Description
Fliers, memorial program, photographs, and obituary, 1971-1990, of Joe Killian, president of Dignity, 1972; director of ONE
Incorporated, 1971-1985; and founding member of Veterans Council for American Rights and Equality, 1984.
Background
Joseph Leon Killian, Junior, was raised in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania. He graduated with a bachelor of arts from St. John's
University, Collegeville, Minnesota. He served in the U.S. Air Force in Korea and was honorably discharged in 1969. Beginning
in 1970 Killian worked with others to found the Los Angeles chapter of Dignity, a Catholic organization for gay men and lesbian
women. In 1972 he was elected president of Dignity. Killian also served on the Board of Directors for ONE Incorporated, 1972-1985.
He adopted the pseudonym Joe Gilgamesh for his work in the gay community. In his later years he sold exercise equipment, provided
wealth seminars, and produced religious seminars. He succumbed to complications related to AIDS in 1989.
Restrictions
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the ONE Archivist. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives at USC Libraries as the owner of the physical
items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Availability
The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.