Finding Aid to the Gangway Suzie Collection, 1976-1982 Coll2014.047
Loni Shibuyama
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) 821-2771
askone@usc.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Title: Gangway Suzie collection
creator:
Slezewski, Alfred
Identifier/Call Number: Coll2014.047
Physical Description:
1.2 Linear Feet
1 flat box.
Date (inclusive): 1976-1982
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.
Historical Note
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.
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.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donor and date of acquisition unknown.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder #, or item name] Gangway Suzie Collection, Coll2014-047, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University
of Southern California.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Loni Shibuyama, September 2014.
Scope and Contents
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.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged alphabetically.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Cross dressing -- Competitions -- United States
Drag shows
Gay community -- California -- San Francisco
Gay bars -- California
Slezewski, Alfred
Box 1, folder 1
Award certificates
1976-1981
Box 1, folder 2
Bar administration records and correspondence
1978-1981
Box 1, Folder 3
Clippings
circa 1976-1982
Box 1, folder 6
Publicity photographs
Undated
Box 1, folder 7
Suzie Polish Empress II logo
1978
