Finding aid of the Anthony Corbett Sullivan v. Immigration and Naturalization Service Legal Records, 1974-2009
Coll2008-042
Michael C. Oliveira
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: Anthony Corbett Sullivan v. Immigration and Naturalization Service legal records
Identifier/Call Number: Coll2008-042
Physical Description:
.6 Linear Feet
2 archive cartons
Date (inclusive): 1974-2009
Date (bulk): bulk
Abstract: Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and general correspondence, legal records, court filings and exhibits, newspaper
clippings, flyers, and fund raising solicitations regarding the case of Anthony Gilbert Sullivan v. Immigration and Naturalization
Service (INS) from 1974-1986. Sullivan fought INS deportation actions so that he could remain with his partner and United
States citizen, Richard Adams.
Access
The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.
Publication Rights
Researchers wishing to publish materials must obtain permission in writing from ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives as the
physical owner. Researchers must also obtain clearance from the holder(s) of any copyrights in the materials. Note that ONE
National Gay and Lesbian Archives can grant copyright clearance only for those materials for which we hold the copyright.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain copyright clearance for all other materials directly from the copyright
holder(s).
Preferred Citation
Box #, folder #, Anthony Corbett Sullivan v. Immigration and Naturalization Service legal records, Coll2008-042, ONE National
Gay and Lesbian Archives, Los Angeles, California.
Acquisition Information
Date and method of acquisition unknown.
Custodial History
The bulk of the records of this collection appear to have come from a legal office, possibly that of Sullivan's lawyer, David
M. Brown.
Processing Information
Formerly part of the ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives subject files. Collection processed by Michael C. Oliveira, June 24, 2008.
Processing this collection has been funded by a generous grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Additional materials added to the collecion in 2015 by Kyle Morgan.
History
Anthony Corbett Sullivan met Richard Frank Adams at the Closet Bar in Los Angeles in 1971 and within a few months they were
living together. Sullivan, an Australian citizen had been traveling on a tourist visa, and by 1974 he had exhausted all his
legal options to stay in the United States. It was at this time that Sullivan and Adams decided to fight for their right to
continue to live together in the United States. The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) initiated deportation proceedings
in April 1975, but granted Sullivan a continuance to file for political asylum on the grounds that he would face persecution
if he returned to Australia. During the continuance it came to Sullivan and Adams' attention that marriage licenses were being
granted to same-sex couples in Colorado; they traveled to Colorado and were married on April 21, 1975, by Robert A. Sirico
and Freda Smith, both ordained ministers of the Universal Fellowship of the Metropolitan Community Church (UFMCC). Adams then
petitioned the INS for spousal status for Sullivan; while the petition was being considered, the INS adjourned Sullivan's
deportation hearing. When the deportation hearing resumed in February 1980, Sullivan sought its suspension, claiming that
deportation would cause extreme hardship to himself and Adams. The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) rejected Sullivan's
hardship claims and refused to consider Adams to be "a qualifying relative to whom hardship may be shown under the express
provisions of the statue." Their lawyer, David M. Brown, appealed the BIA's ruling in Adams v. Howerton.
Prior to their marriage in Colorado, Sullivan and Adams were married in a church ceremony by Troy Perry of the UFMCC. The
UFMCC supported their right to marry through the Anthony Sullivan Defense Fund League, which organized demonstrations and
fundraisers during the INS appeals process to the ruling of the United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.
On September 30, 1985, the Ninth Circuit affirmed the INS the decision to deny Adams' visa petition, holding that, even if
legal, the marriage would not meet the standards of federal immigration law. The court also affirmed the ruling in Adams v.
Howerton rejecting Sullivan's hardship claims. Sullivan was ordered to leave the United States. However, after traveling in
Europe the couple secretly returned to the United States, where Sullivan, a writer, continues (2004) to live illegally with
Adams, who works at a law firm, in an undisclosed location.
Sources:
Caldwell, John. "Legally Wed in Colorado, 1975: Pioneering Gay Couple Anthony Sullivan and Richard Adams Didn't Just Get Legally
Married 29 Years Ago; They Stood Up And Demanded To Be Recognized." The Advocate, 30 March 2004.
Anthony Corbett Sullivan v. Immigration and Naturalization Service, 772 F.2d 609 (1985), http://bulk.resource.org/courts.gov/c/F2/772/772.F2d.609.84-7317.html
(accessed June 23, 2008).
Sullivan, Anthony and Richard Adams. "Immigration Case," http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Stonewall/1676/1975Marriages/ImmigrationCase.html
(accessed June 23, 2008)
Scope and Content of Collection
The collection, which was formerly part of the ONE subject files, consists of Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)
and general correspondence, legal records, court filings and exhibits, and newspaper clippings along with flyers and fund
raising solicitations from the Anthony Sullivan Defense Fund League. The Legal records and the Correspondence folders document
Sullivan's deportation and appeals process from 1974-1986, and are arranged chronologically. The Correspondence folder also
contains a letter from Sullivan, mailed to ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives in May 2009, giving a history of the case.
The materials from the Women's Employment Options Conference (WEOC) 1978 include Sullivan's conference name tag. The Photographs
folder contains a headshot of Sullivan and a photograph of Jim Kepner, Troy Perry, and Frank Zerilli.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Same-sex marriage -- United States
Emigration and immigration -- Government policy -- United States
Emigration and immigration law -- United States -- Cases
Deportation -- United States
Sullivan, Anthony Corbett
Adams, Richard Frank
Box 1, Folder 5
The Story of Richard Frank Adams & Anthony Corbett Sullivan
1975-1982
Box 1, Folder 6
Correspondence
1975-1985, 2009
Box 2, Folder 1
Anthony Sullivan Defense Fund League
1975-1980
Box 2, Folder 3
Women's Employment Options Conference
1978
Box 2, Folder 4
Flyers, press releases, and certificates
1975-1985
Box 2, Folder 5
Photographs
circa 1980-1984
Physical Description: [9 black-and-white photographic prints]
Scope and Contents
Includes 6 photographs of Adams and Sullivan taken by Stephen Stewart on May 13, 1984; and 2 photographs, circa 1980, of the
protest for their cause.