This collection documents the history and influence of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, and its impact on the lives of members, audiences and LGBT people around the nation and world.

The Stonewall riots, which erupted in New York City on June 28, 1969, sparked a rebirth of gay culture around the United States and the world. One of the most influential and enduring institutions to emerge in the post-Stonewall decade was the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. The world’s first openly gay men’s chorus sang in public for the first time from the steps of San Francisco City Hall in November of 1978, at a candlelight vigil for Harvey Milk on the day he was murdered. The Chorus was founded by Jon Reed Sims, and the group’s mission is to spread social equality for LGBT people. The Chorus has exercised its influence in many ways, including a 1981 national tour that helped spark the creation of similar groups in the U.S. and overseas. They continue to tour the country, inspire thousands and are credited with igniting the worldwide gay and lesbian choral movement. The Chorus has also commissioned many widely performed works that address issues of concern to the LGBT community, including homophobia, AIDS, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and marriage equality. For more information on the history of the Chorus, see: http://www.sfgmc.org/about/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Gay_Men%27s_Chorus

24 cartons, 8 oversize boxes and 2 oversize folders (approximately 38 linear feet)

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Collection is open for research. Funding for processing this collection was provided by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR).