Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Slezewski, Alfred
- Abstract:
- Correspondence, award certificates, flyers, publicity photographs, and other material, 1976-1982, from Gangway Suzie, a bartender and camp drag performer at The Gangway bar in San Francisco, California. A local celebrity in the San Francisco drag queen community, Gangway Suzie, whose real name is Alfred Slezewski, was killed in 1982.
- Extent:
- 1.2 Linear Feet 1 flat box.
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
-
[Box/folder #, or item name] Gangway Suzie Collection, Coll2014-047, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
This collection comprises correspondence, award certificates, flyers, clippings, publicity photographs, drawings, and other material, 1976-1982, from Gangway Suzie, a bartender and drag performer at The Gangway bar in San Francisco, California. Included are certificates and other material from drag queen events and competitions, including from Imperial Courts events.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Alfred K. Slezewski was born in New York on June 25, 1928. He adopted the name Suzie/Susie at the Lemon Twist bar in Los Angeles, where he performed camp at bars and drag queen competitions. He moved to San Francisco and became a bartender and performer for The Gangway bar for nine years. Slezewski was stabbed to death on January 22, 1982 in San Francisco. The man who admitted to killing Slezewski, Douglas Toney, was acquitted based on claims of self-defense.
- Acquisition information:
- Donor and date of acquisition unknown.
- Processing information:
-
Collection processed by Loni Shibuyama, September 2014.
- Arrangement:
-
This collection is arranged alphabetically.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.
- Terms of access:
-
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.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Box/folder #, or item name] Gangway Suzie Collection, Coll2014-047, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.
- Location of this collection:
-
909 West Adams BoulevardLos Angeles, CA 90007, US
- Contact:
- (213) 821-2771