Finding aid to the Mark Kostopoulos papers, 1977-1992 Coll2014-068
Michael C. Oliveira
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
(c) 2014
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90007
askone@usc.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Title: Mark Kostopoulos papers
creator:
Kostopoulos, Mark
Identifier/Call Number: Coll2014-068
Physical Description:
0.2 Linear Feet
1 box.
Date (inclusive): 1977-1992
Abstract: Correspondence, arrest and court records, fliers, clippings, and written statements documenting the life of Mark Dyer Rexroad,
better known as Mark Kostopoulos. He was a leader of the Lavender Left in New Orleans, who relocated to California to help
found ACT UP/Los Angeles and later the ACT UP Network.
Biographical Note
Mark Dyer Rexroad was born in Augusta, Maine, and grew up in the Midwest. Later he would become better known by his pseudonym,
Mark Kostopoulos. He graduated from San Francisco State University and lived in San Francisco in the 1970s where he became
a member of the Revolutionary Socialist League. In the early 1980s he moved to New Orleans where he was a leader of the Lavender
Left, a socialist lesbian and gay organization. In the mid-to-late 1980s he relocated to Los Angeles where he became one of
the founding members and a leader of ACT UP/Los Angeles and the ACT UP Network. The ACT UP Network was an umbrella group working
to coordinate actions of local chapters. He was employed as a United States Postal Service carrier. On June 20, 1992, he died
from complications related to AIDS.
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.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Date and method of acquisition undocumented. The collection may have been part of the ACT UP/Los Angeles collection or the
larger Southern California AIDS Social Policy Archive.
Preferred Citation
[Box #, folder #,] Mark Kostopoulos Papers, Coll2014-068, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of
Southern California.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Michael C. Oliveira, September 2014.
Scope and Contents
The collection primarily documents Kostopoulos' involvement with the Revolutionary Socialist League (RSL) and the activities
of the Lavender Left in New Orleans, a socialist lesbian and gay organization. The arrest and court documents file provides
evidence of some of his ACT UP actions. The correspondence file includes requests for reports on his efforts to further the
cause of the RSL and correspondence from prisoners including Carl Harp and Albert "Chui" Clark. Kostopoulos' travels in the
Caribbean, Latin America, and to Europe are documented in his passports in the identification folder.
Arrangement
The folders of the collection are arranged alphabetically.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Correspondence
ACT UP Los Angeles (Organization)
Lavender Left (Organization)
Box 1, Folder 1
Arrest and court records
1988-1990
Box 1, Folder 3
Correspondence, Albert "Chui" Clark
1978-1990
Box 1, Folder 6
Photographs and plaque
undated, 1992
Physical Description: 2 photographic prints.
