Pat Parker Celebration

In anticipation of tomorrow's Celebration of The Complete Works of Pat Parker at the Main Library, we thought it would be fun to share some photos and one of Parker's poems from the Hormel Center's archival collections.

Pat Parker, circa 1972
(Lynda Koolish Photographs Collection GLC 40)

To Lynda
(Pat Parker Poems GLC 85)

The Pat Parker Poems (GLC 85), the Lynda Koolish Photographs Collection (GLC 40), and the Cathy Cade Photographs Collection (GLC 41) are available at the San Francisco History Center, on the 6th floor of the Main Library. There is also a lovely photo portrait of Parker taken by Robert Giard in the Robert Giard Photographs Collection (GLC 37). Photos are available during San Francisco Historical Photograph Collection hours.

Of course the library has many of Parker's books and even a video recording of Parker and Audre Lorde. We hope to see you at Saturday's Celebration and we encourage you to explore the library's collections.

"Gente Gospeliers," Oakland, California, 1975
L to R: Joanne Garrett, Anita Onang, Pat Parker, Linda Tillery, and Jay Casselberry
(Cathy Cade Photographs Collection GLC 41)

Looking Back to See Our Way Forward

In response to this morning's headlines about Donald Trump's election and my concern about future rights and liberties, I searched for inspiration in the archives. I found it in the Barbara Cameron Papers.

Cameron, a Native American activist, lesbian, and writer, gave a speech shortly after Ronald Reagan's election to the presidency in 1980.

[Freedom of Women], p.1 (Barbara Cameron Papers)

[Freedom of Women], p.2 (Barbara Cameron Papers)

Her remarks address freedom for women, specifically, but she writes more broadly to include the challenges faced by all marginalized communities. Here are a few more pages to give you a taste of Cameron's eloquence.

[Freedom of Women], p.4 (Barbara Cameron Papers)

[Freedom of Women], p.6 (Barbara Cameron Papers)

You can find the entire speech in the Barbara Cameron Papers, available in the San Francisco History Center, 6th floor, Main Library.