PHILADELPHIA – Framed “Gay Pioneers” posters autographed by all seven of the on-camera Gay Pioneers were presented on October 23, 2006 to the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution for their permanent collections. The “Gay Pioneers” posters were received by Deanna Marcus, Associate Librarian, and other senior executives at the Library of Congress and by Harry Rubenstein, Chair, Division of Politics and Reform, Smithsonian Institution.
The “Gay Pioneers” posters were presented by Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director of Equality Forum and Executive Producer of “Gay Pioneers,” accompanied by Gay Pioneers Frank Kameny and Lilli Vincenz. One hundred posters were signed by all seven of the on-camera Gay Pioneers. One of the Gay Pioneers, Jack Nichols, subsequently passed away on May 2, 2005.
“The Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution are preeminent repositories of our nation’s heritage. Equality Forum is honored to donate the autographed ‘Gay Pioneers’ poster to these institutions’ collections about the GLBT civil rights movement,” stated Lazin.
“Gay Pioneers” is a documentary film about the start of the organized gay and lesbian civil rights movement with annual demonstrations on July 4 in front of Independence Hall from 1965 to 1969, prior to Stonewall. “Gay Pioneers” (www.gaypioneers.com) was co-produced by Equality Forum and WHYY/PBS and has been screened at film festivals, GSAs, college campuses, and for HRC, NGLTF, and other national organizations.
On October 6, 2006, the Frank Kameny Collection of over 70,000 documents was presented to the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian. Frank Kameny, who helped organized the 1965-1969 demonstrations, is considered the father of the GLBT civil rights movement.
Equality Forum, a national and international GLBT civil rights organization, coordinates GLBT History Month featuring a Leader each day in October. Among the 2006 GLBT History Month Leaders is Gay Pioneer Barbara Gittings. To view GLBT History Month, visit www.glbtHistoryMonth.com.
ABOUT EQUALITY FORUM
Equality Forum is a non-profit 501(c)(3) national and international GLBT civil rights organization. Equality Forum (www.equalityforum.com) undertakes high impact initiatives, produces documentary films, highlights gay history and presents annually the largest national and international GLBT civil rights forum. |
