “Now, this is very peculiar. I’d better back off here.” JS: Yeah. LJ: And [00:17:00] so anyway, that was the whole experience that I had there. I had several jobs out there. And then I came back on what I call the iconic -- pardon me one second -bus trip. My father was dying. JS: Now, how many years had gone by? LJ: Just a couple. JS: You had a lot of jobs in just a couple of years. 12 �LJ: Mm-hmm. I did, because I kept changing things. It was just -- I think I stayed at the Star Presidian the longest. I liked it. So when my father -- when I knew that he was dying, I had to go back home again, so I -- I didn’t have much money. They sent me money from home, which was about enough to take the bus. So I took the Greyhound bus -- and I’ll always remember this -- across -- [00:18:00] without -- it wasn’t a sleeper, of course. (JS laughs) But it traveled across in two days, I think, or three days, stopping at -- you know, in the middle of the desert in -- at midnight. JS: Yeah, I’ve been there. (laughs) LJ: With no bathrooms. SB: Been there, done that. JS: Yeah. LJ: Out on the bus, sitting there just thinking about things, looking out the window, seeing tumbling tumbleweeds, seeing snowy mountains, just seeing the back end of a lot of places. JS: Oh, yeah. LJ: Because you’re never -- you never -- the bus terminal was always in some strange place in the city. JS: Did you come back the southern route? Did you get to see anything different? LJ: Yeah, we came back somewhat the southern route, and I saw some different things. And of course, you know, it’s a two-seater, you know. JS: Oh, yeah. LJ: And you never know who’s going to sit down beside you. So I was rather happy about this, but not that happy. I just didn’t want [00:19:00] male sitting beside me, because, 13 �again, I felt a little uncomfortable, because I was vulnerable. I was all by myself. So this elderly woman sits down beside me, and gave me a long lecture on the WCTU. Do you know what that is? JS: (laughs) Yes. LJ: And this went on -- JS: The Women’s -- LJ: -- for about a hundred miles. JS: -- Christian Temperance Union. LJ: Women’s Christian Temperance Union. JS: Yeah. LJ: And so -- and then we had -- then she brought out her Bible, (laughter) and started to read me Bible verses. And -- JS: You probably could have quoted them back at her. LJ: Oh, I could have quoted them back to her, quite, quite easily. But -- but that -- I’ll always remember that. And then coming into Boston. And then my father died fairly soon after that, and I had to stay in Boston, because my aunts wanted me to stay right there in Everett. But again, I knew enough to get my little rear end out of there. And my sister wasn’t [00:20:00] there. So I -- I did leave, and I went into Boston, and I worked for the Christian Science movement. I worked on what was called Committee on Publication, which was like a public relations department. And then I worked for the Christian Science Monitor Youth Forum, which had been a youth effort after the Second World War by the Christian Science church to engage 14 �young people. There was never any social activity in a Christian Science church except what you created yourself. There was never -- you know, like, you go to the Congo church or somebody else -- somebody’s going to have a potluck, or they’re going to have a dinner, or they’re going to have a fundraiser, or this, that, and the other. JS: I see. LJ: But there was nothing like that in our church. It was all strictly religious, Sunday and Wednesday. (laughs) And Sunday school, and lectures, et cetera. Which is not to say that, you know, there weren’t many people that I loved in the church. But -- but anyway, the Christian Science [00:21:00] Monitor Youth Forum was for young people, and they really -- you did all sorts of things. It was based on the Christian Science Monitor, [in an?] outreach of public affairs, and doing all kinds of things. We had dances. We had all kinds of youthful activities. So I did that. And at that time, I remet [Diane?]. JS: Oh, yeah. LJ: Mm-hmm. And Diane was my first. We -- she was a -- a vocalist, and I was playing the piano or the organ. And so we got together, and we were together for five years (inaudible). But it was in between there -- on the West Coast, I had no recognition of, you know, what was going on with me. But as soon as I got back to Boston, I -- I really - I think I had sexual feelings for Diane from before that were sublimated, you know. [00:22:00] So -- but -- JS: And by that time, you were how old, about? LJ: I was about 24. I’d say 24, 25, maybe. Somewhere in that -- in that thing. So let me see. We’re talking about that trip and about some work. Do you want to hear more about work? 15 �JS: In Boston? LJ: Mix it -- in Boston, yeah. Would that be good? JS: I think that you could mention what jobs you had. That would be good. LJ: Yeah. Okay, fine. Yeah. Yeah. After I finished at -- working for them, while I was living with Diane -- we lived in Brookline, on a top floor. In fact, I can see it every day (laughs) when we drive into Brookline now, which is amazingly funny, you know, when you see it. It was a, sort of, a garret apartment, but it was very comfortable. We enjoyed it. The landlady, of course, was a Christian Scientist. Diane was a Christian Scientist. Everybody (laughs) was a Christian Scientist in my life at that time. So anyway, we -[00:23:00] we both had a little trouble reconciling sexual activity with, you know, all the Christian doctrines -- JS: With the teachings. Oh, sure. LJ: -- and teachings, et cetera. But we decided -- I had one mantra at that time, which was, “Make yourself accessible to experience.” JS: Good for you. LJ: Which I liked. And I said, “You know, look. Let’s not get tied up with this.” But that doesn’t mean it was easy for me. It was very difficult for me, indeed. But we got along very well. However, she -- she was a very different person than what I really had, sort of, expected. She was a bit more promiscuous. There were a few other people entering her life when I was there, too, male and female. So that was not particularly joyous, shall we say. But we had a -- a five-year relationship. And we did a lot of traveling together, and we had a good time. But it finally ended, [00:24:00] and she left me, which was good. That -- that was a stroke of luck. (laughs) She left me. So anyway -- 16 �JS: Did you think of yourself in a coupled relationship, or did you have roles that you played, or anything like that? LJ: No, there was no role playing at all. It was two women. And it was just -- she, by the way, had worked for the Christian Science Monitor, or for the movement, at the time. She was a -- she was a mail person, mail delivery, M-A-I-L. And so we used to see one another at lunchtime for about 15 minutes as she’s delivering mail, and we were still working together while we were living together. Yeah. So that’s the way we met. But no, there were no roles. It was really two women. And the sexual thing seemed very, very normal to me. You know, it just came normally to me, as if -- JS: Did you know each other’s families at all? LJ: Pardon, please? JS: Did you know each other’s families? LJ: [00:25:00] Well, Diane did know my family to a degree, yeah. I brought her up to meet my sister, my nephew, and my brother-in-law, et cetera. She didn’t fit in that well. She was a strange person. But I knew her mother and her aunt, and -- her two aunts, in fact, and her brother and her sister. So we did know the families to one -- some degree, you know. JS: Sounds like that was, kind of, just a natural -- LJ: Yeah. JS: -- thing, too. Not a big deal. LJ: It was not a big deal, no. It wasn’t a big deal. So after I finished working for the Christian Science church, I -- let me see. What was my -- my next job? Oh, yeah. JS: You’re now in your thirties. 17 �LJ: Yeah, I’m now getting up to my late twenties. And I -- [00:26:00] WGBH was just coming online. The Lowell Institute, I guess, which had put it together. And I was fascinated by it, and I’d watch it on television at home, and I’d say, “You know, I should really go,” but I -- it seemed very much like a man’s world, and it was. But I had a degree in journalism, and so I said, “You know, I don’t want to work for the church all this time. It’s making me a little edgy, because I think they’re probably not going to be very welcoming if they find out I’m a lesbian.” And I didn’t use -- I couldn’t use the word. I couldn’t own the word lesbian at that time. JS: But you knew it. LJ: I knew it, because I’d read a lot of books. JS: Oh, okay. LJ: You know, all the books that -- all that trash, you know, the trash that came out in that period. JS: Pulp novels. LJ: Yeah. “We live -- we walk along through Lesbos’s lonely groves.” JS: Oh, yeah. (Laughs) LJ: Oh, God. Or the -- what was the other one? SB: Radclyffe Hall. JS: The Well of Loneliness. LJ: Radclyffe Hall, The Well of Loneliness. SB: What was that? The Well of Loneliness. (JS laughs) LJ: [00:27:00] And I said, “But I’m not lonely. What kind of -- you know, what kind of stuff is this, anyway? This is weird, man. But that’s not me.” You know? Or you’d think of - 18 �- all people really knew in those days was somebody who went to a bar, somebody who drank heavy, and that’s a lesbian, et cetera. And I said, “That’s not me. I don’t drink at all. I’m not that way. I’m an intellectual. I don’t like that stuff. What am I -- what’s going to happen to me here?” Well, Diane and I were not that way, you know, and I said, “There probably is nobody else out there except, like -- we’re the only ones there.” JS: Oh, really? Okay. You went through that. LJ: That’s -- that’s the way it went, yeah. So that was difficult. But anyway, I decided that I’d just gear myself up and go over to WGBH and see if they had a job. Somewhere along the line, in the true ’50s fashion, someone had said to me, even though I had degrees and grades way up in the [00:28:00] A’s, said, “Every woman should learn how to type.” And I said -- (laughter) JS: Okay. That was a good silent word that you just said. We can all imagine what that is. LJ: Oh, yeah. I didn’t know that word in those days. But I said, “I really don’t want to,” but I did. JS: Oh, you did? LJ: I went and I got -- I took a long, long course in how to type, so that I knew how to use electric typewriters. (laughs) And so I had that skill, and I went, and I applied for a secretarial job. JS: At WGBH. LJ: At WGBH. Even with all my degrees, I took the secretarial job. And I worked for David Ives, who was the head of WGBH, for probably a couple of years for him. JS: As a secretary? 19 �LJ: As a secretary, yes. And then I went further into it. In those days, it was the kind of -it’s different from the stratified way that I think things are done these days in business. If you went in at a certain level, [00:29:00] you could rise. Nowadays, you stay at that certain level, maybe improve your grade in that level. But I went up, and I became part of the 21-Inch Classroom, which is -- which was the first outreach of WGBH to schools. JS: What’s that word? LJ: The 21-Inch Classroom. JS: Twenty-one inch -- oh, classroom. LJ: That “21-Inch” refers to the television. JS: Sure. Of course. SB: Right. LJ: And so I was not producing programs at that point, but I was the person who took care of all the scheduling, the typing up of the scheds, the making of the scheds, et cetera, for the 21-Inch Classroom. So I rose to that. When my boss decided to leave, I said, “You know, I really would like to become a production assistant.” So I began to work my way into production assistance, and I went from there to associate producer, and then I became a producer. So you could make your way up. And I stayed 20 years. JS: Ah. SB: Wow. LJ: And so I worked at GBH. [00:30:00] I did mainly children’s program. I worked for the education -- JS: So from 30-ish till 50 is when you were there? LJ: Well, approximately, yeah. Approximately, yeah. And I worked -- 20 �JS: Or late twenties to late forties. LJ: That’s right. That’s right. Till late forties. And I really enjoyed that tremendously. I did an enormous amount of travel towards the end of that, all over the United States and Hawaii, and produced programs on teenage children, which was done under a grant. There was a -- in the parlance of the day, the ’70s, there was a word, rebop, which I’m still not quite sure what it means. But there was a black executive producer, who was a great guy, Topper Carew. Topper and I were great friends. We used to high five it. JS: Topper? LJ: Topper. T-O-P-P-E-R. Because he liked unusual hats, he called himself Topper. Topper Carew. JS: And his last name was what? LJ: Carew. C-A-R-E-W. JS: Oh. LJ: Yeah. [00:31:00] Anyway, Topper came with his project to WGBH. And there was lots of money available in the US government at that time for the -- what was called the, quote, “the reducing of minority group isolation.” JS: Oh. LJ: And this was in reference to schools. So one was -- what you were supposed to do is produce programs which would help other youngsters, mainline youngsters, say, white kids who were in the classes who didn’t know much about African American kids, Hispanic kids, Asian American, or particular minority groups, ethnic groups within that. So they had a black producer -- these are all working under Topper as an exec -- they had a Hispanic producer. Then they had all of these other people. All the Native Americans, 21 �all of the Asians. And they said, “Hmm. Lois is free. [00:32:00] Okay. You want to do this?” I said sure. So -- (laughs) JS: Free meaning you weren’t busy, or -- LJ: I wasn’t busy. It was the end of another -- of the education department. JS: You were -- finished another project. LJ: They were finishing that off. And so I got to travel all over the US. I went to Indian reservations. I went to Hawaii and produced programs on Japanese American and native Polynesian kids. JS: Oh, my gosh. LJ: I went to all -- all kinds of kids across the country. I was in Seattle a lot. I was -- JS: What an experience. LJ: It was really loads of fun. JS: On your own, you went around? LJ: Well, actually, it wasn’t I. We had a whole stratified thing. I had an associate producer. I had a -- I had a production assistant. I had a whole film crew. And what we would do is, send out the associate producer after we’d done some research. She would come up with probably three or four kids that she thought [00:33:00] would make a good story. We did 15 -- 15, 20 minute films. And so then we would go out -- the associate, the production assistant, and I would go out and check them all out, decide which ones we were going to do, set it all up. Then we’d make the schedule, and we’d have a film crew from GBH, and we’d travel. I traveled for nearly three years, three weeks in and three weeks out, (laughs) until I was nearly an exhausted nub of Lois Johnson. There was about this much left. 22 �JS: How did you -- what was your main mode of travel? Was this on the train? LJ: Oh, airplane. JS: Airplane. Okay. LJ: Airplanes, yeah. JS: Well, yeah, three weeks, you’d have to. LJ: We flew -- oh, yeah. We flew everywhere. And so we spent time. We’d do the East Coast trip. We did Georgia. We did North Carolina. We did some Native Americans from down south. We did the Midwestern trip. We did the Arizona trip. [00:34:00] We did the West Coast trip. We did the Hawaiian trip. And we -- and in between, we also had a wonderful -- the associate producer couldn’t -- we had a board, who had to look at all of our films and approve them before they went out to the public. And they were a multicultural board. We had Japanese, we had Chinese, we had Hispanic, we had Native American, we had women, we had all kinds of people from all walks of life. And the only way they could compensate that board was to take them on trips and put them up -you know, pay for the -- all the food, et cetera. So we went, and all the producers were required to go, too. So I ended up going everywhere. I mean, you’d not only be out of town three weeks, but you’d be on these long weekends where you’d be, say, in South Carolina, because we were producing something down there, or people wanted to go there. And [00:35:00] we’d just go down there for a big trip, have several dozen meals, sit down and watch films, answer questions, and then come back. So I was just -- it’s, like, ping, pong, ping, pong (laughter) for all those years. But it was good. JS: Did you have days off while you were away, too? LJ: Did I do what? 23 �JS: Did you have days off? LJ: Not really. Once in awhile there would be a half day that you could squeeze in, and you could go sightseeing and do certain things, but -- and we also -- we had a lot of meals. We had -- you know, not that we had overly generous stuff, but, you know, we’d eat out together, or we’d eat by ourselves. So we got to see a lot of the country in the ’70s. This was from about ’72 to ’78, something like that. And then after -- and on one of the trips, after we had had our work with GBH, I had enough money left over [00:36:00] that I said to her, “We’re going to turn in my first class ticket.” JS: You said to who? LJ: I said to Sheri. “We’re going to” -- JS: Okay. By then, you were with Sheri. LJ: Oh, excuse me. I -- I forgot. Now I’ve got to [put in?] -- JS: We didn’t -- (laughter) LJ: “We’re going to turn in my first class ticket. We’re going to get two tickets, and we’re going to go take a trip up” -- another iconic trip, which is to go as far as you can possibly go in California on Route 1, where when you drive, you look down, and there’s the Pacific Ocean, and if you don’t watch out, you’ll be in it. (laughter) So -- well, anyway, that’s -- that’s what I did at GBH. But I’ll go back. Diane left me in -- when did she leave? Around ’63, I guess. And we had both been -- because we were both musical, we had spent a lot of time with the boys, as I called them, who were all pretty much members of the American Guild of Organists. Or, you know, we’d have all sorts of parties with them, and, et cetera. Anyway, [00:37:00] Sheri met me at one of the ice water parties 24 �that were given by one of the guys who was a -- quite a fabulous pianist in addition to being an engineer. JS: An ice water party? LJ: It was called an ice water party, because nobody had the money to really pay for a lot of food, so -- JS: That’s a wonderful idea. LJ: -- so -- (laughter) so you’d have ice water. And there would be probably -- these started with Diane, and I had met them there, obviously. And there’d probably be 20 guys sitting around, and two people, at that time, Diane and I. And then after Diane left my life, it was Sheri and I introduced it to the group. JS: It was -- LJ: It was Sheri and I at that point. JS: And -- okay. And I know that Sheri came to those and saw you there. LJ: And she saw me there, and heard me play the piano. And as she said, her favorite words are, that I played Brahms. It was a beautiful piano. It was a Bechstein. Great, [00:38:00] nice, grand, beautiful piano. And it was Brahms, and I had -- I liked the Brahms piece I played. It was an impromptu. And she was just amazed, you know. And she was interested in me, and she said I -- “She played the piano. We’re going to spend the rest of our lives together. I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but that’s going to happen.” (laughs) I was a goner from there, you see. There was no chance. (laughter) But any-- JS: Well, it’s good you’d had a life before that, because then you could -- LJ: Oh, yeah. JS: You knew what was going on. 25 �LJ: It’s a good thing I had come out. As she said, “I wouldn’t have wanted to bring you out, because that would have been a difficult thing.” And so I was -- I was definitely out and identifying as a gay woman. I, again, still couldn’t -- I couldn’t -- I couldn’t own the word lesbian. I just -- it had a taint to it at that time. JS: Oh, yeah. And you’re -- [00:39:00] so you were 30 or more, a little bit. LJ: I was about 32 at that time. JS: Thirty-two. LJ: Yeah, when I came -- when Sheri and I got together. And we -- you know, we bonded. And she -- I was still living in Brookline, and Diane had left, so I was left with the rent, which was expensive for those days, 75 bucks. You know, that was a lot of money, because I was only making about 60, I think. And so -- or maybe I was making a little more by that time. I might have made 70 bucks a week. (laughs) And so she said, “Well, why don’t you come live with me?” Calculation. (laughter) And I said, “Okay.” (laughter) So we went, and she had worked on a house in Charlestown owned by a couple of lesbians, and she had helped them, so she had the top floor apartment, which was quite nice. It had a balcony bedroom, and it had a [00:40:00] kitchen downstairs, elementary kitchen, and it