Finding Aid to the Elaine Noble Election Campaign Collection, 1974-1976 Coll2014.107
Cooper Moll
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) 821-2771
askone@usc.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Title: Elaine Noble election campaign collection
creator:
Patt, Steven L.
Identifier/Call Number: Coll2014.107
Physical Description:
0.4 Linear Feet
1 carton.
Date (inclusive): 1974-1976
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.
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.
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
Gift of Steven L. Patt, August 3, 2012.
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.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Cooper Moll, November 2014.
Separated Materials
The following have been separated to the ONE periodical collection:
Gay Community News, Vol. 1, No. 31 (January 26, 1974)
Gay Community News, Vol. 2, No. 1 (July 29, 1974)
Scope and Contents
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.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged alphabetically.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
Lesbian activists -- United States -- Massachusetts
Political campaigns -- Massachusetts
Women politicians -- United States -- Archival resources
Noble, Elaine,
Patt, Steven L.
box 1, folder 1
Brochures and pamphlets
1974
box 1, folder 2
Campaign and administrative records
1974
box 1, folder 3
Campaign and administrative records, Xerox originals
1974
box 1, folder 4-6
Campaign clippings
1974-1976
box 1, folder 7
Campaign clipping (originally mounted)
1974
box 1, folder 9
Campaign talking points typescripts
1974
box 1, folder 10
Cimino, Joseph P., campaign material
1974
box 1, folder 11
Correspondence, Barney Frank and Steve Patt
1974
box 1, folder 12
Correspondence, Elaine Noble
1974
box 1, folder 15
Foley, Bill, campaign materials
1974
box 1, folder 16
Johnson, Helene, campaign material
1974
box 1, folder 20
Stationery, Elaine Noble
circa 1974
box 1, folder 21
Themo, Victor, campaign materials
1974
