Southerners Records

Provenance

The records of Southerner’s were originally collected and held by its founder, David Gilbert. They were donated anonymously in 1992 to the National Archive of Lesbian and Gay History after David Gilbert’s death.

Use Restrictions

Names, addresses, and phone numbers found on mailing and membership lists may not be published or used in any manner. No photocopies of these lists may be made.

Scope and Content

The bulk of the collection is the records of the Southerners organization. These include minutes, correspondence, flyers, newsletters, and mailing lists. They also include some printed materials from various gay and lesbian organizations in the South. A smaller amount of material (folders 40-43) is AIDS related. Folder 44 contains personal papers of David Gilbert, largely relating to his own battle with AIDS. This last folder includes a description, written in October 1989, of treatments for ARC which he was undergoing.

The collection was in partial order when received. There were labeled folders for the records of the organization and for the many newsletters, periodicals, and flyers from organizations in the South. These were likely in alphabetical order at one time but that order was disturbed before reaching the Archive. The alphabetical order was restored in processing. In addition there was a large amount of materials which were unfoldered and unorganized. These materials are now in folders 40-44.

History or Bio

Southerners: Lesbians and Gay Men in New York, Inc. was founded by David Gilbert in April 1990 as a supportive and activist organization for Southerners living in the New York City area. Southerners was founded to celebrate aspects of Southern culture loved and missed by its members, and to work from a distance to alleviate the homophobia in the South. The group sponsored potluck suppers, Texas two-step dances, trips to Southern restaurants, parties, and other social events. The organization did not long survive the death of its founder.

David Gilbert was born in Martinsville, Virginia, August 23, 1961. After graduating from the College of William and Mary in 1983, he moved to New York City. He was a co-founder of New York City’s Stonewall Democratic Club. He worked within Mayor Edward I. Koch’s administration as an assisstant to Special Assisstant Herb Rickman, and later in the Contract Unit of the New York City Department of Health. He founded Southerners in 1990 and died of AIDS related causes.

Folder List