had a large living room and a little library she’d made. She’d done beautiful work. She’d done everything from knocking down walls to plasterboard, and putting it up again, and all kinds of stuff. JS: Meaning Sheri did this. LJ: Sheri did this. She’s -- she was excellent at that when she was young. And so we lived there for about a year or so. And then the group of guys -- and she also knew a crazy guy -- well, first off, where we lived after that was we lived near the Fenway. We lived on a 26 �street called Greenleaf Street. And Greenleaf Street was where the campus -- the [football line?] of Northeastern is now. It’s no longer a street. But there were little houses. If you look at the houses in the South End that had the square front, like the one of ours that we had in the South End, well, these were miniatures of those. JS: I see. LJ: And they were being managed [00:41:00] by a company hired by Northeastern at that time, just so they could extract money from them. So for 125 bucks a month, we got a whole house, and we had to supply our own heat, et cetera. And it was in not the greatest of condition. It was all right. But it was a single family, so that was really -- JS: You were renting, or you -- LJ: We rented it. Yeah, we rented it. And we stayed there for a couple years. And then the boys that we knew -- there was a -- there were some gay guys living down the street that we got to know very well. And then she also had a crazy friend named Arthur. He was really -- he had a Jesus com-- (laughs) complex, I think. But he was working in real estate, not as an official broker, but -- An elderly woman who liked gay men had adopted him, I guess, not formally, but they lived in the South End on Rutland Square. JS: That was a pretty common pattern, wasn’t it? Yeah. LJ: That’s right, in those days. And the South End was going to hell [00:42:00] in a basket. It was -- they wanted to tear it all down, as they were doing over at the Eight Streets area or the New York Streets area. So Arthur was in the business of trying to keep them from doing that, and so was his sponsor. So he would -- he said to her, “You girls have got to buy a house.” And we said, “Are you crazy? (laughs) Buy a house? Number one, we’re two women, and we’re gay. Number two, we don’t have any money. (laughter) We 27 �don’t have any savings accounts.” And so he said, “Okay, Lois. Give me a -- give me a down payment.” I said, “What do you want?” “What have you got in your pocket?” I said, “I have a buck.” He said, “Okay.” Take this buck, and I -- he gave me a receipt, which I kept for years, which said, “Received of Lois Johnson one dollar as a down payment on a house.” JS: Amazing. LJ: [00:43:00] Then he showed us two houses. SB: Get out of here. LJ: Isn’t that something? (laughs) Then he showed us two houses. One was on Milford Street, and one was on West Canton Street near where the West Walk is now, you know, where the -- they were going to put in that long division between Back Bay and et cetera - but anyway, it’s a walkway. It’s a greenway now. So we chose the one on Milford Street, which was very much a derelict house. The other one was, too. They were all derelict. They had been occupied -- they were all rooming houses at that time. There were 12 rooms in the house we bought. They’d been occupied by Native American guys who had come down from -- oh, the northern New England states -- to build the Prudential Center, because they could walk the high iron. They had perfect balance. And unfortunately, [00:44:000] alcohol had brought them all down to a bad end, and they were living in the South End, which was considered the alcoholics capital of the world at that time. JS: I see. Now, these houses that had the 12 rooms, had they formerly been places where wealthy people lived? LJ: Oh, yes, yes. 28 �JS: That’s what I thought. LJ: They were -- it was an 1860s house. It had an architrave on the top, front door. It had four stories and a basement. But everything was in derelict condition. There was no real kitchen in it. There were bath -- bathrooms, but they were very, very elementary, et cetera. Anyway, we had a good friend named [Freddy, Freddy Hartman?], our dear friend who is still living, thank God, and is out in California. He’s retired now. And Freddy moved in with us, and he took a room, so he rented from us, so we had a little bit of income. And we said to Arthur, “Well, [00:45:00] we can’t [qualify for a mortgage?].” He said, “Don’t worry about it now, girls.” He said, “I’ll rent it to you, and then you do some work on it, and I’ll get you a mortgage.” So we did some work. We created an apartment on the ground floor, which we rented. We had Freddy upstairs. And Freddy helped us clean it up. We had to take out six layers of linoleum on most of the place. Sheri put in new locks. She could even do that. But we threw everything out the back window, because being naïve and not knowing about these places, we thought, you know, it was a drivable alley -- we should have checked -and we could pick it up, you know? As it turn out, after we’d done all this, and we’d done a lot of painting in the place, and cleaned it up a little bit, we said, “Well, now let’s clean up the backyard, and let’s drive it out.” Couldn’t do it, because the alley was a small alley, only about as wide as this, you know. JS: Oh, okay. Yeah. 29 �LJ: Not wide enough for a car. So we had to take every [00:46:00] single solitary piece of linoleum and every other piece of crap, (laughs) including furniture, out of there by hand in a wheelbarrow. (laughter) You know -- JS: That gave you some exercise. LJ: Yeah, I know, I know. So anyway, we moved in, and then Sheri, at one point -- not there, but at another point, she had said she was very interested in framing. So we were close to the museum at the other -- this is at another place where we were, on Greenleaf Street. So I’m just telling you when she went into framing. JS: Yeah, okay. LJ: So back around, in those early years -- because we got together in -- we call February 8, 1964, our initial point. She was interested in that, so I said, “Look, why don’t you start it?” So she started it. And then when she got over to Greenleaf Street -- I mean, to Milford Street, she decided -- we decided together that she could become [00:47:00] a framer, and so she started a framing business in the house, and that’s where she started. JS: Oh, I see. LJ: Yeah. Yeah. And we had to put a -- an elementary kitchen on the top floor, and we had bedrooms, two bedrooms there, and Freddy had his bedroom, so we had three bedrooms. And we had, I think, one bath (laughs) upstairs with a bathtub and a -- you know, just the elementary thing you put in for a shower. It was -- it was very elementary, but it was exciting, because this was 1966, and the South End was just beginning, and some people like us were moving in, and who would know that today -- or as we did -- a house that we ultimately bought for 28,500, we would sell in 2014 -- 2015 for three million dollars. JS: [00:48:00] Whoa. What a fortunate thing that -- 30 �LJ: That’s -- JS: -- Arthur helped you get it. LJ: -- that’s the only reason we’re here. (laughs) JS: Yeah. SB: Wow. LJ: Now, from that, of course, we put a lot into it. We put probably -- JS: Well, yes. LJ: -- two hundred or three hundred thousand into it at the time. It wasn’t our money, but it was the bank’s money. We kept -- during the time that we owned that, I refinanced it once, and we sold it within three years, because we -- there were things that were happening in the neighborhood that were very difficult. It was a sad neighborhood. It was occupied by people who were really down and out. My family looked at it when the came to pick me up for Christmas or whatever and said, “Lois, what are you two girls doing in this neighborhood?” We said, “There’s nothing bad about it. I mean, it’s sad, but it’s not unsafe.” JS: Good for you. LJ: There were no drugs there at that time. There were alcoholics. There were some alcoholics that were -- [00:49:00] you know, the ambulance from the city of Boston would come every week. There’d be somebody who’d die across the street in a room. They’d haul them off to a pauper’s grave. There was a woman next door that we just loved, and she had a son -- and that’s another story I won’t get into, a long one, but -- we called her Ma, and she became our best friend down there. And we were able to help her, 31 �and she helped us. And she -- (laughs) she didn’t -- she didn’t bother her that we were gay, you know. JS: She knew? I mean -- LJ: Well, eventually. JS: Okay. But you started your business around this time, too? LJ: Yeah. Yeah, she started her business. And everybody down there Sheri came out to, you know, as she was framing. JS: Oh, really? Uh-huh. LJ: She -- she had no fear, because she was self-employed. (JS laughs) And we’d go to -- we still were in that old thing where you’d go to a Christmas party somewhere, and you’d bring a guy with you, one of your gay friends. JS: Oh, right. LJ: But anyway, that’s -- JS: What work were you doing [00:50:00] then? LJ: I was still at GBH. JS: Oh, okay, right. LJ: I was still at GBH. JS: Until your late forties, right. LJ: Yeah, yeah. JS: And we’re only up to 30 in your personal life now, yeah. LJ: Yeah, yeah. So that was -- JS: Mid-thirties, I think. 32 �LJ: Mid-thirties. There are all kinds of stories I can tell you there, but I -- I’d better get on with (laughs) things, or you’ll be here for a -- the next year. JS: Yeah, that would be good. We could -- you know, we can always double back, like another time. LJ: We can double back, yeah. JS: Because you’ve got a million stories that are good. LJ: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. JS: So yeah, you’re right. LJ: Yeah, there are lots of stories, yeah. JS: Go ahead and move ahead. LJ: Yeah. JS: Because we want to get to all the part that has to do with your -- your gay life, your leadership. LJ: Sure, my gay life, yeah, yeah. JS: You -- LJ: Yeah. JS: -- had an instrumental part in what was going on in Boston at some point (overlapping dialogue; inaudible). LJ: Oh, yeah, we did. We did. Yeah, we did. JS: Yeah. LJ: Well, at that point -- and let me see now. Where were we when this happened? We were feeling a little isolated as a gay couple, because we knew a lot of guys, [00:51:00] but we didn’t really know any women, and we didn’t know where to go look for women that 33 �were of the same type of woman that we were. We didn’t -- we weren’t drinkers. We didn’t carouse around. We didn’t hang out in bars. So I remember there was a magazine called the Want Advertiser. You remember that? JS: I do, yeah. LJ: So what we did was we wrote an ad that we were looking for people to -- you know, women to come and, you know, just be friends. So -- JS: That’s [sort of, too?] what -- LJ: -- I’m not quite sure how it was worded. She -- she knows, sometimes, a lot of these more -- in a better detail than I can. But anyway, as a result of that ad, we met some women. It was out in Littleton, I think, we went to visit somebody [00:52:00] who was gay. And there were a lot of gay women there. So we met some gay women there, and particularly one -- JS: Did you say in Littleton? LJ: Littleton. Littleton, Mass. JS: That’s a trip. LJ: Oh, yeah. It was -- nothing was a trip for us in those days. Just get in the car and go. (laughs) I always had a car, from the time I could drive. I always had a car. And I drove. (laughs) Anyway, we -- we went out to Littleton, and we -- in that, I’ll -- there’s lots of other stories connected with it, but I won’t get into those. But the most important one is, there was a woman named Jan Chase, J-A-N Chase. JS: I remember you mentioned her before. LJ: Yeah. Jan was a really -- a lovely person. And we met Jan at that point. So we got to be friends with her. She bought a house in Allston, which was a -- a brownstone -- there are 34 �some in Allston -- on a street over there. [00:53:00] And we got acquainted with her. And we were friends with her, so we met some of the women that she knew. The unfortunate thing for Jan was that she did have a drinking problem, also, but it didn’t show up too much, you know, because she was able to hide it. She worked for Houghton Mifflin, which was a publishing -- a very famous publishing company in Boston. And I don’t know if she was a copywriter or what she was, or a proofer, or whatever. But she lived in Boston at one point. We went to that apartment there. Then she bought a house in Allston. She had a house in South End, whatever. So we were friends with her. She also had a place in the country, which was out beyond Littleton in Acton. A little country retreat in a forest. So she’d invite us out there, et cetera. So one time she said, “You know, I particularly want [00:54:00] you folks to come out, because I’d like you to come for dinner, and I want to talk to you about something.” But she didn’t tell us what. So we went. We had dinner with her. This was probably ’68. Sixty-eight, I guess. And she -- we had the dinner. It was a lovely little place, great big fireplace, nice little cottage hideaway. And she said, “The reason I invited you girls here is that I really want to start a chapter of Daughters of Bilitis in Boston.” And we were familiar with what Daughters of Bilitis was, but we didn’t know a great deal about it. But we were interested, and we would have -- we wanted to go ahead with it, but Sheri said, “Lois, we can’t risk your job, because you’re making the money that’s keeping us alive.” And she was making money, but not much at that time. And she said, “We just can’t -- can’t [00:55:00] do that and have your name associated with this.” So we said to 35 �Jan, after we’d talked it over, “We’re so sorry, but we -- we just can’t do it. We’re too -we’re not in the closet at the moment” -- we didn’t use those words in those days, but -JS: Right. LJ: -- we were afraid for our jobs. And that was a -- a palpable fear in those days. Probably not if I’d used my head at -- over at WGBH, because a lot of the men over there were gay. In fact, one of the directors -- in fact, the president at that time was gay, and his lover was the head of the radio broadcasting. So -- but -- and I shouldn’t have been afraid, but I was afraid. So -- JS: I think that makes perfect sense. LJ: Yeah. So at that time, we didn’t go ahead with it. We remained friends with Jan. She told us about things that were going on. And the first church that opened themselves, they did -- [00:56:00] she did go ahead, and I want Janice Chase to be indelibly marked as the founder of the DOB chapter in Boston. JS: All right. She went ahead with it, then? LJ: No one else has given her any credit, and the woman worked really hard. JS: Oh, really? LJ: No. There were all kinds of things that happened that we won’t get into now that were the reason for that. But anyway, we went to a few things, and it was mainly at the Arlington Street Church, which was the first -- the Unitarian church -- to offer a space to gay women or to gay men to come, you know, with their fact that they were not prejudiced people. And we went to one of them, and we were just -- we said, “It’s, sort of, as we thought.” In one corner are the people who are just gossiping, you know, like the old -- the old style (laughs) gay woman -- yack, yack, yack, yack, yack, yack, about -- 36 �and I don’t know if they were having coffee or drinking, or whatever they were doing. And on the other end are the -- the beginnings of the lesbian feminists. And (inaudible) [00:57:00] and I said, “Where do we fit in? We don’t belong in either of those groups. Let’s get out of here.” (laughs) So we went up the back stairs very quietly, left, and didn’t go back. (JS laughs) Then something else happened. We -- we met somebody else along the way. I can’t remember where we met her. Somewhere along the way. Anyway, she -- I guess we met her at -- I’m trying to remember how we made a transition into DOB. I think we went to something in 1970, and then we -- we decided that it had become an organization that we could affiliate ourselves with, and so they were -- at that point, where were they meeting? They were meeting at the 419 Boylston Street when -JS: Jan was still in the helm? Jan Chase? LJ: [00:58:00] Jan Chase was halfway, at that point. Let me think of how that happened. Sheri would probably remember. I should have thought about this before. Let me think for -- JS: That’s okay. If you want to leave it for her, you can. LJ: -- let me think for one second now. What happened there? Jan did -- 1970 -- yeah. Yeah, 1970. Where were they? They were still -- yeah. I guess Jan was still associated with it. No, she’d been ousted by that point. She’d been ousted by that point. And somebody else was president of it. There was another whole group of people. Yeah. This is about 1970, just at the beginning of the lesbian feminist movement. 37 �So we got involved. And they -- they met, at that point, at a building called 419 Boylston, which is not 419 as it is now. That’s a newer building. And it -- they used to -they began the rap sessions there, which were weekly meetings where gay women could, you know, sit around on the floor [00:59:00] and talk. And there was a leader, a nominal leader, but just -- they were sitting in the offices of the -- say, the Homophile Union of Boston, or there was also a -- a therapy service at that time. The name escapes me -- and they had rented those rooms from whoever owned 419 at that time, and they made one of them available to us. And so at that point, we went to some of those, and we got acquainted with that. And so we got very active in the organization at that point, because we -- we got very interested, particularly in the rap sessions, where people came in and -women came in and had a chance to just discuss everything. JS: Like once a week or something? LJ: That’s right. And Jan Chase’s name was never mentioned at that point. But we -- which is quite normal for me -- eventually I became president of the organization. Sheri was president for one year, [01:00:00] for the -- again, for the same reason. As she said, “Lois, you can’t be president, because you’re working, and if you lose your job --” And so (laughs) we were just very, very cautious. But we were -- we went there every week, you know, practically. Every week there was a rap session. And so from there, our interest in DOB began, and we really began to see it as an organization that could really help people. And we wanted to get involved in it. So I think I was secretary at that point, and maybe she was -- yeah, and she was president for a year. And then there was a great big fiasco. The lesbian feminists came in, and it was right at 38 �the height of everything. And there were probably -- I don’t know, maybe 10 of them in the organization. And we -- we welcomed everybody. But they wanted to -- they felt we weren’t [01:01:00] strong enough, that we weren’t feminist enough, et cetera, that we weren’t doing what they should be doing. And, you know, they were filled with hubris, you know, as to what they felt they could do with it. So one of them ran for president against -- I guess it was against Sheri. Yeah. Yeah, it was against Sheri, because Sheri was put up as a candidate, too. And we just said, “We’re not going to let them take over this organization and just change it completely from what it is.” So we went out, and we lobbied with all of our friends, and we got all the votes in, and she won by 43 votes, I think. And so she was president for a year. I was secretary. And then it went from there. After that, she said, “I don’t want to be president anymore, Lois. Why don’t you run?” I ran, and I was president for nearly 20 years, because nobody else really wanted to be president. JS: What happened to the 10 who wanted to take over? LJ: Well, it was -- they -- it was perfectly open to them to stay and work with us, [01:02:00] but they didn’t want to be bothered with us. JS: They were younger? LJ: Oh, they were younger than us. JS: Was that -- that was the -- yeah. LJ: They were younger. JS: The wave -- 39 �LJ: They were -- we were probably -- eh, probably in our early forties, and they were probably in their late twenties, early thirties, and they thought we were a bunch of old stick-in-the-muds. JS: Right. SB: Yeah. LJ: That we were not doing enough push, push. We weren’t lying in the streets. We weren’t yelling and screaming on the sidewalks as much. And so -- JS: That was a struggle going on -- LJ: Yeah. JS: -- lots of places. SB: Yeah. LJ: Yeah, there was a lot of stuff going on. JS: Yeah. LJ: And we were not there. What I always saw the organization as was -- I’ll back up and say this. The very fact of being a lesbian or a gay woman in those days was a radical act, and being known to your friends, or being known to even your family or somebody else, or being known to one another as gay people, was a radical act, [01:03:00] because so much could have happened to you. And we all know what could have happened to you. JS: Right. LJ: You’d lose your job. You’d lose your standing. You’d lose your ability to do this. You - you’d be in deep doo-doo. (laughs) So -- so we took our stand. But we felt that we were providing a service for gay women who really needed it; who were isolated, as we 40 �had been; who needed a place where they could talk; who needed friends; and we saw it more as a social organization with a certain amount of edgy component to it. JS: How many people were in it at that point? LJ: At that point, there were probably -- maybe 50 members, 60 members. JS: Okay. LJ: It grew at its height to probably 150 to 200. It was never a huge organization. So we put together [01:04:00] the rap sessions. At that point, we had a telephone where people could call in and leave a message. And people would call -- you know, desperate mothers, people whose children were being taken away from them; people who were, you know -- women in abusive relationships with men; all kinds of things. I mean, it was just, like -- we were not really prepared, technically, to do those things, but people would come to the -- the group, and they’d just stand up and say, “I don’t know what to do. I love my children. But I’m in love with this woman.” You know? And so eventually, we formed more and more rap sessions out of this. JS: Oh, yeah. LJ: But we did all sorts of social activities. We did dinners. We had a pre-Thanksgiving dinner every year, which was for women who were isolated from their families and didn’t get a Thanksgiving [01:05:00] dinner. We had Christmas parties at our house. We had Valentine’s parties. By this time, we had bought the big house. We had four or five fundraisers a year. We had subgroups of all kinds. I -- we had a group that loved to go out orienteering and mountain climbing. We had people who loved to play softball. We had people who loved to just have a book group. We had people who just wanted to come to the raps or lead the raps. We had people who liked to plan dances. 