Rainbow History Project : Friends Radio Program : Interviews

FRIENDS RADIO PROGRAM: INTERVIEWS

The Friends Radio tape collection at Rainbow History covers nine years (1973 to 1982) of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer activism and community building in Washington, DC and around the nation. The Friends collection includes poetry, music, interviews, candidate interviews, social and political commentary and analysis and accounts of the creation of community services and organizations.

Rainbow History received a collection of more than 300 1/4inch acetate tape reels of varying diameters from Bruce Pennington, a founder of the Stonewall Nation Media Collective, which produced and broadcast the show at WGTB and WPFW. Rainbow History raises funds to pay for preserving, digitizing and sharing the recordings. Stay tuned, there is more to come.

The following recordings are copyright of Rainbow History.

Bruce Pennington and Dave Aiken

March 1977: the purpose of Friends Radio

Rev. Delores Berry

at the 1978 Forum on Racism in the Gay Community, on the need for a black gay organization
April 4, 1979 interview by Dave Aiken, on the activities and purposes of the National Coalition of Black Gays

Charlotte Bunch (1944 - )

speaking at the September 1974 Gay Academic Union in New York City on lesbian separatism

Divine (born Harris Glenn Milstead, 1945 - 1988)

for a brief biography see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_(actor)

February 1976: Bruce Pennington interviews actress Divine who was opening in Women Behind Bars in DC
on his film career: Divine
on his arrest for murder:Divine
on dogs & Pink Flamingos: Divine

Barbara Gittings (1932 - 2007)

for a brief biography see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Gittings

speaking at the September 1974 Gay Academic Union in New York City on lesbians' role in gay activism

ABilly S Jones-Hennin

at the 1978 Forum on Racism in the Gay Community, on the need for a black gay organization (NCBG)
April 4, 1979 interview by Dave Aiken, on oppression and struggles of black gays

Dr. Franklin E Kameny (1925 - 2011)

for a brief biography see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Kameny and also http://www.rainbowhistory.org/html/kameny.htm for documents from his career.

June 1975 on bigotry
on running for Congress in 1971, from a 2002 Rainbow History Talking History chat

Sgt. Leonard Matlovich (1943 -1988)

for a brief biography see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Matlovich. In 1975, Dr. Franklin E Kameny submitted an affidavit in support of Sgt. Matlovich.

June 1975: Bruce Pennington and Dave Aiken interview Staff Sgt Leonard Matlovich about coming out in the military as a gay man

on being gay
on his career in the military
on why he came out in the military
on support for his position
on reactions to coming out
on racism and homophobia

Rev. Troy Perry (1940 - )

for a brief biography see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Perry

November 1974: David Aiken interviews the Rev. Troy Perry and the Rev. John Barbone
starting MCC: Troy Perry
why a church for gays: Troy Perry