Search

This collection contains materials about the gay communities of Ann Arbor and San Francisco, primarily in the 1970s and early 1980s. The materials were collected by Lionel Biron, who as a graduate student in Ann Arbor was instrumental in the founding of the Graduate Employees Organization and the Gay Community Services Center. The bulk of this collection relates to gay and artistic life and political activity in Ann Arbor, but San Francisco is also represented. The final series includes Biron's books of photography.

The bulk of the material deals with Biron's political and artistic activities in Ann Arbor. These include documents and correspondence related to the founding of the Gay Community Services Center (GCS), as well as flyers (many designed by Biron) for events and handouts from consciousness-raising sessions. The Ann Arbor series also includes folders related to Tristain Tzara (about whom Biron curated an exhibit in Hatcher Graduate Library) and Fernando Arrabal (whom Biron interviewed in Ann Arbor). The San Francisco series consists primarily of posters and flyers for events. Another highlight is a folder of materials related to the magazine Gay Sunshine, including correspondence between Biron and Winston Leyland. Although some of the collection dates from the early 80s, there is no material related to HIV/AIDS. Biron's own books of photography, and some of his work published elsewhere, comprise the last series.