41 �We had a huge calendar. Sheri and I, for about 20 years, used to get our calendar at the beginning of the year, and we’d mark in all the stuff that we were doing. In addition to all the work she was doing, all the traveling I was doing, we’d fit in whatever we could in terms of when the parties were going to be, where they were going to be, at our house, or who was going to do this or that, and we’d have all 12 months planned, [01:06:00] because we had so much activity going on. We were busy. Every single week, there was something going on. At the height of it, DOB had six -- I think there were probably at least two raps a week, and we had a group for women, you know, 18 and up -- you had to be 18 to join, so we couldn’t be accused of child molesting or something. Then we had a group for women who were a little bit older, up to, say, 50, 60. Then we had a group for really older lesbians. We had a group for mothers. We had a group -- another group. I think we had six different groups. And we had leaders for all these groups. And they would meet. And then we developed plans. We had little seminars we held for ourselves on, what should we be doing? We realized that none of us were professionals. If somebody was suicidal -- [01:07:00] and there were suicidal people, women, who came in, who were escorted off to the hospital by some of our leaders. And there were people who came in, you know, inevitably -- thank God, guns were maybe not as prevalent as they are now, but women who came in who were slightly disturbed. We’ve had some people who were carrying, you know, guns. At least they told us they were. And we just said, “Well, just 42 �keep it in your pocket. We don’t want to see it.” And we had our discussions. We also had some very aggressive people who were nasty. They were not physically nasty, but boy, they didn’t like me, and they didn’t like anybody. They didn’t like Sheri, so they -- and I just ignored them and said, “Look, you can come, but you’re not going to be nasty, in my group at least. So decide what you want.” (laughs) I had to be -JS: And all this went on at the big house? LJ: This went -- well, not all at my house. [01:08:00] All of the raps went on at 419 Boylston Street. JS: Okay, good. LJ: Until the American Baptist church approached us one day, probably after we’d been there a couple of years at 419, and said, “We had our outreach group on how to help oppressed groups in our society.” JS: Okay. LJ: “And we decided that lesbians are an oppressed group.” And we said, “Yes, indeed.” “And we invite you to rent, at a very nominal rent, a room in our church, at the Old Cambridge Baptist Church, in Cambridge.” JS: Do you know, I met the current pastor last week. LJ: What is her name? Or is it a man? JS: His name -- it’ll come to me. I can’t think of it right at the moment. LJ: Whatever. I -- I probably don’t know him. JS: Yeah. I’ve got it written in my book. 43 �LJ: That’s okay. JS: Do you want to take a break? LJ: Yeah, let’s take a break. JS: Oh, wait. We should wait for Sarah to turn the machine off. LJ: Yeah. JS: So do you want to tell about -- LJ: [01:09:00] Yeah. JS: -- some -- LJ: Oh, yeah, they invited us. JS: The American Baptist church -- LJ: The American Baptists. And I believe -- JS: -- in Cambridge. LJ: In Cambridge. And it was, I think, a gay minister at that point, but the congregation agreed that they could rent -- at Old Cambridge, that they could rent a room to us. And it was, sort of, a choir loft they rented to us for -- I don’t know, 60 bucks a month or something like that. And we were able to afford that rent. And so we held our raps there. And we were outgrowing it. It was on the second floor. So we were able to get enough donations so we could rent another room that became available across the hall, which was a great big high-ceilinged room. And we had a library there. We had all our raps there. We used to have -- we even had some dances there. And, you know, programs for people, like our business meetings were held there. And we had that room for, oh, a good 15 years, I would say. JS: [01:10:00] I thought of the name of the current pastor. 44 �LJ: What is it? JS: His name is Cody Sanders. LJ: Cody Sanders. JS: He’s just been recruited there. He’s been there for, I think, around a year. LJ: Really? Mm-hmm. I -- I guess -- JS: He came from the South, maybe -- LJ: The South, yeah. JS: -- South Carolina. LJ: Cody is, sort of, a Southern first name -- JS: Yeah. LJ: -- isn’t it? Yeah. JS: Shall we -- LJ: I didn’t -- I am -- yeah, you want to take a break? SB: No, no. JS: We were thinking -- no? SB: Go ahead. JS: Okay. LJ: No. Okay. You’re fine? Are you fine? JS: Yeah. LJ: You need a break? Need the bathroom? JS: No. LJ: Okay. Fine. (laughter) Anyway, we went over there. I was just talking about going over to the Old Cambridge Baptist Church. And the Old Cambridge Baptist Church was great 45 �to us. They also let us rent a room downstairs, in which we had our pre-Thanksgiving dinners every year. And -SB: Could you just tell me what year that was that you moved over? Do you remember? LJ: Oh, the year that we went there? SB: Yeah. LJ: [01:11:00] I’ll have to get -- I can probably verify this from the Schlesinger records, but I think -- let me see. Nineteen seventy, ’72. It was somewhere in the vicinity of 1975 -- SB: Okay. LJ: -- I think. Somewhere around there. Yeah. So we -- we would go downstairs, and they had a kitchen downstairs, you know, as churches do. It was an elementary kitchen, but everybody [clubbed?] together [of all?] the -- all the people, and Sheri cooked many a turkey in her time, and we would bring them all over there. We wouldn’t cook them there. And we’d have a full Thanksgiving dinner, you know, all the fixings. And then there was a woman at one point, a young woman, who was a pastry chef, and she made about six different kinds of pies, and brought them over there. So we would have this full Thanksgiving dinner as a -- JS: For, like, how many people, would [01:12:00] you say? LJ: Well, we’d probably have a hundred women come. JS: Okay. LJ: And then we would always have a skit, which was put together by people, which was -one of them, one of the first ones, was on the aunt who comes to Thanksgiving dinner, the single aunt who comes to Thanksgiving dinner, (SB laughs) who is -- JS: It’s like what PFLAG does -- 46 �LJ: That’s right. That’s right. JS: -- in preparation for the holidays. LJ: That’s right. Who was a lesbian aunt who comes to the Thanksgiving dinner. And it was -- they had scripted it, but it was, sort of, ad libbed. And then they did a variety of other things in various years. The first of these Thanksgiving dinners -- I’ll give credit to this - there were two of them, two years, that were held on Bowdoin Street, at the Cowley fathers’ -- at the Episcopal church, which has now been sold and is no longer consecrated as a church, at Bowdoin Street. JS: It is now what? LJ: It’s now condominiums. JS: [01:13:00] Oh, I see. LJ: Yeah. They moved their congregation to St. Paul’s. And so anyway, the Cowley fathers welcomed us and gave us -- allowed us to rent their basement and have a Thanksgiving dinner. And that was really early on. (coughs) Pardon me. In the early ’70s. SB: Yeah. Wait a minute. END OF AUDIO FILE 47 � https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/f14f5fd8aacd4f1a2a58c998ec4173a2.MP3?Expires=1777507200&Signature=K0HBTrIozFbq3sJhHItNO7DpsCujQ-iszgYTeS5WhgPg9wei8cnFU9OFh9rEbnFZVm3RNOf%7E1rXhUB5u7RCKPuCJpYLwa1Dt3QFk9f8Say0IcMxlhHseAwXVsJ7TECpAIc%7ETc5%7EYZ4nDCuD6FOTnlGvZt12XcZNqt1ADRjsVjJ3qE-04W29NfqdhCQxaHIOQczRxGjjvDytBw9Pudsz4dPpxSOxm%7Ew3uN98Y61vdoMW8S7LGsRcY-rIOYXYzEk2vZ3E2fil%7EspP0NBTKUZ4HqG%7EzGn8-3EdjfCkWI4XAaCLEHHvoWQXPf3r3u7z7hrPscWjwAGwjME1EEIyYZWxgdQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM bdd0653b68a389cc6b14d7bdd9af0d41 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/07e239ca7aa7b87d350d0f345022f4e4.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=Z81JB%7EB%7ElsJgr4AB1aGNFCiFSBSxT2j3h5VP0muwqv68GPFxtIOVyyU0qRrancXc47ckaiBaZgXtEr8OQnga1fsDx4LUs868m84JuV5T9qspxolj2S5oBnh7Qeui9OJu3tJhlGhPGtei7pYHOZlDaXo2KwkpTBuJv24IwbLEKVl%7E6ipu%7En2Vze4cB5VOttZ1IT4XbiLgRYeOw3HkucNT0BfRmelyL0YQeUKcociQ7cOBWHSiRxsg5pdnAohwa2deLKGjuO1KyjftlUOVIQDQoymxr1fY2NT5s4L4S7pcsUoxhTq-uLV49%7EbjdhZJbbghOtud890TZWs769tq1Ofs-g__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM ab1eec3dd4f55ec97ee7d2d3f984f7bd PDF Text Text Daughters of Bilitis Oral History Project Transcript of: Lois Johnson Interviewers: Sarah Boyer, Judith Sullivan January 22, 2016 Interview Part 3 of 4 1 �LOIS JOHNSON: -- us to do that, and so we had some wonderful Thanksgiving dinners there. One of them, I remember -- I know this is turned off at the moment, but -SARAH BOYER: No, it isn’t. JUDITH SULLIVAN: It’s back on now. LJ: Hmm. SB: (laughs) You want it off? LJ: No, no, no. Not at all. SB: Okay. LJ: No. We -- we came, and I guess somebody had forgotten to open the door for us, which they usually did. They didn’t give us a key, but they opened the door for us. So I don’t know if it was Sheri -- it wasn’t I -- or somebody had to climb in a window and go around (laughter) and get -- and get it open in time so we could serve, because we had all these women coming. And there were about -- a committee of about six of us who were doing the initial work. So anyway, the Thanksgiving dinners were extremely important to people. JS: Yes. LJ: It was a wonderful time for everybody. And then the Christmas parties, we -- we had dancing [00:01:00] in our living room, which was a huge living room, probably -- well, huge to us -- 18 by 20, you know. Big enough so you could do the ’70s line dancing. And you’d have -- we’d play a lot of records, and have a lot of music. And in the earlier days, people would insist on bringing liquor. We didn’t -- you know, we weren’t against, you know, if you wanted to bring something, but we did not encourage it, because we didn’t want people to get drunk at our house. And so we made punch, and that -- you 2 �know, one of the things I always remember for myself is, we’d get up at 7:30 in the morning when we were having a party. Sheri would go downstairs and cook. I’d clean the whole house. Four stories. Eh, didn’t -- nothing to me. Change clothes, go upstairs, have something to eat, come downstairs, and then run up and downstairs about 20 times letting people in the door, until I said, “I’m a little tired,” and I’d say, “Joan, could you do that for me?” (laughter) And so -- and [00:02:00] we had music like crazy coming out the windows. We’d open the windows because there were so many women. We’d have a hundred people at a time at our house. We also, as a sideline here -- I don’t know if I should mention this -- we -- well, I’ll mention it another time. It’s contemporaneous with this, but whatever. Let’s see. What else did we do? We had dances. We hired the hall at Old Cambridge Baptist. We had sleigh rides. We had -- we had everything you could possibly imagine. I think the thing -- as I’ve probably said this before to many people, but I’ll say it on tape, because it’s very important to us -- now, starting, say, oh, maybe even 15 years ago, or whatever, we’d go to -- when we’d go to an event -- like we’ve gone a lot to the, you know, the LGBT stuff that [00:03:00] we’re going to now, like the women’s brunches, or OLOC, or whatever, or even gone to some dances ourselves in the past 15 years, and sure as you’re blonde, at most every one of these, a woman will come up and say, “You know, I know you don’t know me. My name is” -- whatever it is. And now, sometimes I’ll say, “Yes, I do remember you.” And she’ll just say, “You know, I just want to thank you for having DOB. I would never have made it unless this organization had existed.” Or, “I 3 �was suicidal at the time, and there were people -- I didn’t think there was another lesbian in the world, and my husband hated me and was divorcing me. I was losing my children. And I came, and there was someone there.” Now, that’s not to [00:04:00] aggrandize ourselves. We were very fortunate we had the health, we had sufficient employment and money, we had the time, and we could do it along with a -- say, a core group of maybe a dozen women who stayed with it all the time, and other people who drifted in and out doing various things. But that, to us, meant the most of anything. JS: Yes. LJ: Yeah, it’s -- because we were able to save people. Save people from all the things that lesbians have suffered from and are still suffering from, say, in Mississippi, Alabama. (laughs) God only knows where. JS: Many places, even around here. LJ: Many places. SB: Even around here. JS: The ones that are not coming to these dances and brunches. LJ: I know. I know. JS: There’s plenty of people out there. LJ: Who are isolated. And women -- there’s a tendency for -- you know, like a lot of the people that we met, we’ve -- we’ve stayed in touch with some, [00:05:00] but a lot of people, sort of, went off. Once, you know -- the thing was, there were two sobriquets about women, lesbian women, at that time. One is, they meet somebody knew, they 4 �disappear, you never see them again. They meet somebody knew, within a week, they have a U-Haul, (laughter) and they’re moving in. SB: First date -- LJ: First date. SB: First date, kiss, second date, the U-Haul, or whatever. Right? LJ: The second date, the U-Haul. (laughs) SB: The second date is the U-Haul, yeah. LJ: Second date, the U-Haul, yeah. SB: Yeah. JS: But it was like a beacon here, (laughs) you know? LJ: Yeah, it was. JS: I mean, anybody who wanted to, really was desperate to find you, did, probably. LJ: Yeah, yeah. And one, especially, I’ll put on this tape, because we love her so much, and she wouldn’t mind, and she -- her name being mentioned, because she’s the most out person I’ve known to man. The Reverend -- the Right Reverend [Elizabeth Cayton?], who came to us, she [00:06:00] and her partner, and they came because -- thank God for answering machines in those days, because it came in on an answering machine. It was either ours or the one at the office of DOB. Elizabeth and [Barbara?] had known one another for a long, long time. They lived in Fall River, I guess. And then they realized, as time went on, they -- that they were in love with one another. And so they wanted to -you know, they just wanted to have a life together. They were both married, of course, and they both had children. 5 �Elizabeth was -- is Portuguese American, and she had -- she was a very strong Catholic. She had been brought up as a Catholic in Fall River, and had a very devout grandmother, and so forth, and a devout mother and father, and came from a working class Portuguese family. And [00:07:00] when she came out, and when her mother realized, you know, what a lesbian was, or whatever, being a Catholic and particularly of those times -- this was in the ’70s -- she rejected her daughter. And she testified against her daughter at the trial where -- or not trial, or wherever -- the hearing where it was decided about who was going to get the children, the father or the mother. And she lost both her children at that time. They were -- I think one was five and one was seven. When she came to us, she was just a broken woman. She was a nurse at that time. But she and Barbara were together. I don’t know if they had visiting rights with the children or not, but it was very difficult. Anyway, subsequently, because she [00:08:00] and Barbara were very strong people, they lived with it. They worked against it. They worked hard. But they became members of DOB. They came to our house. They got in with the group. They hadn’t really known any gay women. They -- they were not really living in Boston at that time. They had to go to -- they had to go up to Maine in order to find a job in nursing, I guess, and they moved around hither and yon, but they spent a lot of time down here, too. And they became fast friends with us. We were fast friends with them. And eventually, she was able to get her children back. But in the meantime, she missed her youngsters so much that she had a child by artificial insemination. And she had a 6 �lovely young woman who is now married and has a baby. And their life came full circle again, and the children [00:09:00] were given back to them. The mother -- it took a long, long time for the mother to come around and love her child again, you know, because she considered her an enormous sinner, because that was the doctrine of the Catholic church. It still is, to a degree. And so -- but that -- that, to me, was one of the most important things. And she -- you know, we became her mothers, even though we were only maybe 10 years older, 15 years older (laughs) than she. And we still have this wonderful relationship where Elizabeth is a close, close friend, even though she’s in Delaware now. She’s retired as a priest. She ultimately -- she finally went to EDS, and she became a priest, and she had a parish for a number of years. And then she -- she did an enormous amount -- always been an out priest, you know. And she’s been a lesbian Episcopal priest woman. [00:10:00] And she did a lot down in Newark, New Jersey, with the gay movement down there, and with liberation for people, and in -- within the Episcopal church, also. And she’s now in -- in a hospice care. She’s doing hospice care in Delaware as a pastor. JS: She must have been one of those original 11 that were -- LJ: Not quite. Just a little bit after that, I think. Yeah. But anyway, Elizabeth is wonderful, and she’s always in touch, and when she comes up, I’d like you to meet her sometime -- JS: I’d love to meet her. LJ: -- if we can set it up for all of you. But -- but she was a perfect example of the -- really, the ultimate of deprivation that happened in those days, and that DOB at least was here 7 �and there, I think it helped to -- to save her, to urge her on, so that she could do all she’s done. And she’s accomplished marvelous things in her life. She has done -- she’s what [00:11:00] I call a wonderful preacher. Oh, my God, can that woman preach. And she preaches from stories in her life, and stories, you know, of other people’s lives. Yeah. She’s great. And she’ll make you -- raise you right [up out of?] your seat. (laughter) Yeah. Anyway, let’s see. Where was I? I was talking about Elizabeth, and I was talking about DOB. At the same -JS: I think we’re probably past the -- the Baptist church -- LJ: Yeah, we’re past [it now?]