Skip to main content

Atlanta Lesbian and Gay History Thing visual arts materials

 Collection
Collection number: ahc.VIS412

Scope and Contents

This collection contains items collected by the Atlanta Lesbian and Gay History Thing (ALGHT). Photographs include staff and events at bars and nightclubs such as the Tower Lounge and Sweet Gum Head; ALGHT's table at the Atlanta Pride Festival, where "The Time of Our Lives," an exhibition about LGBTQ+ history in Atlanta between the 1940s and 1990s, was on display; Olympics Out of Cobb protests, including one at the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) headquarters; drag queens such as Charlie Brown, Dina Jacobs, Lily White; and prominent LGBTQ+ community members such as John Austin, Deana Collins, Guy Dobbs, and Billy Jones. Also included is original artwork by Janet Scarbrough, designer of the 1993 Atlanta Pride logo. All photographs were taken in Atlanta, Georgia, unless otherwise noted.

Dates

  • approximately 1975-2001, undated

Creator

Conditions Governing Use

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

This material is protected by copyright law. (Title 17, U.S. Code) Permission for use must be cleared through the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center. Licensing agreement may be required.

Biographical / Historical

Maria Helena Dolan (1954- ), Cal Gough (1948- ), John Howard (1962- ), Gil Robison (1947- ), Liz Throop, Joy Wasson (1956- ), and David Whittier founded the Atlanta Lesbian and Gay History Thing (ALGHT) in 1991 to preserve and house Atlanta’s LGBTQ history and promote understanding and appreciation of Atlanta’s lesbian and gay history.The group felt an urgency to act due to the number of deaths from the AIDS crisis and the donation of activist Charlie St. John’s (1951-1991) papers to a New York repository.

The collection started with materials from activist Ray Kluka (1952-1989), donated to the Atlanta History Center (AHC) in 1989, with subsequent additions. Terry Bird (1946- ) served as secretary to the group. In 1991 ALGHT made the AHC the permanent home for their collection and the group continues to expand the collection by soliciting donations and interest, especially through programs and workshops. Collection materials featured prominently in the AHC 2004 exhibit, “Atlanta’s Unspoken Past: Atlanta’s Lesbian and Gay History, 1940-1970.”

Extent

119 item(s) (98 color photographic prints, 13 black and white photographic prints, four contact prints, three color photographic prints with attached information, and one color drawing)

Language

English

Additional Description

System of Arrangement

This collection is arranged alphabetically according to titles supplied by staff. Control numbers are intentionally out of order to maintain alphabetical order. Drag queen names and stage names are listed in direct order.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift, 1993, with subsequent additions

Related Materials

Atlanta Lesbian and Gay History Thing papers and publications, MSS 773, James G. Kenan Research Center at Atlanta History Center

Processing Information

This collection was processed in 2021 and reprocessed in 2023.

Subjects

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
Atlanta Lesbian and Gay History Thing visual arts materials
Author
Kate Daly
Date
August 2021
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Kenan Research Center at Atlanta History Center Repository

http://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/
Contact:
130 West Paces Ferry Road
Atlanta GA 30305
404-814-4040