Description
The collection comprises reports, drafts, notes, publications,
correspondence, research files, audio and videotapes, and other materials
documenting the career of social worker, psychotherapist, and lesbian activist
Lillene H. Fifield (born 1941), relating in particular to her studies of
alcoholism in the Los Angeles gay and lesbian community, her involvement with
the establishment and early years of both the Los Angeles Gay Community
Services Center (now the L. A. Gay & Lesbian Center) and the Alcoholism
Center for Women, and her participation in the International Women's Year and
the National Women's Conference in Houston in 1977. The collection also
contains several videotapes documenting the life and career of gay activist
Morris Kight (1919-2003); a pocket diary/appointment calendar, several open
reel audio tapes of Lesbian music, and other materials relating to Fifield's
lover and fellow lesbian activist, Daphne Hatfield (1937-2006); and a cartoon
of gay actor and activist Justin Smith (1921-1986). The collection is divided
into 10 series: (1) Writings; (2) Alcoholism; (3) Gay Community Services
Center; (4) Research; (5) International Women's Year; (6) Daphne Hatfield; (7)
Photographs; (8) Printed Materials; (9) Audio and Video Materials; and (10)
Ephemera, Memorabilia, and Artwork.
Background
Lillene Henrietta Fifield, social worker, psychotherapist, and lesbian
activist, was born in Los Angeles on October 28, 1941, and spent many of her
early years in Kansas City, Missouri. Active in civil rights issues since high
school, she became active in the gay and lesbian movement after coming out at
age 19. She earned her B.A. with honors from California State University Los
Angeles in 1971, and her MSW with honors from the University of Southern
California, where she was the first openly lesbian student, in 1973. Fifield
served as research associate at the Regional Research Institute in Social
Welfare, School of Social Work, University of Southern California, from 1972 to
1975, the year her pioneering research on alcoholism in the gay and lesbian
community was published. After maintaining a private practice in clinical
social work from 1976 to 1979, Fifield moved in 1980 to Roseburg, Oregon, where
she was a psychiatric social worker for Douglas County Mental Health. Fifield
became involved with the Gay Community Services Center in Los Angeles in
November 1971, becoming its principal grant writer; and serving as
Vice-Chairman of its Board of Directors in 1974/1975. She also served as first
co-chairwoman of the California Women's Commission on Alcoholism, and on the
Board of Directors of the Los Angeles County Alcoholism Advisory Board, the
California Institute for Human Sexuality, and the California Alcoholism
Foundation. She was named Woman of the Year by the Los Angeles gay community in
1978, and delivered keynote speeches at the National Council on Alcoholism
Annual Forum in Seattle in 1980, at the San Francisco Conference on Alcoholism
in the Gay Community in 1985, at and the second National Conference of the
National Association of Lesbian & Gay Alcoholism Professionals at Chicago
in 1987.
Extent
9 archive cartons + 1 oversize
box + 1 oversize flat (3.4 linear feet).
Restrictions
Researchers wishing to publish materials must obtain permission in
writing from ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives as the physical owner.
Researchers must also obtain clearance from the holder(s) of any copyrights in
the materials. Note that ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives can grant
copyright clearance only for those materials for which we hold the copyright.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain copyright clearance for
all other materials directly from the copyright holder(s).
Availability
The collection is open to researchers. There are no access
restrictions.