. JS: -- support, and now we’re at the Episcopal church support, and now we’re -- LJ: Well, the Episcopal church was the first, and then the Baptist church was the one that kept us. We -- we had our offices there for all the rest of our life as an organization, for the rest of the -- JS: And your house, and now, we -- we might be getting toward the end of the DOB. LJ: We -- I think we are, pretty much. In around -- where was it? What year was it? It was in -- we were active through the ’80s. As it [00:12:00] got to the late ’80s, we realized that things were beginning to change. There were other organizations, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Anyway, a core group of us felt that DOB had fulfilled its purpose and should be retired before it became, sort of, an organization that wasn’t functioning. So we had long discussions and long -- all kinds of research we did on it, and ultimately what happened is that we did vote at a business meeting to close the organization. And we -there were some people, however, who did not wish to do that, so they kept it as a rump 8 �organization going. I don’t -- I don’t think it’s still going. A woman named [Stephanie?] kept it going for about -- at least five years, maybe more. JS: Did she keep the same name? LJ: She did. Yeah. Though that was not particularly anything we wanted her to do, but she did. But the organization, formally, as a 501(c)(3), [00:13:00] which it was for all those years, was retired. And it had been in business for about -- at least 25 or 30 years, approximately. JS: And that was in what year? LJ: I’d say that was about the early ’90s or the late ’80s. I can’t set a figure on it. Yeah. JS: Okay. So there must have been somebody who was president after you? Or did you close it? LJ: No, I -- I closed it. I closed it, yeah. And so it was -- it was a long, long history. Other things -- JS: It was a wonderful run that you had. LJ: Oh, we had a wonderful run. And we were able to do an enormous amount. I mean, when we go into the history of DOB, there were a lot more activities, you know, that then happened. JS: Sure. LJ: It, kind of -- JS: Yeah, we have to remember this is your life. LJ: (laughs) Yeah. Oh, yeah. That’s right, yeah. Contemporaneously with this, as we all remember, Elaine Noble was running for state rep. And that was 1975, I think it was. [00:14:00] So we were deeply into DOB, but at the same time, we were trying to raise 9 �money for her, and we worked for her. And at our house, we had two women’s orchestras. One was called the Deadly Nightshade, and another one -- she will remember, I think. But we had them. This -- I always love it -SB: Bands, were they? LJ: They were -- pardon? SB: What was the Deadly Nightshade? JS: It was a band. LJ: It was a women’s -- there was a women’s -- SB: Liberty Standing? They were a women’s band. LJ: I know they were, too, but that wasn’t the one. SB: No? LJ: Sheri will remember. But they were -- they brought all their instruments to our house, and they played in our living room, and everybody danced all over the place. And we had an open bar (laughs) in the -- in the kitchen, which, if we -- if anyone had known it, then we’d probably get in -- you know, into great trouble. But it was mainly beer. But (laughs) they wanted to sell drinks, so they sold drinks. So we said, “Go ahead. Go right ahead. (laughter) Do what you have to do to raise money.” So we raised quite a bit of money for her, [00:15:00] probably five thousand bucks between a couple of fundraisers we did. And we were active in her campaign. JS: For the band? LJ: Not with that one event, but -- JS: Who were you raising money for? LJ: Elaine Noble’s candidacy. 10 �JS: Oh, her. Yeah, yeah, yeah. LJ: Yeah, for Elaine, yeah. JS: Sorry, mm-hmm. LJ: Yeah. So we worked on that very, very hard. Other things that happened, you know, in our involvement in the gay movement after that is, we were -- we were tired when that happened. We didn’t -- in one sense, we didn’t really want to retire the organization. In another, we knew that it was time, and we knew that it was probably time for us to go into something else, too. But we were really, both of us, burned out, I think, and we were also somewhat bereft when it ended, because we missed it terribly. We -- we were friends with a lot of people, and, you know, we weren’t feeling isolated or anything, [00:16:00] because we knew so many people, and we were at different stages -- a different stage in our life, that we would have been about -- when did that happen, ’89? Oh, getting into our sixties, I guess. But -- so I toyed with the idea of starting an organization -- giving myself a year and starting an organization for older gay women, and then I said, “I’m too busy. I can’t do it. I can’t do it,” because by then, I had transferred to real estate, in 1979. JS: Okay. LJ: And I had a whole real estate career -- SB: When did you do that? Nineteen seventy-nine? LJ: -- nineteen seventy-nine -- of forty years of learning the real estate business. And all the time I was doing these other things, too, I was working part time in real estate. (laughter) I can’t imagine how I had so much time. I rented apartments and sold you -- sold a few buildings in the South End all during the ’70s, also. (laughs) [00:17:00] I don’t know 11 �how I did it. I’m grateful I could. But anyway, I’ll go into my career there in a minute. But we worked for Elaine, and that took about -- you know, I guess we worked about a year off and on for her, and she did a lot of stuff at our house doing fundraising. So that was a contemporaneous thing [with which?] we got busy. After that, for gay activity, something came along called BLGPA, Boston Lesbian and Gay Political Alliance. And Boston Political -- and Gay Political Alliance was a bit more sophisticated, and was a political organization as compared to a social organization. And we -- we worked in that, helping them with informational things, where people would go out and -- [00:18:00] and do zaps, or speaking engagements. We had done speaking engagements back at DOB, anyway, but this was more sophisticated. And we worked in that for two or three years with Eric Rofes, who unfortunately has passed away, and several other people, several men who have -- he didn’t pass away from AIDS, but he -he passed away from natural causes of some kind. So we were very active in that, and off and on in whatever other organizations. And then when LGBT Aging Project came around about 15 years ago, we jumped on the bandwagon with both feet, because we wanted to do something for older women. So we’ve gotten heavily involved in that. And before we -- even there was an LGBT Aging Project [00:19:00] brunch, there were many, many speaking engagements, so Sheri and I have done a tremendous -- particularly Sheri -- have done a tremendous number of 12 �speaking engagements over the years. Then we jumped foot first into the -- the marriage thing. We were solicited by -- I forget who it was, what organization. But we first started out with -- let me see who she was. Maybe it was -- maybe it was the LGBT Aging Project, because there was one woman who is not active now who solicited us. And so I did quite a bit of speaking in connection with marriage. JS: And you were in your sixties, now, or beyond? LJ: No, this -- in my -- in my age? JS: Yeah. LJ: That was 15 years ago. I’m 84, so I would have been 70. SB: Late sixties. LJ: Late sixties. JS: You would have been in your late sixties. LJ: [00:20:00] Late sixties, yeah. Late sixties, early seventies. And both of us did that. We did films. We were in some films for that. We -- we just did whatever we could, because we felt -- you know, we had a personal stake in it, and we also had a stake for all women who should and -- could and should have been able to marry because of their engagement with all kinds of things that -- in their lives. So we worked on that. And we’ve been at a lot of social protests, (laughs) you know. And we’ve -- oh, gay pride marches. We -- I’m skipping back now to around 1970. We weren’t involved in the first gay pride march. Some people from DOB were, but we weren’t, for the obvious 13 �reason. We weren’t in (laughs) DOB at that point. But around the -- I guess it was the second year, or [00:21:00] maybe the third year. They were having a hell of a time, (laughs) because it was mainly men, and there were some women, but they weren’t having -- they were having -- they -JS: You mean the organizers of the gay pride parade? LJ: The organ-- the organizers were having a hard time with, you know, this one was that [way?], and they’re fighting, and blah. You know, all that infighting. So they knew I had a pretty good reputation as a parliamentarian, so they called me in, and they said, “Please conduct the meeting for us.” So I was lucky. I could do it. I said, “You each have 10 minutes. There will be no infighting. You’ll have to sit down if you do. Tell us what your ideas are. Get up here, get it organized, et cetera.” And so I did that, and so they asked me to get into the organization of organizing it, which I did do. Sheri and I did it for a couple of years. And that was, of course, on a much smaller basis than it is now, but -- JS: The pride parade? LJ: The pride parade, yeah. JS: Wow. LJ: So we organized it for a couple of years. JS: Amazing. LJ: Along with some other people. [00:22:00] You know, we’ve had our paws in there. Not necessarily wanting to be Mrs. Bigwig, but wanting to -- if you don’t do it, who is -- who else is going to do it? So you’d better go do it. So that’s what we did there. So I skip back again now to career, my own career. 14 �JS: Okay. LJ: When I finished with WGBH, which happened in -- oh, around ’78. The money ran out on one project. We tried on some other projects, but there was really not enough money around, and ultimately, they decided to downsize, and I was one of the people who got downsized. So all that time, while I was working at GBH, we were both of us supporting a house, a huge house, which needed a lot of work. And so I realized I had to do something with that, so I -- I got a part time job as a -- a broker. [00:23:00] I took my broker’s license in 1969 as a real estate broker in the commonwealth of Massachusetts. And I loved it so much. I said, “I love this.” (laughs) So I did it on the weekends. I not only worked five days in -- you know, for GBH, but I worked Saturday and Sunday on real estate for a guy named [Al Rondo?]. He was one of the first companies down there, a wonderful man, Albert Rondo, who has now passed away. And Al gave me a chance. He said, “Oh, you’re a new licensee. Okay, Lois, I know you. I’ll take you on. And you don’t have to sell houses right now because you don’t know enough, but you can rent apartments, and then you can bring me some leads, and I’ll take care of it from there, and I’ll compensate you.” So it was a very good job for me, and I did it. And then when the [break?] came after there was no job left at GBH for me, I said, “What am I going to do now? Hmm.” I said, “I think I [00:24:00] really, really, really want to do real estate.” So I had another contact, which I’d gotten because we’d been politically active in the South End, with a guy named [Moe?] Frye, who was running, if 15 �you can believe it, on a Republican ticket, but he was a reasonable Republican. That was back in the -- oh, the late ’60s, early ’70s. JS: Moe Cry? LJ: Pardon, please? JS: What was his name? LJ: Maurice Frye. JS: Oh, Frye. LJ: Maurice Eastman Frye, yeah. And he was an old style Republican like John Sears and all those people in Boston. And so he had -- he owned a real estate agency on Beacon Hill called Street and Company, with his partner, Mr. Street. So I s-- I went over. I said, “Well, I don’t want to work in the South End. It’s too incestuous to live and work in your same community, so I don’t want to do that.” So I went over, and I talked to Moe, and I said, “Moe, you know, I really” -- I knew him as Moe, because I’d worked for him in his campaign. [00:25:00] Everybody else called him Mr. Frye. I never called him Mr. Frye. (JS laughs) I called him Moe. So Moe and I (laughs) [come on?]. And I said to him, “Well, Moe, I really need a job. I have this much training in real estate. I’m willing to learn more. And I’m willing to work seven days a week. Are you willing to take me on?” And he said, “Sure.” So he took me on, and my first year, I earned $1,600. (laughs) That was about all. And we managed through. And then I began to learn more, and she was learning a little more. And ultimately, I was a broker there. I learned from some magnificent people who were there, [Leah Buck?] and [Ken McCray?], both of whom have passed away. And they 16 �taught me everything I knew about Beacon Hill. We were specialists in Beacon Hill, Back Bay, [00:26:00] South End, Bay Village, all in town. And they -- and Street and Company had this impeccable reputation of absolute rectitude. You know, you didn’t have to think that you were dealing with any floozies, or nutcakes, or idiots if you were dealing with them. And they were honest as the day is long, and that’s why I could stay so long. JS: Wow. LJ: Because the business of real estate can be very difficult. JS: Sure. LJ: And ultimately, it was a very fulfilling business for me, and I loved it. And I still love it. I still -- I still have a license. I’ll keep it another couple years, and I’ll do whatever comes along, you know, if there’s something. JS: What is your title there? Or your title? LJ: I was a -- I was an affiliated -- so independent contractor broker. Actually, sales associate, technically speaking, but I have a broker’s license. But the broker of record is Street and Company. [00:27:00] And they still have wonderful guys running them. Jim Fay and Brooks Porter bought them out about 20, 25 years ago. JS: Any other women? LJ: Let’s see. There was a woman named Leah Buck who worked there, also. And she was one of my teachers. She was wonderful. JS: Other than that, you were with all men. LJ: Other than that, I was with all men. But Ken was a gay man. And there had been women before, but they weren’t gay. I was the only gay woman there. And of course, it was a 17 �little funny, because we would march down Charles Street in those days in the gay pride parades. But that was before I was affiliated with them. And so I just -- I laugh to myself, because I just -- I’d march down Charles Street anyway, even though I was working there. And so [Joe Govern?], who is our dear friend, who just loved us, [00:28:00] and loves us, would be out there cheering us on, on the street, while Sheri was using her bullhorn at the beginning of the parade by this time (JS laughs) in the ’70s (inaudible). SB: Just so you’re -- LJ: Yeah. “Two, four, six, eight,” et cetera, you know? (laughter) And then we were -- we were carrying the DOB flag, also, at the front of the -- the organization. JS: So you’re -- you’re marching in it. LJ: Oh, of course. Oh, yeah. We marched in every parade. JS: And not being out in your business, really. LJ: Well, you know, to a certain degree. You know, at that point, we -- I didn’t use the word, but they had been so -- I mean, it was a very welcoming business, you know. And finally, when I came out around -- everybody knew. Everybody knew. JS: Sure. It’s, kind of, one of those -- LJ: Yeah. And there was no -- there was no discrimination. JS: -- hazy, kind of -- LJ: Yeah, yeah. JS: -- arrangements. LJ: There was no discrimination against me at all there. I was very free to do what I wanted [00:29:00] to, and I did. Yeah. So that -- that was my career history. 18 �JS: When -- along this time, when was it that you gave yourself a label? You said for a long time, you couldn’t tolerate thinking of yourself as a lesbian. But at some point you did. LJ: Oh, when I -- when I accepted that? JS: Or was it gradual, and you don’t know? LJ: It was gradual. It was a very gradual thing. More and more liberating your thought so that you -- and also, with the -- the coming of all the things that were happening on the -on the social scene and on the political scene across the country, and realizing that this is -- being a lesbian or being a gay woman is as natural as being a heterosexual person. And just confronting people and having speaking engagements, and just enriching your mind, and also [00:30:00] letting go of your own stereotypes of yourself, which come from your own religion. Now, I have not been active as a Christian Scientist, though I am [now?] -- that is the [leading?] that I have. You know, when I’m given a choice to make in terms of any ethical issue or -- or any spiritual issue, I turn to God. And as we all do, we turn to our God. But I will not accept the fact that there appears to be no official acceptance of a gay lifestyle in the Christian Science church. About 10 years ago, a young man -- 10 or 15 years ago, a young man came to me, who is a Christian Scientist. And he said, “I’m familiar with you, and I know that you’re a Christian Scientist. And [00:31:00] I’m leading a -- a group -- or I want to lead or found a group to incorporate more Christian Scientists who are gay in coming out. Would you join us?” And I said, “Young man, I wish you every luck in the world in doing that.” I said, “I 19 �have spent a lot of anguished nights and days in my youth dealing with being gay and being a Christian Scientist. And I am not about to revisit those days. I do not go to church for that reason, and I will not go to church for that reason, until somebody says that they’re not going to excommunicate a practitioner for coming out and marrying her spouse. I am not angry with the church. I’m not opposing. I accept the teachings of love [00:32:00] and all of the other wonderful things that are there. But you’re not going to get me to put myself through anything more. I have other things to do in my life. Thank you. Goodbye.” And that’s the way I feel. Yeah. (laughs) But, you know, as far as acceptance is concerned, I -- you know, it took a long time. I even remember [myself?] going on retreats, thinking that maybe I need to think this over, et cetera. I went on a retreat. It was a Christian Science retreat. I stayed there for one afternoon. And the people were nice, but I was supposedly meditating, and I said, “To hell with this. I ain’t doing this. I want to go back and see my baby. [I want to go out?].” JS: (laughs) And you’re around -- in your thirties, forties? LJ: No, I was with Di-- I was with Sheri. And I was prob-- JS: Your thirties, forties, maybe. LJ: I was probably in my forties. JS: Forties. LJ: Early forties or something. But, yeah. JS: How -- [00:33:00] how interesting that is, that you re-- you actually went on this retreat -- LJ: Yeah. 20 �JS: -- to consider if you should change your ways. LJ: To consider. Oh, yes. Yes, yes. Yeah, yeah. JS: Oh. Wow. LJ: Yeah, yeah. You know, see how -- see how insidious religi-- JS: Check in. LJ: -- well, you know how deeply religion can pour into the psyche. JS: I know all about it, yeah. LJ: Yeah. You know all about that. And I bet you know all about that, too. (laughs) SB: Brought up Catholic. LJ: Oh, yeah, were you brought up Catholic? SB: That says it all. LJ: Yeah. Guilt, guilt, guilt. [Hello, hello, hello?]. (JS laughs) No. No, it’s not necessary. And I feel -- JS: Well, it may not have been out of guilt you did it. LJ: No, and I don’t think it was. JS: It was about -- LJ: It was about -- JS: -- wanting to revisit yourself. LJ: Yeah, yeah. It was. It was. So let me see. Are there any other things? SB: Do you have anything from those questions, the four questions? LJ: (overlapping dialogue; inaudible) JS: Well, I think we’re moving to -- oh. I think we’re moving toward the -- like, you’ve talked about [00:34:00] your business, now. 21 �LJ: Yep, yeah. JS: And there was a point where you left it. LJ: Yes. JS: Or, I mean, you’re still in it, but -- LJ: I’m still in it, but formerly, I had to leave it because of my accident, because I still am not -- well, even for a year or so before that, because of sleep apnea, I didn’t have the energy to climb the stairs anymore. But I was showing stuff. Joe and I were doing a partnership. And I’m still partnering with him if I have anything. JS: Oh, that’s great. Well, I think from what you’ve said already, it sounds like, although you’ve left the other organizations and your leadership in them -- LJ: Yeah. Yeah. JS: -- you still consider yourself a leader by going to them, representing the elder lesbians -- LJ: Yes, yes. JS: -- especially now, at this point -- LJ: Yeah. JS: -- through the film. But you didn’t talk about the film yet. LJ: Oh, my God, I forgot the film. (laughs) Oh. You want to talk about the film? SB: You’re on top of things. Honest to God, I totally forgot about the film, too. LJ: (laughter) I forgot about the film, too. JS: Well, I’m thinking about [00:35:00] the leadership -- LJ: The leadership [for those?], yeah. JS: -- and how it -- because you’re still a leader. LJ: Yeah. 22 �JS: So, I mean, how is that manifested now? LJ: Well -- well, basically, going back to the beginnings of our association with LGBT Aging Project, it began with the marriage thing. And so we got very involved with that. Then it went on to loads and loads of speaking engagements, which we had done before that. I mean, it went before that. And we -- we have been fortunate to have been called upon a lot, because of the experiences in the past, so that is where some of the leadership comes from. And then -- pardon me. When the brunches come along, or the dinners, and so forth, we became active in those, because we really felt, as older people, as we were beginning to be older people, we didn’t want to isolate ourselves. And we were happy to -- one of the -- [00:36:00] the things that happens to me is, just because of my nature, I become a leader wherever I go. It’s -- it’s the fate of the Leos in our life. You know? You say something, and someone says, “Oh, she’d make a good officer.” JS: (laughter) You know what my supervisor says? “It’s the way we’re wired.” She was not talking about leadership. She’s talking about the way we are, the way we think. LJ: It’s the way we are. It’s the way we are. JS: The -- what we respond to. LJ: Yeah, it’s what we respond to. We do. So basically, now, what happened with Gen Silent is that, I guess, Stu came to [town?]