Access
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
Acquisition Information
Custodial History
Processing History
Historical Background
Collection Scope and Content Summary
Collection Arrangement
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections and Archives, University of California, Irvine Libraries
Title: Robert R. Hodges papers
Creator:
Hodges, Robert R.
Identifier/Call Number: MS.R.117
Physical Description:
1.3 Linear Feet
(1 box and 1 oversize folder)
Date (inclusive): 1963-1994
Date (bulk): 1977-1983
Abstract: This collection comprises the papers of Robert R. Hodges, professor emeritus of English and Comparative Literature at California
State University, Fullerton (CSUF) and activist in the gay liberation movement in Southern California and nationally in the
1970s and 1980s. His papers include minutes and other administrative material from national and Los Angeles chapter meetings
of the Gay Academic Union (GAU), a variety of GAU newsletters, and other materials relating to scholarly conferences held
by the GAU. His papers also contain a small quantity of research files, as well as files relating to the Orange County chapter
of the Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club (a gay political group), the Modern Language Association (MLA) Gay Caucus, gays in
the military and the ROTC on CSU campuses (ca. 1990-1992), activism against the Briggs Initiative (Proposition 6), and other
gay issues on the CSUF campus. Also included are letters from Hodges to his life partner, Charles Hensley.
Language of Material:
English
.
Access
The collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Property rights reside with the University of California. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and
their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or to publish, please contact the Head of Special Collections and Archives.
Preferred Citation
Robert R. Hodges papers. MS-R117. Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California. Date accessed.
For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this
collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Robert R. Hodges, 2004 and Howard Seller, 2023.
Custodial History
Robert Hodges gave his papers to Barbara Muirhead and Dick Hitt for use in the Historical Orange County Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
and Transgender Time Line Project, with the intent that they be donated to the UC Irvine Libraries Department of Special Collections
and Archives.
Processing History
Processed by William Landis, 2004. Finding aid created by Audrey Pearson, 2007. Updated by Zoe MacLeod, 2023.
Historical Background
Robert R. Hodges is a professor emeritus of English and Comparative Literature at California State University, Fullerton,
who was active in the gay liberation movement in Southern California and nationally in the 1970s and 1980s. He was a charter
member of the Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Western Gay Academic Union (GAU) in 1976 and served on the national Board
of Directors for the GAU as a representative of the Los Angeles chapter.
Hodges received his B.A. from Valparaiso University, his M.A. from University of Missouri, and his Ph.D. from Stanford University.
He was interested in gay themes in 20th-century English and American literature and focused on the work of Joseph Conrad.
Hodges published The Dual Heritage of Joseph Conrad (The Hague: Mouton) in 1967.
GAU was founded in New York City in 1973 to promote the collection and dissemination of scholarly information about gays,
and to help end discrimination against gays in colleges, universities, and elsewhere. Membership was composed of academic
administrators, faculty, staff, and students. GAU grew over time to include local chapters. The national organization held
annual conferences on topics related to gays in the academy and published a quarterly newsletter. The organization was disbanded
in 1984.
Collection Scope and Content Summary
This collection comprises the papers of Robert R. Hodges, professor emeritus of English and Comparative Literature at California
State University, Fullerton (CSUF) and activist in the gay liberation movement in Southern California and nationally in the
1970s and 1980s. His papers include minutes and other administrative material from national and Los Angeles chapter meetings
of the Gay Academic Union (GAU), a variety of GAU newsletters, and other materials relating to scholarly conferences held
by the GAU. His papers also contain a small quantity of research files, as well as files relating to the Orange County chapter
of the Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club (a gay political group), the Modern Language Association (MLA) Gay Caucus, gays in
the military and the ROTC on CSU campuses (ca. 1990-1992), activism against the Briggs Initiative (Proposition 6), and other
gay issues on the CSUF campus. Also included are letters from Hodges to his life partner, Charles Hensley.
Collection Arrangement
This collection is arranged in alphabetical order by subject or document type.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Clippings -- 20th century.
Letters -- California -- Orange County -- 20th century.
Ephemera -- 20th century
Gay liberation movement -- California -- History -- Sources
Newsletters -- 20th century.
Correspondence
Gay men--California--Orange County--Social life and customs.
California State University, Fullerton -- Faculty
California State University, Fullerton -- Archives
Hodges, Robert R. -- Archives
Gay Academic Union -- Archives