Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Finding Aid to the Gangway Suzie Collection, 1976-1982 Coll2014.047
Coll2014.047
View entire collection guide
Search this collection
Table of contents
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.
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.
The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.
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.
[Box/folder #, or item name] Gangway Suzie Collection, Coll2014-047, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University
of Southern California.
Collection processed by Loni Shibuyama, September 2014.
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.
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