. He had this idea, and he went to them to look for people to put into his film. So Lisa -- JS: We, meaning the Aging Project went to Stu? Stu came to town, [00:37:00] and he went to -- 23 �LJ: No, Stu -- Stu went to the Aging Project. And the Aging Project [are?] -- we’d been very active in -- at the very beginning with [Lisa?] and with Bob. So they thought of us. And -- JS: And with the people before Lisa, too? The woman who was -- LJ: Let’s see. Let me see. I think I’ve lost your train of thought. JS: Well, it’s okay, because it may be that Stu came when Lisa was there. So you pick right up there. LJ: Yeah. Okay, fine. Stu came after Lisa and Bob were well established. And I believe -- I don’t know -- the brunches were on, I think, still -- had begun at that time. But they were looking for a lesbian couple. They had found an excellent couple in Alexander -Alexander and his partner, [00:38:00] who were in Gen Silent as primary people. And they had found a transgender woman. But they were looking for a lesbian couple. So they found they us, or they were -- we were recommended for them. And so Stu came to us and decided to use us, and that’s how that happened. And so the film was a wonderful experience, because based on the premise, which people may or may not know who listen to this or read this, that concerns isolation of people who are gay, those who have been out, who are afraid to be out when they go to an institution if they happen to need it for medical reasons when they are older. Sheri and I had never thought particularly about that. We realized that you had to protect yourself. If anybody had ever been [00:39:00] nursing homes, it’s been her and me, because we cared for her mother, found her a nursing home; cared for my sister; cared for my aunt; found them nursing homes and places to go, have visited countless nursing homes in the 24 �process, and have been in many, many nursing homes ad nauseum. (laughs) I (inaudible) to delete that. But -- so we didn’t feel that we would hide, but we also knew that it could be very, very difficult for people, so we were quite willing to do this project. So he came to the house. He filmed us, and he did a lot of voiceovers with us. And it was put -- incorporated. He did a wonderful job of putting it into -- I think it’s an outstanding, useful film, which is being used now mainly as a -- a teaching film [00:40:00] for professionals, but has been shown, I guess, all over the world. And -JS: That’s what I’ve heard, yeah. LJ: It gives some history and context to it, because we knew enough of the history, so we could give context and also -- what’s his name -- pardon me. (coughs) My voice is giving out. Could I stop for just one sec? JS: Do you want to, kind of, reach the end after you’ve had a drink? END OF AUDIO FILE 25 � https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/134aac5bfe0b1063ab59a9b972e5cc5b.MP3?Expires=1777507200&Signature=P9DMBFu7ayzPQ4WBIh4aOysF0oliMWS3VKx-rI3Tbs8AzfgPP5yKTxwkY4NhjwDdH3tl1K7CFonPvZM%7ErEcP7Q87EXHmwWNp3oJqmFscYOR74MRAqiBehq2fGBPWnV6APi8ndauI%7EpxUHF2ocoz1ZomofQ5jCwZwpVG17v7QQaB4gZ4yh5V1kgyjfuDvY6-2AzbNEyB0BXf%7ETVP6ekz1AUy1xH6ocIyTWrhad2lrk1-rLDLNg65H%7EWdNfH88WuH1MqWy4HSh-fhSRerizpQb0sSauRC-0LrVarlMZsLXGPZaOubKVOlDeaqDM3MVKXdTreiTcAZz0Q8UApD2VeMRXg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 395a1f5e00264d6cca98cd6962dd2b26 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/9a97455b2a62b1727eda617b36db6f21.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=pGiwWzpH9QDSKximmSMZ6-GND5PoUiq40s6YjVBPxE4LLy8D1wqd6pzb0GdiiQzmMjOYc8nIkMBwvP6FQ6qW0PUue8Uz-YUnRavbeJllv%7EqYyba83DApTFfkXuD6KPnnmvsj2AY2i5PNqZokJ4k-72EsLSAXCpb3QYEopf9CwwCElVD2rp2kuXIIYWPIjZJrK8GrsbqJd8-6eXa7S1NUhyp9fO13VUKr7onZOt6Nrjud1tkoJHmKDeYOYbFfszQsx8MVpvItLxCFrPQ-uwSDp18YCkJiTQBCnPl8Z8XiLflylu3Q--T%7EwAjJmmyTdHeqpxwuMZO4KySoIHfXWYtOGg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 95f91dc3e56f9c9b0a96d148642ec7c8 PDF Text Text Daughters of Bilitis Oral History Project Transcript of: Lois Johnson Interviewers: Sarah Boyer, Judith Sullivan January 22, 2016 Interview Part 4 of 4 1 �JUDITH SULLIVAN: LOIS JOHNSON: JS: Ending, yeah. Okay, fine. Are we ready to go? Then we can start up again and we don’t have to -- SARAH BOYER: LJ: So make it so it’s, kind of -- Yeah, I started it up. Okay. Basically, Gen Silent, I think, was one of the crowning achievements of the LGBT Aging Project, and for us, too. And we really are very appreciative of the fact that we could participate, and that we look forward to being able to do other things. Meanwhile, we intend to remain busy in the LGBT Aging Project. We also have shown our film here at the place where we are now resident, which is Springhouse in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, which is -- JS: And you moved here when and why? LJ: Pardon, please? JS: You moved here when? LJ: We moved here in April of last year, and we are very happy here. It’s a very welcoming community, and the people who brought us in, brought us in specifically to show you the changes [01:00] in life, because we were a gay couple, and want to encourage other gay individuals and couples to come here, and to feel welcome and none -- it’s a nonprejudicial community. All that’s required here is for you to love your neighbor and to -- you know, to live peaceably with people, and that’s what we do, and we are -- are beloved by people, and we love them here. And I give them all my best. (laughs) So we look forward to being able to participate in lots of other things. At 84 and 81, our energy is not as much as it should -- we would like it to be, but we’re using whatever scraps we can get to forward the movement and also to keep ourselves going. 2 �JS: I think that’s a marvelous place for us to stop. LJ: I think it is, too. JS: You are terrific. SB: Can I just -- can I just -- I think it’s a fantastic interview. [02:00] I just have a couple of questions. LJ: Okay, fine. Yep. SB: Yeah. JS: With this one? SB: Oh, I’ll save on this one for the ending, but maybe we don’t need to put it on here. We’ll just stop the -- END OF AUDIO FILE 3 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Daughters of Bilitis (Boston) Oral History Project Description An account of the resource Through oral histories, 21 women share their stories of growing up, coming out, and joining the Boston chapter of the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB), the earliest known lesbian organization in the United States. DOB members came from diverse backgrounds, class, and education, but the rejection by one’s family, the stress of living a double life, and the search for a place to feel safe run through each narrative. Several storytellers knew they were lesbians in childhood, while others did not until their 30s and 40s. Some married men to conform to society’s expectations, while others fought to make an independent life for themselves. All found DOB, where they were accepted, loved, and nourished to grow into proud women, loving women. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Coll.0213 Relation A related resource <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/show/183" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coll. 011: Boston Daughters of Bilitis Collection and Focus/Maiden Voyage Publication Finding Aid</a> <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/collections/show/48" title="Digitized Materials">Digitized Materials: Focus/Maiden Voyage, a publication of the Boston chapter of the Daughters of Bilitis, 1969-1975</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview. Boyer, Sarah; Sullivan, Judith Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed. Johnson, Lois Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Lois Johnson, 2016 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016; 2016-01-22 Description An account of the resource Interview with Lois Johnson for the Daughters of Bilitis Oral History Project. Interview conducted by Judith Sullivan and Sarah Boyer. Part 1 was likely recorded sometime in 2016. Parts 2, 3, and 4 were recorded in one interview session on January 22, 2016. Subject The topic of the resource Johnson, Lois; Daughters of Bilitis (Boston); Lesbians; Lesbian movement Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ+ Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright restrictions may apply. For more information and to view our takedown policy, visit https://historyproject.omeka.net/rights-and-reproductions. Daughters of Bilitis Oral history https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/228783603c87d23e49d5d4ab0573b82d.mp3?Expires=1777507200&Signature=Xtupn9TRISb5Df%7E1Z-7xFx6u0twy1%7EOXgkio2E4E8lekTHtuqfTmV7RV-9rUvn86UdDD0rXJMfhsQV7FYUEe-c4qZ7mU7T0GaXdDF289zvvQf25Cimuj%7ETwMAWAuEunZKRa91P5bQEPDW1Tom8WdcK0Vo0fdgLRrMZwARXxRTRYLCd5utSEHWDNYpgkPx6qakz1OXMOULm27Dn35ieKQ3rx1B--hgQBqjBYO3sIrNkey-chVf2BFPqitRSPi4TM8-x%7ElXX87Vy50H5tUcpULHkf-eZhZ9yPSsyj7GphCBJB1-lZOn97ONjmtjUxtrnrLugZXDhfjacvC-rDuAr27Bg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 2235ef48e395109f6c8f229845ce7266 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/1461/archive/files/0ac878b07a4c8a3fdcdae5db67108d8c.pdf?Expires=1777507200&Signature=hT7ybybzHZZ-V4wyKqjs8ftRtpHTrlpPxepYVRo3w8XolzVDWa99U-iASYeky2m4OJaNVk3lPB1zl%7EfMPYV0Hm6t22WWdsZGUlhwi0mQ--6BHqZfHa5LKIDvRi%7EDAFUG44ZC3Q91IvRtVz9CqKEgcAa4HapaaOXz8uiA4RvtjG4RwYWH4lpvvT-qR6XXXx9nt7Surnt6FmmVzwry4C15kQ2Tgdst%7ExOO%7EydJyLle7xXO06mD8BOtkT1kb6eiQdpSz1qAaxWb1noBa8JKAu%7EQf-ysCwuhuPipO1NO79AWlBMCx6G-qq8pM7e08M7Wl1skiWMI8KJixXphcBWliyfp6g__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 915c501ee1674e44a3770a0bac90224e PDF Text Text BOSTON Daughters of Bilitis Oral History Project Transcript of: Sarah Boyer Interviewer: Lois Johnson July 24, 2019 1 �LOIS JOHNSON: My name is Lois Johnson. We are at Spring House, which is in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. The date is July 24th, 2019 and we are having this interview for purposes of a history of Boston Daughters of Bilitis, which we are writing. SARAH BOYER: LJ: Actually, we’re doing it for the history archive. And we’re doing it also for the history archives in the city of Boston. Could you please give me your name? SB: My name is Sarah Boyer, and I was born in 1947, so I’m 72. [00:01:00] LJ: Good. And where are you living currently? SB: I’m living in Cambridge, on Antrim Street. It’s at Inman Square. I have my own apartment. LJ: So, you’ve been kind enough to be a person who’s going to give us some history, your own personal history, which is a very important thing that we are recording for posterity. So, could you give me to start with, an idea of what your young life was like, where you were born, where you lived, what your family was like, and get us started? SB: Lois, I’d just like to say this is an honor. I mean, [00:02:00] it makes me want to cry to be honest with you, because no one’s ever said, “Hey Sarah, would you like to talk about your life?” And to have you do it means all the more to me because of the work that we’ve done together. It’s been very important for me, and for you when you continue to do this work under sometimes difficult circumstances. When you first asked me to do this project with you, it was under difficult circumstances for me. And it was probably at least two years ago. It was probably more than that. LJ: I think it was. 2 �SB: Yes. And we’re here today doing this, and we’ve interviewed people and I am so thrilled to be doing this with you. [00:03:00] I just have to say that. LJ: I’m so grateful that you’re doing it because you’re an expert. You’ve done this for the city of Cambridge for 17 years, and everybody looks to you as the professional, which you are. So I’m thrilled to be doing it with you. SB: I don’t know how -- I’m not used to this. I was born in Canaan, Connecticut. And we actually didn’t stay there. We moved to Garfield, New Jersey. My father was a traveling salesman. LJ: Really? SB: Yeah. I mean, he worked for Kraft Food back then. And the reason I know that is because he told me later on, that every morning when he would get his car, there would be a car behind him from Kraft Food making sure that he was going on his rounds. [00:04:00] That’s tough. LJ: That is tough. SB: But my father had no problem because he was a workaholic, and he would go around to different stores. And he would sell the product, and then he’d distribute it to them. LJ: What was the products of Kraft in those days? The same? SB: The same kind of thing. Although, I don’t know if they make Kraft caramels now. LJ: I don’t think so. SB: But that was the big thing for us, was when he brought home a bag of Kraft caramels. But my mother did not use the Kraft macaroni and cheese. She did not. She was a cook. She was a real cook, so she didn’t do that. And Garfield was inner-city, really, [00:05:00] but we lived on a very short street, and the boy next door was my best friend, 3 �Billy Martin. And the only thing I can -- I can remember a few things from there but one of the things I remember is that my father and Billy’s father started digging up the backyard, and they found a bedstead when they dug up the backyard. And then they found out that their houses were all built on a dump. (laughter) It was really weird. But anyway -LJ: Where is Garfield and Canaan? SB: Geez, I wish I could tell you. I think it’s near Patterson. LJ: Which is pretty near the coast? SB: No, we were not -- I don’t remember being near the coast. LJ: And where is Canaan? SB: Okay, Canaan, [00:06:00] Connecticut is in northwest Connecticut. It’s about 15 miles from Great Barrington, and 10 miles from Millerton, New York. So it’s up in the corner of the state. I have these pictures of my grandparents sitting on the stoop with us in Garfield. LJ: We’d like to have some of those, take pictures of the pictures. SB: Oh yeah, I’ll dig them up. It was a tiny house. My father was really just starting out and my mother was a stay-at-home mom, so -- I mean he came from a very well-off family, but I don’t know he just -- I’m not quite sure of the details but he didn’t have the money when he got married and had kids. I don’t know what happened. Anyway. LJ: How many kids in your [00:07:00] family? SB: I was just going to say three. Four, you know about my brother, who died early. He died in May. So there were three girls and practically one right after another. And my mother was Catholic, so you didn’t use birth control. So my sister was born in 1945, I was born 4 �in 1947. We were almost Irish twins. And then my younger sister was born two years after I was. And then 10 years later my brother came along. LJ: My goodness. SB: So yeah. So for a long, long time it was the three sisters. And my sister was born in Garfield. Well, she was born in Patterson at the hospital, and I just remember her being in the playpen out in the front yard. And so, [00:08:00] we weren’t there that long. And after that we moved to Bloomingburg, New York. Now Garfield was like city really, but Bloomingburg was -- LJ: Country? SB: Country. When I say country, I’m talking 300 people in the whole town. And (laughs) I got into the first grade there because there was no kindergarten in Bloomingburg and my mother wanted me out. I was disturbing her, somehow. So I got into first grade when I was five years old. And from the get-go, I was a troublemaker. I really was. I had trouble in school that way. Let’s see. [00:09:00] What I remember was the girl in front of me wore pigtails, and she turned around and looked at me and stuck her tongue out at me. So back then there were inkwells in the desks, remember? LJ: Oh yes, I remember those. SB: I took her pigtail, and I stuck it in the inkwell. And I got caught. She didn’t get caught for sticking her tongue out at me. So back then, I had to go sit in the corner on a stool with a dunce cap on. I mean, we’re talking 1952 or something like that. So they were still doing things like that. But everybody loved Mrs. Martin because she was a sweetheart. But apparently, I wasn’t -- you know, I was doing my naughty stuff. LJ: Why do you think you were doing that? 5 �SB: I don’t really know. I don’t know. [00:10:00] LJ: Did you feel as though the family wasn’t recognizing you enough? SB: No, I do remember my father -- at that point I think he was starting -- no, he wasn’t. He did like taking pictures, and he took pictures of my older sister and I, when my older sister had her first Communion. And you know we were so close in age, I said to the nun, “How come I can’t have my first Communion?” And the nun said, “You’re not old enough.” She said, “Well, you can be the angel.” So I wore this white dress, very pretty and everything, so I didn’t feel so bad. But my father’s taking these pictures, and he’s yelling at us, and he’s yelling, and my older sister [00:11:00] -- I don’t know, for some reason it didn’t seem to bother her, but I was crying. So there’s looks on my face like I’m crying. And he was angry a lot. He was an angry man for a lot of his life. I mean, off and on. LJ: Did you ever find out why he was angry? SB: Well, yeah. I mean, he had a drinking problem. He was an alcoholic, and he did bear quite a burden with my mother and bringing up us kids, which I can get into later. LJ: You can do that later, yes. SB: But anyway, so I really got to him because he -- it’s almost like he couldn’t control me. [00:12:00] He was trying to control me all the time, and I was fighting back all the time. And the other two never fought back. They just went along with him, so they never got the negative attention that I got. So anyway, we only were in Bloomingburg for maybe a year, and then we moved to Falls Village, Connecticut, which is right next to Canaan. And it’s in the northwest corner of Connecticut, and it’s very rural and really beautiful in 6 �its own right. It’s part of the Berkshires which are beautiful. And it was a beautiful place to grow up. It really was. LJ: Could you go out and play? SB: Yeah, we could just go out and play and -- can I help you with something there? LJ: I needed to get my sunglasses. SB: Oh, let me get -- oh, I’m sorry. LJ: No, no, that’s okay. SB: Are they -- they’re not in there. LJ: They’re in the back. Did you -- [00:13:00] can you find them? SB: Oh, yeah. LJ: Good. I’ll put them on. I’m sorry to have to wear them. SB: No, no, that’s important. LJ: There. A werewolf. SB: No, no, I love those glasses. They’re perfect. LJ: You like them? Good. SB: So, Falls Village was a beautiful place to grow up. I mean, I was there from the second grade to the eighth -- through the eighth grade, and it was very rural. We had a little downtown, but they were 10 kids in my eighth grade class when I graduated. LJ: Only 10? SB: Ten. And I have the picture of us together. And I had -- my best friend lived across the street, and [00:14:00] we used to put on carnivals and stuff for our parents, all our parents and the kids and the siblings and everything. Bonnie, her name was Bonnie Blass. And 7 �my grandmother lived next door, and her house faced our house, so we’d just go through a field and we were at my grandmother’s house. It was beautiful there. LJ: So that’s why you went there because Grandmother lived there? SB: Yes, exactly. Actually, I think my grandfather gave my father the land where they built the house, and my father could get a mortgage for a $19,000 house back in 1953. And