Jack Evans, left, and George Harris
A new group will gather at Resource Center Dallas on Thursday, Aug. 25 to begin a project to document the LGBT history of Dallas.
George Harris and Jack Evans met almost a decade before the Stonewall Rebellion and want people to know they weren’t the first gay couple in Dallas. After celebrating their 50th anniversary earlier this year, they decided it was time to document the history of the LGBT community before it’s lost.
About 10 years ago, KERA produced a documentary called Finding Our Voice: The Dallas Gay and Lesbian Community. Evans raved about the program but said the one-hour special only scratches the surface and there’s been no follow-up.
He said he thinks the new project will include written histories as well as video testimony. Photos of events and places of importance in the LGBT community will also be collected. But the first meeting is just to discuss what form the project will take.
The meeting is set for 6 p.m. Thursday at the Resource Center. Anyone interested in participating in the project is welcome to attend.
Great idea! I’ve only been here 5 years and I hear bits and pieces of “what was” from people having coffee on Sunday mornings at BULI or from Hardy Haberman’s articles in the Voice. I would imagine there’s quite a bit more than I’ve heard the past 5 yrs.
Looking forward to what they come up with. In the meantime, can you let us know where one can find “Finding Our Voice: The Dallas Gay and Lesbian Community”? Google and even KERA’s website are no help.
It would be wonderful to see a real LGBT museum somewhere on Cedar Springs- something that all of these kids going to the clubs can look to and see what went into making the community we enjoy today.. Maybe inspire them to make some history of their own..
Downtown: I believe DGLA has a copy. Last time I saw it, Leadership Lambda, a DGLA program, showed it in their training class.
Yes – i love this idea! I remember these two gentlemen on the Lambda Weekly radio show; the most fascinating parts of the conversation was about the history; how things used to be: raids, arrests, careers ruined – totally heartbreaking! But I also loved to hear about how Oaklawn began and grew – and the people – who was Caven? Nelson? Tebedo? etc. I think its so important to have this history documented to remember, learn from and appreciate!
To Downtown worker….check with the Resource Center Dallas. They have a copy in the Phil Johnson Library (I am told!).
Jack Evans
To Jack – I believe Louise Young has Don Baker’s archives. There should be a lot in there of interest. I might be able to answer some questions – but Louise Young or Dick Peebles would be the greatest source of at least the effort of the Alliance’s work back in the 70s and 80s. Michael Hartwig
“how things used to be: raids, arrests, careers ruined – totally heartbreaking!”
A recorded realistic history certainly is needed if that is someone’s total perception of the past.