Fred Parris collection on Virginia gay and lesbian rights organizations, 1977-1983

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Summary

Creators:
Parris, Fred (Frederick Walter)
Abstract:
The collection contains materials from the Virginia Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights, 1977-1980, and the Virginia Gay Alliance, 1983. The documents include fliers, meeting information, and minutes of the Virginia Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights. The collection also contains clippings, Parris' correspondence concerning gay and lesbian rights, and a packet of materials from the Virginia Gay Alliance conference, October 15-16, 1983. Fred Parris was a freelance writer for the Washington Blade and may be best known for his articles written during the mid-1980s calling attention to gay teen suicide.
Extent:
0.1 Linear Feet
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Box #, item] Fred Parris Collection on Virginia Gay and Lesbian Rights Organizations, Coll2014-102, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection contains the contents of a ring binder compiled by Fred Parris of materials from the Virginia Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights, 1977-1980, and the Virginia Gay Alliance, 1983. The documents include fliers, meeting information, and minutes of the Virginia Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights. The collection also contains clippings, correspondence concerning gay and lesbian rights, and a packet of materials from the Virginia Gay Alliance conference, October 15-16, 1983.

Biographical / historical:

Frederick Walter Parris was born November 12, 1948 in Manhattan, Kansas. In 1970 he graduated from Kansas University with a degree in journalism. While writing for the University Daily Kansan he received the William Allen White Award for excellence in feature writing. After earning his master's degree from Kansas’s Emporia University in library science, he was employed by the Memphis Public Library system. While in Memphis he was the news editor for a local gay and lesbian newspaper, Gaiety. In 1976 Parris relocated to suburban Washington, D.C. and became active in the gay and lesbian rights movement, and a number of other progressive causes. He was a freelance writer for the Washington Blade through the 1980s. Parris' articles during the mid-1980s on gay teen suicide have been credited with bringing attention to the crisis. In 1989, he took a position with the Houston Public Library, where he served in a number of capacities until his retirement in 2008. He died of congestive heart failure in March 2011.

Chibbaro, Lou, Jr. "Obituary: Fred Parris, 62." Washington Blade, April 07, 2011. http://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/04/07/obituary-fred-parris-62/#sthash.mIgNGy2c.dpuf (retrieved October 23, 2014).

Acquisition information:
Letter from Lloyd Ostby in lieu of deed of gift, dated January 04, 2014.
Processing information:

Collection processed by Michael C. Oliveira, October 2014.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

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.

The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.

Preferred citation:

[Box #, item] Fred Parris Collection on Virginia Gay and Lesbian Rights Organizations, Coll2014-102, ONE National Gay & 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
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