A List of Resources

I have begun a list of books and films about Harvey Milk and LGBTQ history that I have seen/read and liked. The list includes the easiest (and cheapest) ways to access these resources for San Diego State students.

Elaine Noble: A Pioneer in Public Service

Although Harvey Milk was the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in the United States he was not the first openly gay person to be elected.

In 1974, Elaine Noble ran for a seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives for the Fenway and Back Bay neighborhood district of Boston. She won with 59 percent of the vote, becoming the first openly gay person elected to public office. In 1976, she was reelected with 90 percent of the vote.

To read a more detailed biography of Elaine Noble, visit the online GLBTQ encyclopedia.

To read two short interviews with Elaine Noble detailing her successes in the House as well as the difficulties she faced, including harrassment and threats, visit MetroWeekly and OUThistory.org

The Lambda Archives: Preserving LGBT History

The Lambda Archives (formerly the Lesbian and Gay Archives) of San Diego was created in 1987 with the goal of collecting, preserving, and teaching the history of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the San Diego and Northern Baja California region.

LASD contains:

• Records and personal papers of local LGBT activists, organizations and political campaigns
• Virtually all San Diego and Tijuana (and some significant regional or national) LGBT periodicals, most of which are not available elsewhere
  
• Newsletters for more than 40 local LGBT organizations
• Video and tape interviews, LGBT music, educational films, and footage of numerous Pride parades.
• Ephemera such as flyers, announcements, bumper stickers, buttons, calendars, catalogues, flyers, posters, and t-shirts,
  
• Thousands of photographs and slides
  
• Digital materials and records
  
• Over 2000 books (which members can check out)

Visit The Lambda Archives website to view timelines of LGBT History, useful websites, the LASD biannual newsletter, and information on hours, materials, membership, and volunteering.