David Charnow Papers

Provenance

Donated by Daniel Tamulonis, who acquired the work from Columbia University’s Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender center.

Scope and Content

This collection contains a vast array of research conducted by Mr. Charnow for his thesis project at Columbia University. There is some small mention on children’s learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, from courses he both took and taught while at Columbia. David continued with some slight research on support groups and healing methods for people with AIDS such as Mariposa, GMHC, Body Positive, and HEAL. The majority of the collection is dedicated to his time as moderator of the computer bulletin board group Survivors. There are complete print outs of these from 1987-1989, in which heart wrenching as well as warming stories are shared between PWAs and their families. It clearly shows the troubles PWAs experienced from forming new relationships to taking their last breaths during the late 1980s. Also the bulletin board was in its own way a form of a support group. It’s filled with loving advice shared by Mr. Charnow, and caring thoughts from others that come from all parts of the United States, but focused more in the Washington D.C., and New York City areas.

History or Bio

David Charnow was a doctoral student at Teacher’s College, Columbia University in NYC. He specialized and did research on children with learning disabilities. Mr. Charnow did research on support groups and healing methods for PWAs. He moderated a computer bulletin board group on “The Backroom” titled Survivors, under the handle “UPPER WESTSIDER.” Survivors was a bulletin board for people with AIDS, and their friends and families. He himself was living with AIDS. David gave advice, shared stories, and offered comfort to all on the bulletin board from 1987 to 1989. In the late 1980s David Charnow compiled a manuscript incorporating messages that were posted on the bulletin board Survivors, with hopes of publication. He died on July 23, 1990 at the age of 48.

Folder List