Kameny, Frank, 1925-2011

Variant names
Dates:
Birth 1925-05-21
Death 2011-10-11

Biographical notes:

Gay rights activist, of Washington, D.C.

From the description of Frank Kameny-George Painter correspondence, 1981-1997. (Historical Society of Washington, Dc). WorldCat record id: 70959511

Gay rights activist. Full name: Franklin E. Kameny.

From the description of Frank Kameny papers, 1843-2006 (bulk 1957-1996). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 75382965

Biographical Note

1925, May 21 Born, New York, N.Y. 1943 1946 Served in U.S. Army during World War II with combat duty in Germany 1956 Ph.D. in astronomy, Harvard University, Boston, Mass. 1957 Dismissed from the U.S. Army Map Service on charges of homosexual activity 1957 1961 Appealed dismissal through government review boards and the federal courts up to the U.S. Supreme Court which declined his appeal for review 1961 Founded the Mattachine Society of Washington 1962 1990s Served as counsel or representative for applicants charged with homosexual activity before a variety of federal administrative review boards, specializing in federal employment, security clearance, and military discharge cases 1963 Began campaigning for the removal of homosexuality from the American Psychiatric Association's diagnostic manual of mental disorders (delisted in 1973), the reversal of the U.S. Civil Service Commission's exclusion of homosexuals from federal employment (ban lifted in 1975), the revocation of the District of Columbia's sodomy laws (repealed in 1993), and the retraction of policies denying national security clearances to homosexuals (completed in 1995) Cofounded the East Coast Homophile Organizations, an alliance of homophile organizations focused on legal reforms and education 1965 Led first public protests for gay rights at the White House; expanded the picketing to include the Pentagon, State Department, and the U.S. Civil Service Commission Organized first of several annual July 4th demonstrations for gay rights at Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pa. 1968 Coined and promoted the slogan “Gay Is Good” 1971 Campaigned for the District of Columbia's nonvoting delegate seat as the first openly gay candidate for the U.S. Congress; following the election, the campaign committee formed the Gay Activist Alliance of Washington D.C. 1972 Delegate, Democratic National Convention 1973 Founding board member, National Gay Task Force 1975 Appointed as a commissioner on the District of Columbia's Commission on Human Rights 1977 Attended White House meeting as one of several representatives from the National Gay Task Force 1978 Alternate to Mid-Term Democratic Convention 1981 Delegate, District of Columbia Statehood Constitutional Convention 1988 Received the Durfee Award

From the guide to the Frank Kameny Papers, 1843-2006, (bulk 1957-1996), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

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Subjects:

  • Civil service
  • Civil service
  • Discrimination
  • Discrimination
  • Discrimination in employment
  • Discrimination in employment
  • Gay liberation movement
  • Gay liberation movement
  • Gay military personnel
  • Gay military personnel
  • Gay rights
  • Gay rights
  • Gays
  • Gays
  • Gays
  • Gays
  • Gays
  • Gays
  • Gays
  • Gays
  • Gays
  • Gays
  • Gays
  • Gays
  • Gays
  • Gays in the civil service
  • Gays in the civil service
  • Homophobia
  • Homophobia
  • Homosexuality
  • Homosexuality
  • Homosexuality
  • Homosexuality
  • Homosexuality
  • Homosexuality
  • Lesbians
  • Lesbians
  • Lesbians
  • Lesbians
  • Military discharge
  • Military discharge
  • Security clearances
  • Security clearances
  • Social action
  • Social action
  • Sodomy

Occupations:

  • Gay activists
  • Gay rights activists

Places:

  • United States (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • Washington (D.C.) (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • Washington (D.C.) (as recorded)

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