Finding aid to the Robert F. Craig papers and photographs, 1934-2000
Coll2012.177
Finding aid prepared by Loni Shibuyama and Monica Ramsy
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) 741-0094
askone@ONEarchives.org
(c) 2013
Title: Robert F. Craig Papers and Photographs
Identifier/Call Number: Coll2012.177
Contributing Institution:
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
7.8 linear feet.
1 archive box + 1 archive binder + 6 archive shoeboxes + 2 flat archive boxes.
Date (bulk): Bulk, 1980-2000
Date (inclusive): 1934-2000
Abstract: Personal and professional papers, photographs, negatives, slides, film, audiocassettes, a videocassette, and other material
from businessman, publisher, and gay activist, Robert F. Craig, 1934-2000. Perhaps best known as owner of the Los Angeles-based
gay newsmagazine,
Frontiers, Craig was also instrumental in organizations such as Christopher Street West, Valley Business Alliance, Lobby for Individual
Freedom and Equality (LIFE AIDS Lobby), and the West Hollywood Incorporation Committee. Materials document his activism in
the gay community, personal life, military service, personal relationships, travels, and businesses he operated.
creator:
Craig, Robert F., 1934-2000
Biography
Robert F. Craig was a longtime gay political activist, businessman, and owner of the Los Angeles-based weekly newsmagazine,
Frontiers.
Born on May 22, 1934, Craig is a Los Angeles native who attended North Hollywood High School. He served four years in the
US Air Force and was assigned to the military police, before entering the University of Southern California where he majored
in accounting. He ran businesses, including a flower shop and a messenger service. By the 1970s, Craig became owner of the
Hayloft, a Studio City gay bar.
In 1978, Craig co-founded the Valley Business Alliance, which serves as a chamber of commerce for gay and lesbian business
owners. By the 1980s, he served as president of Christopher Street West, which organizes the Los Angeles gay pride parade
and festival. In 1982, Craig helped found
Frontiers with Greg Carmack and Jerry Hyde. Craig eventually became the sole owner, expanding the publication from a 16-page tabloid
to a 168-page magazine that had as of 2000 a circulation of more than 86,000 in Southern California, San Francisco and Las
Vegas.
Shortly after starting
Frontiers, Craig joined the drive to incorporate the West Hollywood neighborhood into a city, and in 1984, he was elected chairman
of the West Hollywood Incorporation Committee. In 1986, Craig helped establish the Lobby for Individual Freedom and Equality
(also known as LIFE AIDS Lobby) to fight in Sacramento for gay civil rights. The group successfully battled for increased
AIDS funding and extension of protections under the state hate crime law to gays and lesbians.
A long time resident of the San Fernando Valley, Craig died of complications from AIDS on April 28, 2000.
Sources:
Woo, Elaine. "Robert F. Craig: Published Gay Magazine."
Los Angeles Times, May 3, 2000, http://articles.latimes.com/2000/may/03/local/me-26127 (last accessed March 20, 2013).
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.
Acquisition Information
Donor and date of acquisition unknown.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder #, or item name] Robert F. Craig Papers and Photographs, Coll2012-177, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC
Libraries, University of Southern California.
Processing Information
Formerly boxes 103-191A, 103-191B, 103-191C, 103-191D, 103-191E, 103-364, and 103-365. Collection processed by Monica Ramsy
and Loni Shibuyama, March 2013.
Scope and Content
The collection comprises personal papers, photographs, negatives, slides, film, audiocassettes, a videocassette, and other
material from businessman, publisher, and gay activist, Robert F. Craig, 1934-2000. The papers include Craig's administrative
records from
Frontiers, LIFE AIDS Lobby, Californians Against Prop 22, and Christopher Street West. The papers also document Craig's personal life,
including his education, military service, personal relationships, travels, businesses he operated, and other interests. The
photographs and audiovisual material includes hundreds of photographs and negatives documenting events such as gay pride parades,
LIFE AIDS Lobby fundraisers, drag queen pageants, parties; as well as his military experience and international travel. The
realia includes items such as Craig's military uniform service ribbons and insignias, name badges, a Masonic Lodge apron,
and Craig's leather vest from the gay bar he owned, Hayloft.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in the following series:
Series 1. Personal and professional papers
Series 2. Photographs and audiovisual materials
Series 3. Realia
Separated Materials
The following publications have been separated from the collection and cataloged into ONE Archives' periodicals collection
or monograph library:
Advocate Collector's Edition, 20 Year Anniversary, 1987.
