Finding Aid to the Ron Emler Photographs and Greeting Cards
Coll2013.079
Finding aid prepared by Mario Macias
Processing this collection has been funded by a generous grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, California, 90007
(213) 741-0094
askone@ONEarchives.org
© 2013
Title: Ron Emler photographs and greeting cards
Identifier/Call Number: Coll2013.079
Contributing Institution:
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
1.0 linear foot.
3 archive binder boxes.
Date (inclusive): 1970s-2000
Abstract: Photographic prints and greetings cards documenting the travels, personal life, extended family, friends, and civic activities
of Ron Emler during the 1990s . He was a long-time partner of Joseph Carrier and a Redondo Beach School District teacher and
counselor.
creator:
Emler, Ron, 1940-2005
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in the following series:
Series 1. Travel
Series 2. Personal
Biography
Ron Emler was born in West Virginia in 1940. He met Joseph Carrier in Pacific Palisades in the summer of 1963. They became
life-long friends and partners for over 40 years, but they never lived together. Emler worked as a teacher and counselor in
the Redondo Beach School District. In his Los Angeles neighborhood, Elmer was civically active founding the Echo Park Security
Association and the Echo Park Improvement Association. The Echo Park Historical Society created the Ron Emler Memorial Book
Program in his memory. Emler died in March 2005 from Hepatitis C.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
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.
Acquisition
Deed of gift dated September 25, 2010.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder #, or item name] Ron Elmer Photographs and Greeting Cards, Coll2013-079, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives,
USC Libraries, University of Southern California.
Processing Information
The collection was processed by Mario Macias, September 2013.
Scope and Content
The bulk of the photographs of Ron Emler document his liasons and travel. He traveled in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe,
the majority of the photographs document his experiences in Southeast Asia. The collection also includes about 30 greetings
cards and photographs of his extended family and friends, as well as documenting Elmer's civic involvement in the Echo Park
neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Carrier, Joseph M., 1927-
Gays--Travel
Photographs
Sex tourism
Travel
Series
1979-2000
Arrangement
The photographic prints are arranged alphabetically by country and then chronologically where noted.
Scope and Content
The series includes photographic prints of his international travels including historic sites as well as his international
liasons. The bulk of the photographs document several trips to Thailand.
Box-binder 1
Laos (Mekong River) and Vietnam
1997-1998
Box-binder 1
United States, New Mexico
undated
Personal
Series
circa 1976-1990s
Scope and Content
The Personal series documents Emler's life with extended family, friends, and sexual liasons in photographic prints and greeting
cards. The series includes a range of events such as an award cermony, birthday parties, community clean-ups, a halloween
costume party, his 40th high school reunion, the painting of the "Chicken Corner" mural, and tree plantings in his Echo Park
neighborhood.
Box-binder 3
Friends and sexual liasons
circa 1976-1999
Box-binder 3
Family, friends, and civic involvement
1992-1999
