Callahan (John) papers, 1930-2013

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Summary

Title:
John Callahan papers
Dates:
1930-2013
Creators:
Callahan, John F.
Abstract:
John Callahan was an activist, educator, actor, producer, director, and co-founder of the gay and bisexual rap group Age of Consent. His collection, 1930-2013, consists of personal papers, theatrical production materials, teaching materials, photographs, and audio recordings for Age of Consent.
Extent:
8.67 Linear Feet 7 boxes.
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Box/folder #, or item name] John Callahan Papers, Coll2022-008, ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection, 1930-2013, is primarily comprised of records and materials related to Callahan's work in theatre as an actor, producer, and teacher. It includes production materials for plays, including scripts, programs, publicity, cast lists, and photographs. The collection also contains personal records and materials belonging to both of his parents, yearbooks, photographs, ephemera, and audio recordings from Callahan's rap group Age of Consent.

Biographical / historical:

John Callahan was an activist, educator, actor, producer, and director. He was born in Massachusetts on February 2, 1945 to Aurelia Jeanne Sousa Callahan while his father, John F. Callahan, was stationed in Burma during World War II. Callahan grew up in Chelmsford, Massachusetts and attended Chelmsford High School, State College at Lowell, and the University of Denver. After graduating college, he taught theatre at Alice Lloyd College and Foxborough High School.

Callahan married Donna Sprague after college, the couple had a daughter, Lisa. They divorced several years later.

Callahan moved to Los Angeles in 1980, where he took a job in the legal department of Getty Oil Company. In 1981, Callahan, along with collaborator David Hughes, founded Age of Consent, "the world's first gay and bisexual rap group". Callahan was a member of Age of Consent for three years before deciding to move on and become more involved in the Los Angeles theatre community. He became the artistic director for Celebration Theatre and also worked with several other theatrical and performing arts associations in Los Angeles.

Callahan met and married Bradley Rader in 1987, the two were together for 27 years before Callahan's passing in 2013 from prostate cancer.

References: https://ageofconsentrap.com/, https://www.facebook.com/john.f.callahan/

Acquisition information:
Gift of Brad Rader, 2013.
Processing information:

Collection processed by Beth McDonald, 2022. Processing this collection has been funded by a generous grant from the California State Library.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into four series: 1) Records and Documents; 2) Photographs; 3) Media; 4) Realia and Ephemera

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Beth McDonald
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-01-19 14:54:31 -0800 .

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] John Callahan Papers, Coll2022-008, ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Location of this collection:
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90007, US
Contact:
(213) 821-2771
askone@usc.edu
Website