Being Alive, Celebrating Our Community, 1997 Spirit of Hope Awards program.
Christopher Street West, A New Gay Dawning, The Gay Pride Festival program, June 26-27, 1982.
Christopher Street West Gay Pride Celebration, Bicentennial issue July 4, 1976.
Frontiers: The Nation's Gay Newsmagazine, "A special Guide to the March on Washington," Santa Monica, CA: Mercury Capital Inc., 1993.
Nightlife Magazine, West Hollywood, CA: Data-Boy, Issue 580, February 8, 1993.
Sinatra 80 Years My Way [benefitting AIDS Project Los Angeles and Barbara Sinatra's Children's Center] program, 1995.
Stoney Awards 1997 program.
Stoney Awards 1999 program.
Super-men 80, Hollywood, California, August 24, 1980 program.
Task Force on Family Diversity, City of Los Angeles, Final Report, "Strengthening Families: a Model for Community Action,"
1988.
Task Force on Family Diversity, City of Los Angeles, Transcript of Public Hearings, January 28, 1987, February 19, 1987, March
16, 1987, April 8, 1987.
The following items have been separated from the collection and added to ONE Archives' t-shirt and garments collection:
Ask Me About Life AIDS Day [white t-shirt]
Christopher Street West Los Angeles 1982; A New Gay Dawning; Bob, CSW Official [pink t-shirt]
Christopher Street West; Pride=Power '92 [hat]
Come and Celebrate; See You in 1992; Long Beach; IAL/GPC [white t-shirt]
Community Yellow Pages [yellow t-shirt]
Dive!; The Incredible Skydive For Youth Services at the LA Gay & Lesbian Center; Saturday, August 19th, 1995 [white t-shirt]
Hayloft [leather vest]
I do; Freedom to Marry [gray t-shirt]
Pioneer Days; Valley Business Alliance [blue t-shirt]
Series 16; LA 92; NAGAAA Softball World Series [gray t-shirt]
Southern California Gay & Lesbian Exposition; Expo 94 [white t-shirt]
Together in Pride [white t-shirt]
In addition, 1 bumper sticker, 5 matchbook covers and 115 buttons have been separated from the collection and placed in ONE
Archives' ephemera collection.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Christopher Street West Association.
Frontiers Publishing.
Lobby for Individual Freedom and Equality.
AIDS activists--California--Los Angeles
Correspondence
Drag shows
Gay activists--California--Los Angeles
Gay pride parades
Gays in the military--United States
Photographs
Personal and professional papers Series 1.
1934-2000
Series Description
The personal and professional papers series, 1934-2000, comprises correspondence, manuscripts, administrative records, family-related
material, notes, financial records, clippings, calendar and other materials. This series includes Craig's administrative records
from organizations such as
Frontiers, LIFE AIDS Lobby, Californians Against Prop 22, and Christopher Street West. The papers also document Craig's personal life,
including his education, experience in the military, personal relationships, travels, businesses he operated, and other interests.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically.
Box 1, Folder 1
All-American Gigolo screenplay drafts
1981
Box 1, Folder 2
(2nd Annual) American Cinema Awards program
1984
Box 1, Folder 3
Astrological profiles
1993
Box 1, Folder 5
Business cards and contact information
Undated
Box 1, Folder 6
Californians Against Prop 102
1988
Box 1, Folder 7
Christopher Street West
1992-1993
Box 1, Folder 9-12
Correspondence and greeting cards
1995-1998
Box 1, Folder 13
Family-related flyers
Undated
Box 1, Folder 14
Financial records
1970-1997
Box 1, Folder 15
Frontiers administrative records
1990-1999
Box 1, Folder 16
Greater LA AIDS Hospice Foundation proposal
1984
Box 1, Folder 17
Handwritten notes
Undated
Box 1, Folder 18
In Memorium Ron Stone
1988
Box 1, Folder 22
The Lightfoot Lad storyboard
1983
Box 1, Folder 23
Messenger, delivery service and flower shop
1969-1973
Box 1, Folder 34
Name tags and identification cards
Undated
Box 1, Folder 25
Other LGBT organizations
1981-1997
Box 1, Folder 26
Parks Air Force Base
1955
Box 1, Folder 27
Pet dog records
1993-1999
Box 1, Folder 28
School report cards and certificates
1941-1950
Box 1, Folder 30
Soul Survivor, script by Anthony Bruno
1986
Photographs and audiovisual material Series 2.
