Elaine Noble election campaign collection, 1974-1976

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Summary

Creators:
Patt, Steven L.
Abstract:
Brochures, pamphlets, campaign administrative records, newspaper clippings, a campaign scrapbook, materials from opponents' campaigns, correspondence, ephemera, flyers, mock-ups for campaign papers, two issues of "The Noble News," press releases, and stationery, 1974-1976, pertaining to Elaine Noble's 1974 democratic campaign for the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Noble was the first openly gay or lesbian political candidate elected to a state office.
Extent:
0.4 Linear Feet 1 carton.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Box/folder #, or item name] Elaine Noble Election Campaign Collection, Coll2014-107, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists of brochures, pamphlets, campaign administrative records, newspaper clippings, a campaign scrapbook, materials from opponents' campaigns, correspondence, ephemera, flyers, mock-ups for campaign papers, two issues of "The Noble News," press releases, and stationery, 1974-1976, pertaining to Elaine Noble's 1974 democratic campaign for Massachusetts House of Representatives. The materials were collected by Steven Patt, who served as Noble's campaign treasurer.

Biographical / historical:

Elaine Noble (born January 22, 1944) is an American politician and the first openly lesbian candidate to run for a state legislature position. She attained her BA degree in fine arts at Boston University and later studied at Emerson College and Harvard University. Prior to her involvement in politics, Noble was involved in LGBT activism in Boston, Massachusetts.

In 1974 Noble ran for office representing the 6th Suffolk District Massachusetts House of Representatives. Although her campaign was subject to public scrutiny and harassment, her efforts were successful. On New Year's Day 1975 Noble was sworn into office by governor Michael Dukakis making her the first openly LGBT candidate elected to state-level office in the United States. She served two terms as representative for the Fenway-Kenmore and Blackbay neighborhoods in Boston, MA.

Noble was among the first delegation of gays and lesbians invited to the White House to discuss issues related to the LGBT community on a national level. In 1978 she ran for United States Senate, but came in fifth in the primary race.

In 1986 Noble was instrumental in the opening of the Pride Institute, a LGBT drug and alcohol treatment center in Minneapolis, MN. In 1990 she lost a campaign for Cambridge, MS City Council. More recently she has worked in real estate and healthcare administration. Noble currently resides in Florida.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Steven L. Patt, August 3, 2012.
Processing information:

Collection processed by Cooper Moll, November 2014.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged alphabetically.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

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

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.

Preferred citation:

[Box/folder #, or item name] Elaine Noble Election Campaign Collection, Coll2014-107, 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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