it had two bedrooms upstairs, one bedroom downstairs. I didn’t get along with my father. I was scared to death of him, [00:15:00] to be honest with you. But I got along with my grandfather. I just loved him so much. H was -- he loved me so much. He loved me unconditionally. So he would take me -- he’d be driving this ’49 Ford -- it looked like a beached whale -- He liked to play golf, and he’d take me to the course, and then he’d go into the bar, and he’d get behind the bar and get me a Shirley Temple. And he tried to teach me how to play golf, but it was a waste of time. LJ: You weren’t interested. SB: I wasn’t interested in that. LJ: You were only interested in being with Grandfather. SB: Yes. That’s all I cared about. LJ: What did you call him, Grampy? SB: What did I call him? Gramps or Grampa, Grampa, yes. And he would give me -- he smoked cigars. His breath was terrible, [00:16:00] but he gave me the ring from his cigar, the ring that’s on a cigar, and I’d put it on my finger, and I’d be just twisting it around. And I pretended that it was a wedding ring. Anyway, I just have to tell you this one thing about my grandfather. This says it all. He had an incredible sense of humor and we’re all having Sunday dinner together and -- I don’t know, you remember those big 8 �Sunday dinners that went on forever? I was so mad. It was two o’clock in the afternoon; I wanted to watch George Burns and Gracie Allen, right? Well anyway so we’re all together at my grandmother’s house in the dining room, and my grandfather -- we must have had roast beef for dinner -- So he says, “Hey Susie,” I think he called me Susie, “Would you like a second helping?” [00:17:00] And that’s all I needed because he said it. So I said, “Sure, Grandpa.” So I’d eat up my second helping. “Hey Susie, would you like a third helping?” and I’d take the third helping. And this went on. Then he said, “You know, you’re going to grow up to be big and strong.” And he looked at my father and he said, “She’s going to marry a Republican and she’s going to be very rich.” (laughter) Well neither one happened. We were -- they were all FDR Democrats, okay? So it was just a joke. I mean, it was really a joke. So, I’m trying to think. I had -- there were five - I think there were five boys and five girls in my class. And every Friday night, [00:18:00] there was a square dance. My girlfriends were all in my class, but then I had some in other classes, too, some girlfriends from other classes. LJ: Were there any boys in the class? SB: Yes, there were five boys. And I remember distinctly in the eighth grade, I had a boyfriend. His name was Freddie. And he was Black, but you couldn’t tell by looking at him. I think his father was Black and his mother was white. And so we got the pictures back -- I think my father took the pictures. By that time that’s what his job was. He was a school photographer. And I showed my mom. I said, “Hey Mom, this is a picture of Freddy, my boyfriend,” and she looked at it and she said, [00:19:00] “Well, you’re going to have plenty of boyfriends.” I think she was able to tell that he was Black. She didn’t say anything else. But I had another boyfriend, Rocky, and my father would take Rocky 9 �and I to the movies. And that’s all I knew were boyfriends. Of course, that was not until like the seventh and eighth grade. But Rocky was really my friend, and I used to go over to his house a lot when I was in the fourth and fifth grade and whatever. But you know, I got good grades of course, except in math. I was no good from the get-go. And in behavior, remember comportment or deportment? LJ: Yes. How did that come out? SB: Not good. (laughter) [00:20:00] Not good at all. I remember one of the things was “respects the rights of others.” I got an F. (laughs) I don’t know where they got that from. LJ: Where did they get that from? SB: I don’t know. I don’t know. LJ: Did you have some particular kids that you didn’t like? SB: Not really. I don’t quite understand it. I don’t understand that part of it, but the stuff that was going on at home probably affected me in school, and that’s what happened. I just remember going in the back of the school and trading with other girls. We traded our mothers’ makeup. So I’d bring in my mother’s powder and switch it for some lipstick or something. But I remember putting nail polish on my nails. It was just paint, [00:21:00] it’s red paint, and my mother said, “Get that off your nails. You’re not going to put that on your nails.” But it was -- in some respects it was an incredible place to really grow up. LJ: It sounds quite bucolic. SB: It was bucolic, and the extended family would come up from New Jersey and New York for weeks on end in the summer so there was always somebody around. LJ: Who came up, aunts and uncles? 10 �SB: Aunts and uncles. I had one cousin that came up all the time. She was five years older than me. And one aunt, her sister, and one uncle -- actually they were my grandmother’s sister and brother, so they were my great-aunt and my great-uncle. They had a camp, a cottage next to Twin Lakes. And so we would go and stay overnight there, and it was just a little cottage. [00:22:00] LJ: Where is Twin Lakes? SB: Twin Lakes is in Salisbury, Connecticut. LJ: The same area? SB: The same area, yeah, northwest Connecticut. It was like 10 miles from our house. And then we went to Lakeville Lake, too. But anyway. I learned how to swim. LJ: Lakeville is in Massachusetts? SB: Yes, but there’s a Lakeville, Connecticut. Now, if you can picture this, it’s all about 15 miles south of Great Barrington. LJ: Yes, I know where Great Barrington is, in the western part of the state. It sounds bucolic. SB: Well, it was bucolic, but something pretty traumatic happened. I think I was in the seventh grade, or maybe the end of the sixth [00:23:00] grade. My mother was 41, and she got pregnant. And I remember she was pretty upset about that. (laughs) She wasn’t using birth control really or anything, I don’t think. And she had the baby, and it was my brother. And my father was thrilled to death to get a boy. And my mother was, too. And we brought him home and my mother -- the pictures I see of my mother feeding him and taking care of him -- she was overjoyed. But I don’t know how long afterward, she started to stay in her bedroom, and she wouldn’t leave except to take care of my brother, I guess. But then she had my grandmother. And my mother started to [00:24:00] -- I 11 �didn’t know this, I didn’t know what was going on, because I’d knock on her door and she’d say, “Leave me alone, I’ve got a headache.” And she got depressed. And everybody thought it was postpartum depression. [There was no diagnosis of this back in the 1950s.] And she was so depressed that she had to be hospitalized. And back then, she went to a state hospital in Connecticut. She was out of the house for two years. They kept people for a long time. And she had shock treatments, okay? So we didn’t know what was going on. My father and my grandmother -- I think my grandmother said, “Your mother’s gone away for a rest,” they didn’t think we could understand why [00:25:00] she was gone. So, my grandmother basically pinched hit, and my father hired this woman from downtown to come and be there for us when we got home from school, so we were covered. LJ: That is terrible. SB: But she did come home once. They let her home for the weekend, and she was -- she scared the daylights out of me. She was really scary because she was -- LJ: Was she angry? SB: No, she wasn’t angry. She was just so spaced out and depressed. And I remember saying to her at one point, I said, “Ma, are you going to come to my eighth grade graduation?” and she said, “I think so.” And I kept thinking, “Oh my God I hope she can come; I hope she can come,” and she was let out of the hospital in time for her to come to my eighth grade graduation. LJ: Thank God for that. SB: Yes. [00:26:00] But obviously it had an effect. LJ: Of course it did. It imprinted on you. What about your brother? 12 �SB: My brother -- my mother tells the story that when she came home from the hospital, she went up to his bedroom, and he looked at her and he said, “Mama?” She said, “Yes,” and she held him. So, my brother really got the best of my mother, I’d say. LJ: Because he was the eldest? SB: No, no, he was the one that was born the last, and then she got depressed. LJ: Was it ever diagnosed as to what it was? SB: Well, they didn’t diagnose things correctly back then. [00:27:00] And they said that she had schizophrenia, and she didn’t. She was just deeply depressed. LJ: Did she and your father get along? SB: No. They were going to get a divorce every time you’d turn around. They fought a lot. They made up, everything was nice for a while, and then they’d have another fight. This went on practically all their lives. LJ: This sounds miserable. Did that have an effect on you, do you think? SB: I think so. For my younger sister, she took off as soon as she could. She got married when she was 19 just to get away. I didn’t do that. I stuck around for a long time for better or worse. And my older sister also took off. So my two sisters went to California, [00:28:00] and that’s where they are today. LJ: And you were the youngest? SB: No, my older sister, Bunny, then me, then my younger sister, Jean, and then my brother Eugene, who died in May. LJ: What did he die of? 13 �SB: Nobody really knows. He was only 61. He was 10 years younger than me. And he had a very short case of ALS, but he had other neurological problems going on that nobody could figure out. He had too much protein on his brain, and his brain had atrophied. LJ: That’s terrible. SB: And there was no genetic thing about it. It was like, nobody could really figure out what was wrong. LJ: Sometimes there is no answer. SB: That’s [00:29:00] right. There wasn’t an answer which makes it harder. LJ: Where did you go to school, and did that take you away from home? Or you went to your regular public schools, and then after that, did you go to a college? SB: I just want to tell you that we left Falls Village after my eighth grade, and we moved to Cohasset on the South Shore [of Boston], and I went to high school for four years there, okay? And I don’t know. LJ: Cohasset is a nice place to be. SB: It’s a nice place to be, yes. LJ: Were you living in Cambridge at that time? SB: No, no, I was living in Cohasset. I went to high school there. And then, I went to Simmons College. [00:30:00] Let me just tell -- in terms of knowing anything about homosexuality or anything, I knew nothing. I looked at an old diary that I had put together when I was a junior in high school, and I was talking about these two boys being fairies. And I went to a slumber party with my gang, there were a gang of us, and there were three girls in a bed, and I was in the middle. And the girl in back of me was touching me, and I just froze like this. I was scared to death, okay? So I went to college. 14 �Simmons College, it was an all-women’s college. And there was a woman there, [00:31:00] a young woman who I was very friendly with, and I wanted to be her roommate sophomore year. And we were going to do that. But then she told me that she was going to be roommates with someone else. LJ: I wonder why that changed. SB: And it changed -- I look back on it now, and I think about it, they were lovers. But at the time I didn’t have enough in my head to know. LJ: Well, had there been any indications in your high school experiences to you, any little flickers of things that you remember now where you look back that indicated that you might have had more than an -- well, I won’t say normal, but ordinary interest in women? SB: No. None. Absolutely none. And I think it was [00:32:00] because nobody, nobody talked about that at all, and the only way you ever went out -- I mean there was these strict rules of what girls could do. And I found out that there were some girls in my class that were screwing around. They were going to bed with guys. And it just horrified me. And the rule was, in order to go out on a Saturday night you had to go steady with somebody. So I ended up with this guy and I went steady with him for three years in high school so that I could go out on Saturday night. It never occurred to me to break those rules. LJ: Was that the rule your family laid down? SB: [00:33:00] They didn’t lay it down, but they were certainly positive about it. They thought that that was good. And it was easy (laughs) to pull the wool over my mother’s eyes because she -- LJ: She was very Catholic? 15 �SB: She was Catholic, but she was also kind of laissez-faire, and she didn’t pay much attention. So we’d sneak down the back stairs and go out of the house at two o’clock in the morning, and go down to the beach and all this stuff. She didn’t know what was going on. LJ: She didn’t know? SB: No, she didn’t know what was going on. And my father was away on business a lot. So when he was away on business, that’s when we’d sneak out of the house and do what we wanted to do. LJ: At two o’clock at the morning. SB: Yeah, yeah. I left the church when I was 14 because I started reading about the Holocaust and I could not square there was a God, [00:34:00] a Catholic God, and there were six million people that were killed like that. So I went to the released time that they had. They let the Catholics out for an hour to go to Catholic doctrine class, catechism class or whatever, and I said to the -- it was a layperson. I said, “You know, if there’s a God how come he let six million people die like that?” And she said, “Well, I don’t know but you’re just going to have to have faith.” Well, that wasn’t good enough for me. So I basically left the church when I was 14, and I didn’t get much flak for that, because my mother was not going to church either anymore, really. She was kind of fed up [00:35:00] with it. But I’d pretend to go to church sometimes. She’d give me a dollar to put in the basket, and it never ended up in the basket. (laughs) LJ: Where did it end up, at the candy store? SB: Well, sometimes the candy store but more likely, we went to get cigarettes with it because they were like 28 cents a pack back then. So I could get four packs or whatever. 16 �Anyway, yeah. A lot of my friends were smoking, and I started smoking when I was 15. Terrible. LJ: How long did it continue? SB: Until I was 33. LJ: Then you were smart enough to stop? SB: Yes, because my mother had emphysema, and I realized that that was going to happen to me if I kept that up. So I’m glad I quit when I was in my thirties. It [00:36:00] was a good idea. I started to grow up a little bit. (laughs) LJ: Learned the right things to do. So, your mother and father did stay together? They didn’t get a divorce. SB: They did stay together, to the detriment of all of us, probably. They shouldn’t have stayed together. But on the other hand, my mother had no skills. LJ: She had no source of income. SB: She had no source of income. LJ: And it would have been very bad for you. SB: It would have been very tough. It would have been very tough. She just couldn’t do anything like that, outside the home. She was a great cook. She was -- she did everything in the home. LJ: But she didn’t have marketable skills. SB: Right. LJ: I wanted to ask you a question here. It’ll come back to me. [00:37:00] Oh, I know. So we have a sense of your childhood and the relationships of people and everything. Now 17 �could we get some sense of when you first felt as though there was an attraction to other women? SB: Yes, yes. Well, let me just tell you, after college, I spent 10 years having a good time. LJ: What did you study at college? SB: I studied Community Work. And no one told me that I had to have a master’s in social work to get a social work job, so I went around knocking at these doors of nonprofits and everything and saying, “Here’s my resume,” and they’d look at me and they’d say, “No, we can’t hire you, you don’t have a master’s degree.” So anyway, I knew I’d have to go back to school eventually, but I didn’t feel like rushing it. So for those 10 years, [00:38:00] I’d say I pretty much didn’t have any great goals, that much, which was very unlike me. I’m a goal-oriented person. But I had a good time. And I was going out a lot with men. I was starting to find a career, trying to figure it out, and I took a course at Boston State College at Boston State, the old Boston State, in education. And I thought, “Well, maybe I want to be a teacher.” And I did this paper on Maria Montessori and I really didn’t know anything about her. And when I read about her, I thought, “Oh my God, I want to be like that.” So I found out there was a training course I could take in New Jersey, [00:39:00] so I went down a New Jersey for a year, and I took a course in teaching Montessori. And then I sent my resume out all over the country, and I got a job by phone in California, okay? I was thrilled. I mean, the furthest west I’d been was Albany, New York. (laughter) LJ: Time to go. SB: Way time for me to go. 1973. So I answered an ad in the Phoenix. Remember? LJ: I remember the Phoenix. 18 �SB: Yeah. And it said, “Two women” or maybe “two girls,” I don’t know, “want two others to drive out to California and share expenses.” I said, “That’s [00:40:00] it.” So, they left their phone number or something, I don’t know, but I got in touch with them and they said, “Okay, great.” So, we set it up, and I have to tell you this, this is funny. My parents gave me a ride. They were living in Rhode Island. So I had to go to Rhode Island to meet them. So we’re going down this dirt road and we end up at this house, and there’s a woman standing outside, and she’s got these great big dogs with her and they scared the living daylights out of me. And I got out of the car and I said, “Are Ellen and Karen here?” They were the two women, Ellen, and Karen. She said, “Yeah, they’re inside.” I went like, “Oh, God.” LJ: A big butch. SB: A butch, right? I didn’t know. I mean, I had some kind of inkling, but not really. So, my parents said goodbye to me, okay, so I go inside and there’s Ellen and Karen. [00:41:00] And they were really nice. And it never occurred to me in a million years that they were a couple. And Ellen looked like Judy Collins. Oh my God. But I mean, I looked at her, I thought, “She’s really attractive,” but I didn’t -- you know. So we had another woman that showed up too, so they had two cars. So the two cars had to kind of go tandem across the country. And what do I remember about that trip? We took Karen’s cats. So we’d stay at the Motel 6s along the way when the room was six bucks. That’s how it got the name. The room was six bucks. So we were paying a dollar and a quarter apiece or something for a room. And we had the cats there, too. [00:42:00] LJ: That’s amazing. 19 �SB: The only thing that hit me was that Ellen and Karen slept together in the same bed. And I thought to myself, “Why don’t they -- why can’t I sleep with Karen one night, and Ellen can sleep,” I mean, here I am stupid. LJ: You’re not stupid. SB: I mean, I didn’t know anything. Nothing. They were great companions, particularly Ellen, because she had a good sense of humor. Karen was kind of a little stiff, but anyway. They were fine. And the only thing was -- I’m trying to think if it was. Ellen seemed to drink [a lot]. She was drinking in the car. LJ: Was she the one who was on the outside, the butch? SB: No, no. We didn’t -- that was the last time I saw the butch. So anyway, I just remember she got some weed, and we were smoking it in Montana, or something. But anyway. So [00:43:00] we dropped the other woman, Mary, Mary Marshall her name was, God, I can’t believe I can remember it. We dropped her in Pomona, that’s where she had to get off, and the three of us ended up in a motel room in Santa Monica because I didn’t have an apartment, and they didn’t have an apartment. So we stayed in this motel room for a week. And we each went to look for apartments. But it must have been like the second or third night, Ellen came up to me and she said, “There’s something I have to tell you.” And I said, “Well, go ahead.” She said, “Karen and I are a couple.” And I looked at her, and I said, “I don’t care, just don’t get me involved.” (laughter) Which is really -- LJ: That’s very likely. SB: Which is really funny, [00:44:00] because I end up in Downey, which is south of LA, about 20 miles south of LA, and they lived in Silverlake, which was the gay district in LA at the time. So anyway, every weekend I would go to their house. And I said, “Take 20 �me to a bar. I’d like to go to a bar.” So they said, “Sure.” So we’d go to these bars and I mean, it was diesel dykes. (laughs) LJ: Everywhere. SB: Everywhere. LJ: Sizing up all the femmes. SB: I guess so. I mean, I’m sure there were people who weren’t doing that, but that was maybe sort of the end of the time, I don’t know, where people -- women had to -- part of it was playing a [00:45:00] role so that you could figure out who you were, and the other person would know you’re a lesbian. So, anyway, the diesel dykes scared me, okay? So I didn’t -- and after all, I wasn’t a lesbian. I was actually -- I was living with this guy in Downey. So anyway. LJ: Somebody you met out there? SB: Somebody I met out there. So then what happened was -- oh okay. So we’d go to these Friday night dances at this big warehouse in LA, and they were lesbian dances, and I wanted to go. I was curious. I wanted to find out about it. So I thought it was wonderful that we could all dance together and just -- it didn’t feel like this restriction about being with a guy where you had to -- [00:46:00] where I felt like I had to do everything right. I didn’t feel that way with women. LJ: You could relax. SB: I could relax for the first time in my life. LJ: And celebrate being a woman. SB: And celebrate being a woman, exactly right, Lois. And what happened was, after the dance was over, which was like midnight or one o’clock, most people went out for 21 �breakfast. That’s what they did out there. So Karen didn’t go that night. She was going to USC and she had to study, or she had to do a paper. So it was just Ellen and I. So Ellen and I are going down the street, she’s driving, and she stops at a stoplight, and she turns to me, and she kisses me. And I went, “Oh my God. [00:47:00] Oh my God.” The thing was, Lois, it was like I couldn’t -- what I couldn’t believe was that I felt as attracted to her as I did to any man. I know that doesn’t sound like it’s politically correct, but at the time it felt -- I was sexually attracted to her but I was still -- but it was this -- and I couldn’t believe that I could actually feel that way. It was amazing to me. And of course it was the wrong thing. She was with Karen. Well, being the rebel or whatever the hell I was, I ended up that summer living with them. Karen would be off at USC with her studies, and Ellen [00:48:00] and I would be at home. And I had this, I don’t know, months-long affair with her. And I think Karen was starting to get what was going on. And I said to Ellen, I said, “Ellen, why don’t you -- aren’t you going to leave Karen for me?” She said, “No, I’m not.” I said, “You’re not? What are we doing here?’ I mean, I was just like a 15-year-old kid with a boyfriend who was leaving me. I didn’t know anything. She wasn’t going to leave her bread and butter -- not her bread and butter, but her relationship she’d had for years and years. I still have the book, the diary I kept while this was going on. And it was heartbreaking. [00:49:00] It was absolutely heartbreaking. I mean, I fell for her like my first love. Maybe even more, though. It was like, this was the first time that I really felt like, “Wow, this could really be something.” LJ: A whole side of your personality suddenly emerged. SB: Exactly. It was incredible. So I went home that summer, and I called her. I kept calling her, and she was so glad to hear from me, but she wasn’t going to do anything. But I 22 �thought to myself, “I’ll go back there, and I’ll make her,” blah blah. And I went back, and she didn’t, and I stopped seeing her because even I knew that this was really hurting me, to keep seeing her. LJ: Because [00:50:00] you wanted to be with her so much. SB: I just wanted to be with her. I just wanted to have sex with her. I just wanted to love her. And it was just breaking my heart. So, I just stopped seeing her. And I had a friend that moved out to LA during that time, and she was a close friend of mine, so we hung out together and stuff. And she was someone who was afraid of coming out, and she admitted to me that she was a lesbian. And she couldn’t come out at work. She was a secretary, blah blah. LJ: She’d lose her job. SB: Well, not really. But she was very inhibited. She’s very inhibited. So she had met this lesbian couple through the thing -- do you remember the Wishing Well? LJ: Yes. [00:51:00] SB: Okay. That’s where she met this couple. And in fact before I -- maybe it was the first summer that I came back, she had me to her house. She lived on Beacon Hill, and she had this lesbian couple come for dinner. And their names were Jeanne and Sue. And they were very nice. I liked them very much, and everything. And so what she did when she moved out to LA, she invited Jeanne and Sue to come out to LA to visit. Well, Jeanne was not with Sue anymore. She was with somebody else; I forget her name. I think it was Marie. You okay? LJ: My glasses were just pushing. Yes. I’m okay. I’m listening. [00:52:00] 23 �SB: So, she invited them to come out and so they came out. Jeanne and Marie, I think her name was. So we did the tour. We took them all over the place. I had a 1960 Plymouth or something. It was a dog. (laughs) It had push buttons, push buttons to go forward and to go back. LJ: I thought maybe it had a clutch that you had to push in, and then just slowly go as the car went (sound). SB: I know what you mean. Right. No, this was an automatic, but it was push button. It was crazy. Anyway, so we showed them the town and everything. And I started looking at Jeannie, and I thought, “I don’t know, I kind of like her, but I better mind my own business because I don’t want to get into another situation.” [00:53:00] So they left, and they went back to here. They were living in Leominster. And maybe five days later, I get a letter from Jeannie, and she said, “You know, that was a wonderful time with you, and I have to tell you that I’m attracted to you. And Marie and I are just casual so don’t worry about that. And I’d just like to know if you’re interested.” (laughter) LJ: That’s something, isn’t it? I mean, that’s very formal. “I’d like to go with you; here’s why I want to go with you.” (laughter) That was wonderful. Did you pick up on that? SB: Well, I did. Amazingly enough, I picked up on it. And we had 90 dollar phone bills back then. Remember when they charged [00:54:00] for long distance? LJ: They charged you for everything. SB: Yes. And we were expressing our love over the phone. And she applied for a job at Lesbian and Gay Community Services in Los Angeles. An administrative job. And she flew out, and she went for the interview, and they were going to hire her, and she said to me right then, she said, “I can’t live here. I can’t live here. I come from this town in 24 �Massachusetts.” And you know, LA is fine for a couple of years, but who the hell wants to live -- I mean it’s a place for temporary people that are just transitioning. LJ: It’s a launching pad. SB: It’s a launching pad. You got it. It launched me. (laughter) [00:55:00] So, what happened was, at that point, I was no longer teaching Montessori, I was just doing temp work. And I thought, “There’s no reason for me not to leave.” LJ: You can get a job. SB: I can get a job. I’ll just go back with her. So that’s what I did. In 1976, I went back to Leominster, of all places. And she was living in a house. She didn’t own it or anything. So, we started housekeeping together. And she was a social worker, and I did temp work for a while, and then I got a job in town, so I had to take the bus and everything. But she told me at the beginning, she said, “I found a lesbian group that we can go to.” I said, “Fantastic.” She may not have said lesbian, though, it might have been gay women, you know. [00:56:00] LJ: Lesbian was a bad word in those days. SB: Right. This was 1976. So, I said, “Well that’s nice. What kind of a group is it?” And she said, “Well, it’s a lesbian separatist group.” And I went, “What?” (laughter) I mean, I was new to things, right? I thought, “What? Are you kidding? How can you be separatists? You’ve got to work.” So anyway she said, “Well, let’s just go.” And so, we went to this group. It was in Littleton. And you mentioned Jan Chase, right? LJ: Yes, indeed. SB: Didn’t she come from Littleton? LJ: Not from Littleton, but we went to Littleton because she had a summer place. 25 �SB: Oh okay, so there’s a different one. There’s a farm there, Chase Farm in Littleton. LJ: Yes, I know that. SB: Anyway, [00:57:00] so I went to it. It was on a Sunday afternoon, and it was led by two women, scary women, and there were a bunch of -- well, there weren’t a bunch. I mean there were probably 10 women there, and nobody looked very threatening. (laughter) LJ: They all looked sort of -- SB: No, I mean, by that point -- LJ: They were afraid of losing their lovers, that’s what they were afraid of. SB: You think? LJ: Yes, things were so secret in those days, that you grabbed onto somebody, and you didn’t want them looking at anybody else. SB: Oh yeah, true. True. LJ: Not me. I mean, I don’t think I was that way. I might have been. SB: But I know what you mean. LJ: People were afraid because it was very hard to maintain a relationship. [00:58:00] SB: Yeah. These two women really had us over a barrel because there was no other group in that area. So we stuck with them for over a year. And in fact, we went into therapy with those two women, Jeannie, and I, because we were having some difficulties. They were our therapists, which wasn’t a good idea at all. One of them had actually been in prison for drugs. Found out later. And she was a manipulator, and she was manipulating the other woman who was -- had been a nurse, had had an ordinary life, and she was living off of this other woman. That’s what she was doing. And she was very conniving. LJ: Were they of similar age? 26 �SB: Yes. Very conniving. [00:59:00] And she was really not good. But anyway, I made a lifelong friend there in that group. And the rest of the women were fine. I mean, we got together with them and had parties and talked about different issues and everything. But the whole thing about being separatist didn’t make any sense to me at all, because how the hell was I going to make a living -- LJ: If you were a separatist. SB: Right. LJ: Farming? SB: Farming. There you go. I could have been at Chase Farm. (laughter) LJ: The flowers don’t object. SB: The flowers don’t object. Oh God, Lois. That’s perfect. So, anyway, I told Jeannie, I said -- I was there a year in Leominster. I said, “Jeanie, I can’t do [01:00:00] this anymore. I can’t live in Leominster.” She said, “Well, I can’t live in Boston.” I said, “Well, you’re going to have to move closer to Boston.” So she said, “Okay.” So, we moved to Arlington, and we brought a roommate to share the rent because neither one of us was making that much money. And so that was kind of a weird situation. She was straight. LJ: Oh, she was straight. Thank God. SB: (laughter) Thank God? LJ: Otherwise you’d have come home and find maybe somebody in bed with Jeannie. SB: Right, right. Well, we were close to her, but it was not a good setup because -- oh God, I can’t believe what we did. We did this thing every Thursday night called creative aggression, and we (laughter) -- 27 �LJ: I’ve never heard that one before. SB: Oh yeah, it was a [01:01:00] big thing. We had these Bataka bats, and if we were angry about something that the other person had done – they [the bats] were made out of foam, and we’d just get our aggression out. It was crazy. So finally, Dawn understood that she’d better leave, because she was a third wheel. LJ: She was getting beaten up by sponge. SB: By sponge. (laughter) But we went through the Blizzard of ’78, together, and I’d probably gained 10 pounds from her brownies that she made. But anyway, I was teaching in Winchester, Jeanie was a social worker in Arlington, and Dawn was living in North Cambridge. During that time, I went to women’s concerts, you know, when they’d have the women’s music, like at Sanders Theater? [01:02:00] LJ: Oh, yes. SB: I went to all of those. I went to a group called Clear Space in Central Square. LJ: I remember that. SB: It didn’t last that long but that’s where I met Barbara Webber. LJ: Oh really? SB: Yes. She was there at least for one or two times. And I was doing the Take Back the Night [an annual women’s march]. I was involved in that. And going to New Words a lot, and stuff like that. LJ: All that stuff that was there in the 70s, from the 60s. SB: Right. I’m trying to think. And I was going to Gay Pride with Jeannie, but we were hiding behind people. LJ: On the sidewalk? 28 �SB: Yes. Because I would have been fired. [01:03:00] I was teaching young children, and she might have been fired, I don’t know. She was a social worker. But we were hiding because we were afraid of the TV cameras. I still have a couple of pictures of the Pride thing. So anyway, Jeannie and I lasted for five years, and we just figured out we were not compatible, after five years. But we continued to live together which was a terrible mistake. (laughter) LJ: Well, financially, it probably made sense. SB: Well, it kind of did at the time. It was just the easiest thing to do. But she came home one night with a guy. I was furious. LJ: A guy? SB: A guy, right. I mean she -- LJ: Had there been any hint that she was bisexual? SB: Yeah. But I thought those days were over. Apparently not. [01:04:00] So that’s when I thought, “I got to get out of here.” And I did. I left Arlington, and I went to live with a couple of friends of mine, a lesbian couple, in Belmont. And I was there for about a year or so. And I felt like the third wheel because they were together, and I was single, and it just didn’t feel right. And I’d always wanted to live in Cambridge anyway. I didn’t want to live in Belmont. So I started looking around and I found a single mom and her daughter. LJ: Was she a lesbian? SB: No, she wasn’t. Her name was Wendy. I can’t remember the name of the street, but it was back where the police station was in Central Square. [01:05:00] It was back of there, on the side street. And the apartment was in bad shape, but the rent was incredibly cheap. 29 �And I had decided at that point that I did not want to teach little kids anymore, that I really wanted to teach adults how to read, because the friend that I made in the lesbian separatist group had a father who couldn’t read. And he was telling me about it, and it just hit me that, “Wow, wouldn’t that be something if I could help people to learn to read?” And I knew that there were people, adults who couldn’t read. And so I decided I’d go back to get my master’s degree in education at Northeastern. And so, for about four or five years, I pretty much stuck to [01:06:00] studying at Northeastern. And I worked at Northeastern and MIT, and they paid my tuition. LJ: Really? SB: Oh yeah, Northeastern paid all of it and so did MIT. I never had -- LJ: That’s fantastic. SB: I didn’t pay one red cent. And at night, I was teaching. I was starting to teach adult basic ed at the Harriet Tubman House, down in your neighborhood. LJ: Which is about to not be Tubman House. SB: You know that? LJ: Yeah. They’re going to build something over it. The lease is up and it’s going to be taken down, and they’re going to build a huge -- SB: I am so upset about that. LJ: I am, too. SB: I am so upset. I wish there was something that we could do. LJ: Yes. So anyway, you got your education. 30 �SB: I got my education, and because -- [01:07:00] I did it part-time because I had to work full time. So I [took the courses] at night and that’s why I took so long. I got my degree in 1985, my master’s degree. LJ: In education? SB: In education. And I enjoyed it very much because the Reading Clinic was fantastic. I had this great kid from Roxbury and at first, he looked like he wasn’t going to go for anything, and I got him to put on a radio program of his own and do different things with him. It was really interesting. So I was thrilled. But I got the degree in reading for K through eight, or K through 12, but I didn’t want to teach in a public school. I wanted to teach adults how to read. And that’s what I ended up -- an opening came up for an adult basic ed teacher at the Harriet Tubman House full time. [01:08:00] LJ: Really? So you went over there. SB: And I went over there, and I was there for five years. Five years. LJ: This was in the late 80s. SB: Yeah, I’m trying to think. Yes, it would be in the late 80s, yes. That’s right. LJ: And we never met you until later on. SB: I know. LJ: You didn’t get to DOB. SB: I didn’t get to DOB. I knew something was going on at the Old Cambridge Baptist Church, but I think I was in Arlington and I just wasn’t paying attention or something. Really. And Jeannie was more of an introvert. She didn’t want to -- she didn’t particularly want to meet new people or anything. So anyway, so let me see. Okay. [01:09:00] So. 31 �LJ: You were talking about -- SB: Go ahead, Lois. LJ: Yeah, no. The late ‘80s. So, where did you teach? What did you do with it? SB: I went back to the Tubman House. They had an opening for a full-time teacher. And they gave it to me because I worked there at night. LJ: That’s great. SB: And Janet Nicholas was my supervisor. And Janet is the wife of Susan Jacoby, that Sheri is in a group with. LJ: So that’s what you were talking about. SB: Yes, that’s what we were talking about. So, Janet and I, we were already friends because we did literacy volunteers. I did literacy volunteers for a while. And I had this man -[01:10:00] this is weird -- to teach how to read. And I said -- and he did tell me that he’d been in prison. And I said, “Can you tell me what you were in prison for?” And he said, “Well, I won’t tell you until the end of the program.” So, we had so many weeks with this person. And at the end of the time -- I mean he was good. I really enjoyed teaching him and everything. At the end of the time I said, “Okay, it’s time for you to tell me what you were in prison for,” and he said, “Well, I was in there for murder.” I went, “Oh my God.” (laughter) LJ: Where’s the door? SB: Why didn’t I get the -- oh, my God. And I sat there stone-faced like, “Oh, okay.” LJ: You didn’t elaborate. SB: No. I said, “Well, I’m sorry to see you go,” [01:11:00] but, oh my God. LJ: He really murdered somebody? 32 �SB: Yeah. Well, you know what it was? He said it was somebody he knew, and he got really, really angry. I don’t know whether -- I can’t remember whether [he used] a gun or a knife. He was in a barroom, okay? Part of his parole was he couldn’t go into another barroom. Of course he did, and then he went back to prison. So anyway, yeah. So that was all very interesting. (laughs) And teaching at the Harriet Tubman House, I just loved it. I loved it so much. LJ: How many students did you have in a class? SB: Let’s see, I probably had about 10 in the morning. I had women who were -- they were on AFDC, [01:12:00] Aid to Families with Dependent Children, and they were remarkable. The fact that they could even walk through the door. . . LJ: They had experiences, I’m sure. SB: Oh my God, the stories. I mean some of them, they didn’t get any sleep the night before, because in the project that they lived in, there were gunshots in the hallways. I had one woman coming down from the North Shore, a motel, taking a bus down and going to the Tubman House. I couldn’t believe it. I said -- I kept trying to tell people how incredible they were to walk through the door at their age to do this. And then I had a night class that met two nights a week, and they [01:13:00] were working. Everybody in that class was working, and there was a guy there who was working at GE, and he had a pretty good job. He couldn’t read. He had a guy, his friend, reading the instructions on how to do something so he knew what to do. It was incredible. LJ: A terrible deprivation. SB: And his brother was in prison, wrongfully accused of murder. So I said, “We’re all going to write a letter to Willy’s brother,” and we wrote this letter to Willy’s brother and he was 33 �-- Willy told us that he was very happy that he got the letter. And in in the time that I was at the Tubman House, he was exonerated, so he sued the city of Boston, I think, [01:14:00] and he got quite a bit of money. So it was really an experience for me. The jobs I’ve had, I feel like they are part of my activism. They may be different from being out there and protesting and everything, but they really formed me in my thinking about people. So let’s see, I was living in Cambridge and -LJ: You were living with -- SB: The single mom and the daughter. But they were going to buy a condo. LJ: You didn’t have a lover at that point. SB: Well, for a very short time I was involved with a gay man who couldn’t [01:15:00] admit that he was gay. And he said, “You understand that.” And I said, “Well, not really.” (laughter) LJ: Not really. You want one or the other, baby. SB: Yes. So, I moved out of that apartment and I moved to North Cambridge. And I started to do volunteer work, along with everything else. I was volunteering for the North Cambridge News; it was this little local newspaper. And I was telling my father about the people I was -- I started interviewing people in the neighborhood, and my father said, “Why don’t you interview Tip O’Neill?” And I said, “Oh, he doesn’t have time for me.” And my father said, “You don’t know that. Why don’t you give it a shot?” So I went to see the cobbler where Tip O’Neill went to get his shoes fixed, and I had interviewed him, and he said, [01:16:00] “Oh, I’ll get you an interview. I’ll get you an interview, don’t worry about it.” So, a couple of days later, Tip O’Neill’s secretary called me and said, “You’ve got the interview, but you’ve only got 15 minutes with 34 �him.” So she told me when it was, and I went to the library and I just [did] research, research, research on Tip O’Neill. And the day came, and I had this job, full-time job, as an editor in Central Square. I forget the name of the company. Oh, HW Wilson. But anyway, I went on my lunch hour down to the O’Neill building that had been named for him. And I walk -- I go up to the 10th floor, and I walked in the door, and here’s this woman sitting behind a [01:17:00] desk, and the desk has a bumper sticker on it, and it says, “I survived parochial school.” (laughter) She looked like she came out of the 40s, with her hairdo and everything. So I introduced myself, and she said, “Oh I’ll get Fran,” and Fran came out, she was his secretary, and she was a tough cookie. LJ: She had to be to work with him. SB: Well, sure. You had to organize him or whatever. She said, Okay, he’s coming up from the Cape, but he’s going to be late.” So she says, “You sit on that couch with Sal,” and I’m sitting on the couch with Sal DiMasi, remember him? The one who got caught doing something? I can’t remember now. But anyway, so an hour goes by, and then another hour goes by. And I’m sitting there thinking, “I’m going to get fired [01:18:00] from my job.” And all of a sudden, the door opens, and this huge man comes in, and he walks through and goes, “Hi Sarah, how are you doing?” I said, “Oh, fine.” Right? So, he goes into his office and he says, “Fran, bring me my comb.” So she goes over, and she gives him his comb. Combs his hair, and then he goes, “Okay, Sarah, come on in.” I’m like, “God.” Right? So, I went in and I said, “Oh, I’m scared to death.” (laughter) I couldn’t help it. And he said, “Don’t worry darling, you’re right at home.” Well, not really. But anyway, so I sat down, and my knees were -- they were going like this. LJ: Shaking. 