William Way LGBT Community Center Digital Collections

Carter, Mandy; Gittings, Barbara; Wylen, Bert

Bert Wylen interviews Barbara Gittings on March 28, 1994, about her activism in the gay rights movement. Gittings reflects on coming out in the late 1950s, founding the New York chapter of the Daughters of Bilitis, leading the gay group within the American Library Association, and editing The Ladder. Gittings discusses key moments in her activism, including the 1958 Supreme Court ruling that secured the right to distribute gay publications through the postal service, her contributions to the efforts to remove homosexuality from the APA’s list of mental illnesses, and participation in the first gay kissing booth at an annual ALA conference. Gittings discusses the risks of early picketing and the evolution of the gay rights movement over two decades; Bert Wylen interviews Mandy Carter of the Human Rights Campaign about her activism and philosophies regarding coalition-building. Carter discusses her support for Harvey Gantt’s 1990 campaign against Jesse Helms, her work with the Black Lesbian Leadership Forum, and her early activism in the War Resisters League. Carter addresses racism within the gay community. Material used in broadcasts of WXPN’s Gaydreams and Pacifica National News.

1994-03-28; undated

00:57:05

digital audio tape

local: Ms. Coll. 8; https://digital.wilcoxarchives.org/islandora/object/islandora:1602

Gaydreams audio recordings

English

New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Washington, DC

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