Origin of the Gay Rights Movement

Bruce Brown of Public Affairs Department of WBAI introduces the first of two speeches on the origins of the Gay Rights Movement which was recorded during the Organization of American Historians Convention in New York City. Following, Dr. James Levin of Special Programs department of City College of New York, speaks about his concern with the reconstruction of the early history of the Gay Movement from the period of World War II to around 1959. Dr. Levin is National president of the Gay Academic Union, editor of Gay Academic Union Journal, and President of the New York Gay Independent Democrats. Dr. Levin addresses the following questions. What caused the American Gay Rights Movement to start at end of 1940s? What places does it start and why? Were the early leaders similar in age class, and ideology? Can any general statement be made about the structural organization, size, membership, and longevity? What were the general purposes, educational, political, social, and/or publishing? What effects did McCarthyism have on the movement? What were the general achievements of the movement?