35 �SB: I’m going like this. What do I have? I’ve got a tape recorder from Radio Shack, and I’ve got these [01:19:00] mini cassettes. Oh my God. LJ: And you’re not quite sure how to use them. SB: And I don’t know how to use them. And I’m going, “Oh my God,” and I looked at him and I said, “Well I read someplace,” I don’t know how I did this. “I read someplace that you saw Babe Ruth at Dilboy Field in Somerville.” Well, that did it. LJ: He went on. SB: He went on. And then I had to corral him back and say, “Well, can you tell me what it was like to grow up in North Cambridge?” And that was the last question I asked him. I only asked two questions and I got about two hours with him. LJ: You were only supposed to have 15 minutes. SB: Right, right. You got it. LJ: He was having a good time. SB: (laughter) He was. I mean, he loved it. And so did I. And at the end he gave me -- I had my book on him, Tip O’Neill, Speaker of the House, or something. And I said, “Would you please [01:20:00] sign this book for me?” And inside he said -- oh, he said something like, “You’re brilliant, you’re beautiful, you’re blah, blah, blah, Speaker Tip O’Neill.” Then underneath it said, “Now it’s up to you what you do with this interview.” And I looked at him and -- this, really -- I said, “You’ve kissed the Blarney Stone too many times.” (laughter) And he said to me, “Sarah, do you want a picture of us standing by the flag?” I’m thinking to myself, “No, not by the flag but okay, yes I would, I would.” LJ: Anything you say, dear. 36 �SB: Anything you say, right? So guess what? The picture never came out. It never came out. I had to go back and ask the secretary if she could get him up there to get a picture. [01:21:00] So she did. And she actually was a wonderful person. LJ: Was this done when you were doing this type of work for the city of Cambridge? SB: It was right before. So that did it. After I did the interview with Tip, he had written in the book, “Now it’s up to you what you do with this interview,” and my editor of the North Cambridge News said to me, “Why don’t you do an oral history project?” I said, “What is an oral history project?” (laughs) And he told me, and I said, “Oh my God, I’d love to do that.” So that’s how it started. And I had a little money from -- my aunt left me a little bit of money where I could work part-time and do this project part-time. And that’s what I ended up doing. I ended up working for the Cambridge Housing Authority part-time. [01:22:00] LJ: Did you create the idea? SB: Yes, I did. They had money at the North Cambridge Stabilization Committee, because the Red Line was going to Porter Square and they were afraid that the neighborhood was going to get to destabilized, so the federal government actually gave the city money, and part of it went to the North Cambridge News to help people keep track of what was going on. And so I got money. I got a grant. I wrote a grant, and I got it for that. LJ: That’s very exciting that you did that all by yourself. SB: I didn’t know what I was doing. I mean, I made it up. (laughs) I’m not kidding. I made up the whole thing. LJ: Well, it shows how creative you are. 37 �SB: Well, [01:23:00] it was the best thing I ever did, because it was what I should have been doing. And I did it. Now, during that time I went to a lot of veterans’ organizations in North Cambridge. There were three or four of them. And I went to one to talk to people about this project I was doing. And there was a man there who -- and I said, “Sign up, please sign up and I’ll interview you.” So they were a little -- North Cambridge was like really kind of provincial. It’s like, everybody stayed in North Cambridge. They didn’t go anywhere. LJ: Was it an Irish village? SB: Irish. French Canadian, pretty much. So anyway, this guy comes up, and he signs up, and he’s joking, and he is hilarious. [01:24:00] He’s hilarious, okay? And there was something about him. Honest to God, Lois. So he turned around, and he was walking down, and I thought, “I like that guy.” I liked him. So I interviewed him, and it was just one hilarious moment after another. I fell for him. LJ: Did you? SB: I did. I did. I was with him for five years. He had a drinking problem, and he ended up having kidney failure and he died. He died too young. I think he was 63 or something like that. But I don’t regret [01:25:00] being with him. LJ: No, why should you? He was a human being. SB: I really, really loved him. But it was problematic, needless to say. But anyway, it was a lot of fun. LJ: It was a lot of fun, and it was a precious moment in your life. SB: It was. Thank you. Thank you. So, after I did this project on North Cambridge, I went to see the mayor, because I was friendly with the mayor at that point. 38 �LJ: Was it -- SB: Sheila Russell. LJ: No, I thought I knew the mayor. I guess she was prior to that. I can’t remember her name. She was a Black woman. SB: Denise Simmons. LJ: Oh, yes. SB: No, this is before Denise. Sheila Russell. She came from North Cambridge. And I had [01:26:00] to learn -- Joe was the guy’s name that I went with. He was a firefighter, and he knew all the ins and outs of the city. And he told me, “You’ve got to get friendly with these politicians.” LJ: Or you wouldn’t get anywhere. SB: You won’t get anywhere. He said to me, “Don’t you want,” this is a real working-class attitude, but thank God for him, he said, “Don’t you want a check every week?” (laughs) Well yeah, I do. LJ: I’ve got to pay the rent. SB: Yeah. So, I had her go to the city manager, who’s actually the person in Cambridge who is in control, not the mayor, and ask him if I could do another project. And I got in touch with him, and I said, “I would like to do another project,” and he said, “Well, you can do Central Square.” [01:27:00] He probably thought that would scare me off, because everything was changing in Central Square then. It was getting gentrified, and it was changing a lot. But I took up the challenge, what the heck? And he said, “You’re only temporary, you know.” Well, I was temporary in Cambridge for 17 years. (laughter) LJ: Which meant they didn’t have to pay your health insurance, et cetera. 39 �SB: They did. They paid my health insurance. I have a pension from them. I had every benefit except for long-term disability. Every benefit. LJ: Wonderful. SB: I couldn’t have asked for anything more. And I had practically total autonomy, because I was working for the Cambridge Historical Commission, and they really didn’t know what I was doing. (laughter) [01:28:00] LJ: All they knew were history, and that’s all they needed. SB: Their focus was on the buildings in Cambridge. It wasn’t on people. And that was my focus, was people. And I always wanted to interview the people that nobody else would even think of interviewing. That was my idea, was ordinary people, because that’s what Tip O’Neill wanted. And that’s what I figured out, that’s what I wanted to do. LJ: That’s the type of person who says, when they sit down with you, “I don’t know why you want to interview me. I haven’t done anything in my life.” SB: Exactly. LJ: And you search, and you find they’ve had a very rich and full life, which they don’t really recognize. SB: You’re exactly right. And then, when that happens, [01:29:00] that’s what happened the first interview I did with this woman in the Cambridge Nursing Home. I said, “I want to interview you,” and she said, “I didn’t do anything.” And that was true of a lot of women that I interviewed. And I said, “Well, why don’t you just start talking? Tell me where you grew up,” blah blah blah. Come to find out she was a radio operator on Long Island during World War II. Amazing. She brought up two children on her own because she got a divorce. You didn’t do that back then. She ended up in electronics which was not a 40 �woman’s field. I mean, she did a whole bunch of stuff. And what I did was, I transcribed the interview myself, and then I blew it up so she -- her eyes weren’t that good, so she could see it. I said, “Now, you just read this please, and I’ll be back tomorrow, and I want to hear what you have to say about it.” [01:30:00] So I went back, and she’d put stickers all over it and she said, “Now I know what you’re talking about.” And then I felt like I had done my job. You’ve got it, Lois. LJ: Yes. Humanity. SB: Yes. It was just the best. Just the best. LJ: So when did the wonderful man that you were with, when did he die, at the end of the relationship or when you were just beginning? SB: No, I was with him for about five years, and I couldn’t stand the drinking anymore. So I broke up with him, and he went downhill. He just went straight downhill. LJ: He must have loved [01:31:00] you a lot. SB: I think he did. Yeah. He died in 2004. And you know, I never thought that I’d ever have another relationship, because I’m thinking to myself, “Okay, so I was with a man, now what am I going to do?” And I get this phone call from Jeannie about six months later. And she’s living down at the Cape. This was the woman I lived with in Arlington. And she says, “How are you doing?” I said, “Pretty good, how are you doing?” She says, “Why don’t you come down and see me?” So I went down to see her, and we got back together. (laughs) LJ: It went from there. Did we ever meet her at RALLY? SB: No because it was a long-distance relationship. And she wanted me to move to the Cape, and I [01:32:00] did not want to move to the Cape. I wanted to stay here. 41 �LJ: Yes, where all the action was. SB: Where all the action was. Why would I want to go to the Cape? So anyway, that put the kibosh to it. But I was with her for about five years, again, and then broke off. I figured after that that there was never going to be another relationship. I was getting too old, blah blah blah. LJ: Let me tell you one thing. You’re never too old. SB: I found that out. LJ: (laughs) Tell us about that. SB: Okay. Nineteen -- 2018, not 1918. (laughs) 2018. Well, I’d been involved in RALLY and Ole, and -- LJ: [Ole?]. SB: [Ole], I’m having a ball, [01:33:00] right? And I decide to go to the Ole weekend. I’d been to a couple of them, and I decided to go to the one in 2018. And my friends Faye and Louise, I think I rode down to the Ole weekend with them. I did. I did. And I was sharing a room with Suzanne Laurelle. Saturday night, we were playing poker. And Faye came up to me on Sunday and said, “What do you think of Pam?” I said, “Pam who?” (laughter) And [she told me, and] I said, “I don’t even know who she is.” She said, “She was sitting right next to you.” And I said, “Well, I wasn’t paying attention. I was paying attention to the poker.” And she told me [01:34:00] that she had asked Pam what Pam thought of me. And apparently, Pam had been interested. She told Faye that I was a delight. Little did she know. (laughter) No, I’m just kidding. So anyway, I said, “That’s nice.” I didn’t think much of it. But Faye said to me -- she was the yenta, whatever you call it in Yiddish, the matchmaker. And Faye said, “Well, why don’t you -- 42 �we’re all going to Plymouth on Sunday afternoon to have dinner up in Plymouth. Why don’t you ride to Plymouth with Pam and then you’ll get to know her a little bit?” LJ: And then find out. SB: Yes. So I said, “Okay.” Pam came around and I said, “Hi, Pam. I’ll go with you to Plymouth.” And the first thing I noticed with her was [01:35:00] that she was incredibly observant. She’s driving the car, and she’s looking at all these things on the road, and she could see everything. And we just went to Plymouth and had dinner. I mean, I didn’t -she seemed like a really nice person. That’s all I knew. And what happened then? So, Faye said, “Why don’t you ride home with her?” and I said, “No, I’m not going to do that. I’m riding home with you.” So I said to Pam, “Well, Pam, it was really nice to spend time with you, and maybe I’ll see you sooner or later,” sort of like that. So, I went home, and I didn’t hear anything from Pam. And I started to think about it, and I [01:36:00] thought, “Well, I’ll make a friend if nothing else.” And I called her up and I said, “Do you want to go to the S&S for dinner?” and she said, “Oh, I’d love to.” So, I met her at the S&S, and I mean, I just could not believe how relaxed and wonderful it was to spend time with her, because she was funny, and she was understanding, and she was kind. She comes from Oklahoma. (laughs) And I thought, “Wow, she’s really something.” And I found out she was a year older than me and everything, and she was talking about that she had only come out five years ago. LJ: Really? SB: Yeah. LJ: She must have had a family, then. 43 �SB: No, she didn’t. [01:37:00] So, anyway, that was our date. And then, I think she called me the next time and said, “Do you want to do this?” I said, “Yeah.” She remembers exactly the date that we kissed near the S&S. (laughter) I think it was June 6th, but anyway. LJ: That’s a good indicator. SB: Yeah. And our relationship has really grown. And I really love being with her. LJ: That’s wonderful. SB: We’ve been together for over a year now, and it’s been wonderful. It’s really been great. I mean, we don’t live together. [01:38:00] Given my life story, I’m not sure I’d want to. I don’t know. I mean, I might want to with her at some point, but I’m feeling -- LJ: Right now, this is right. SB: This is right. We give each other a wide berth, but we see each other quite often. We talk every day. And I just think she’s one of the best people I’ve ever met in my life. LJ: That’s great. SB: And I never thought it would ever happen again. LJ: That’s the best kind that happens, it suddenly descends from heaven upon you. SB: It just happens. LJ: And it happens. SB: Yes. I’ve never found -- I’ve never been able to go out thinking, “I’m going to meet somebody,” and it happened. [01:39:00] It never happens that way. For me. LJ: No, it comes out of -- not out the woodwork, but it comes out of the blue. SB: Do you need your -- LJ: I need that. 44 �SB: Yeah. Don’t you think? LJ: I think so. For things that are destined to be. Whoops, I dropped something. SB: Can you get it? LJ: I think I can. So, you were going to just let that develop. You’re having a good time? SB: We’re going to my 55th high school reunion this weekend. LJ: Wonderful. (laughter) SB: I mean, I came out to the people at my class at my 50th, so I thought, “Well, I’ll ask Pam to go with me to the 55th.” LJ: That’s wonderful. You [01:40:00] have more courage than I ever had. I wanted to go to my 25th back a long way, but in those days, it wasn’t the thing to do, so I never went to one. SB: Well no, of course not. No, I mean, how could you? I mean, you remember the days when it was illegal. LJ: Oh yes, I do. I do. This has been a wonderful, wonderful time. Let me see if there’s other things that we should cover. I think you’ve given us just a wonderful idea in great detail of how normal it is for a woman to [01:41:00] love a woman. Is there anything else you’d like to add to that or that you want to enlarge upon? SB: I guess I’d just like to say that I’ve always been a fighter, and I fought with my father. But that wasn’t too great. But something good came out of it. And it was the ability to feel how people who have been marginalized in one way or another, how they [01:42:00] feel, and to work toward making things better for people. I mean, I’ve been involved in issues around women’s rights and abortion rights and civil rights and also, the rights of 45 �people who’ve had mental illness. So, that’s been all very important to me, and I’m just glad I’ve had that opportunity to help people. LJ: And you have, from what we’ve heard in this interview; you’ve had a wonderful career. And you still have so much to look forward to. SB: Yes. You’re the best, Lois. Thank you. [01:43:00] LJ: Thank you. SB: Thank you so much. LJ: Anything else you want to add? SB: No. LJ: We have now completed a wonderful interview. And we are turning it off. (laughter) END OF SARAH BOYER FILE 46 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Daughters of Bilitis (Boston) Oral History Project Description An account of the resource Through oral histories, 21 women share their stories of growing up, coming out, and joining the Boston chapter of the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB), the earliest known lesbian organization in the United States. DOB members came from diverse backgrounds, class, and education, but the rejection by one’s family, the stress of living a double life, and the search for a place to feel safe run through each narrative. Several storytellers knew they were lesbians in childhood, while others did not until their 30s and 40s. Some married men to conform to society’s expectations, while others fought to make an independent life for themselves. All found DOB, where they were accepted, loved, and nourished to grow into proud women, loving women. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Coll.0213 Relation A related resource <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/items/show/183" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coll. 011: Boston Daughters of Bilitis Collection and Focus/Maiden Voyage Publication Finding Aid</a> <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/collections/show/48" title="Digitized Materials">Digitized Materials: Focus/Maiden Voyage, a publication of the Boston chapter of the Daughters of Bilitis, 1969-1975</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview. Johnson, Lois Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed. Boyer, Sarah Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Sarah Boyer, 2019 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2019-07-24 Description An account of the resource Interview with Sarah Boyer for the Daughters of Bilitis Oral History Project. Interview conducted by Lois Johnson. Subject The topic of the resource Boyer, Sarah; Daughters of Bilitis (Boston); Lesbians; Lesbian movement Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ+ Boston Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright restrictions may apply. For more information and to view our takedown policy, visit https://historyproject.omeka.net/rights-and-reproductions. Daughters of Bilitis Oral history