1955-2000
Series Description
The photographs and audiovisual material series, 1955-2000, comprises photographs, negatives, slides, audiocassettes, 16mm
film reels and a videocassette. This series includes hundreds of photographs and negatives documenting events such as parties,
drag queen pageants, gay pride parades, LIFE AIDS Lobby fundraisers; as well as his military experience, home life, and international
travel. Many of these photographs appear to have been taken by Craig's partner, Joel. This series also includes audiocassettes
from a Gay Press Association conference, as well as amateur home movies.
Arrangement
Material in this series are grouped by format. Photographs, negatives and slides are at the beginning of this series, followed
by audiocassettes, film and a videocassette.
Box 2-6
Photographs, negatives and slides
1955-2000
Scope and Contents note
Many of the photographs appear to have been taken by Craig's partner, Joel, and many of the descriptions written on the photograph
envelopes are written in French.
Box 3
Birthday parties
circa 1990-2000
Box 9
Robert Craig
circa 1970-2000
Box 3
Drag pageants, coronations
circa 1990-2000
Box 3
Drag performances and events, unidentified
1996, undated
Box 3
Frontiers office and unidentified social event
circa 1990-2000
Box 4
Gay and lesbian pride parades
Box 4
Christopher Street West Los Angeles pride parade
1996
Box 4
Christopher Street West Los Angeles pride parade, Trilogy photos
1996
Box 4
Christopher Street West Los Angeles pride parade, gay and lesbian marriage
circa 1990-2000
Box 4
Long Beach Gay Pride
1996, undated
Box 4
Paris, France pride parade
2000
Box 2
Robert Craig at gay pride parades
circa 1970-2000
Box 4
Unidentified pride event
circa 1990-2000
Box 3
Halloween Night
circa 1990-2000
Box 3
Leather party
circa 1990-2000
Box 3
Life AIDS Lobby
circa 1990-2000
Box 3
General, events
1996, undated
Box 3
Bonaventure Hotel
circa 1990-2000
Box 3
People of [Life AIDS Lobby]
circa 1990-2000
Box 3
San Francisco
circa 1990-2000
Box 2
Pearson-Moffatt wedding
1970
Box 3
Stonewall Democratic Club event
1996
Box 5
Barbra Streisand impersonator
1988
Box 5
Travel and vacation
circa 1990-2000
Box 2, 6
Miscellaneous
circa 1980-2000
Audiocassettes
1983, undated
Item AC1820-AC1823
Gay Press Association Convention
1983
Box 7
[Untitled audio recording of answering machine message]
Undated
Box 7
De Molay Day at Disneyland
1959
Box 7
Swim party at Howard Faddis's
1959
Box 7
Untitled videocassette (VHS-C)
circa 1982-2000
Realia Series 3.
circa 1950-1993
Series Description
The realia series, circa 1950-1993, includes items such as Craig's military uniform service ribbons and insignias, name badges,
a Masonic Lodge apron, and Craig's leather vest from the gay bar he owned, Hayloft.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically.
Box 8
Christopher Street West Festival Games medal
1983
Box 8
Christopher Street West name tag: Bob Craig
Undated
Box 8
Christopher Street West pens
1983, 1988
Box 8
Christopher Street West wristwatch
Undated
Box 10
Hayloft leather vest
Undated
Box 8
March on Washington media badge
1993
Box 8
Military and ROTC ribbons, insignias and dog tag
circa 1950-1960
Box 9
North Hollywood Lodge No. 542, [Free & Accepted Masons] apron
1958
Box 8
Pioneer Days Country Fair ribbon
1982
Box 8
Pioneer Days staff ribbon
circa 1982