Research Collection on Gay Sexuality and Activism

Call Number

MSS.500

Dates

1915-1998, inclusive

; 1964-1971, bulk

Creator

Poynton, Jerome (Role: Donor)

Extent

1 linear foot in one record carton

Language of Materials

Materials are in English.

Abstract

An anonymous gay man living and working in New York during the 1970s through the 1990s accumulated this material related to gay sexuality, as well as gay rights and activism. This collection contains pornographic and erotic magazines, gay activism support and informational material, and news clippings.

Biographical Note

The collection creator was a friend of the donor, Jerome Poynton, who wished to keep the creator's name anonymous. The creator wrote publicity material for various prominent New York museums, as well as free-lance writing. The creator passed away in 1994.

Arrangement

The magazines, booklets, and pamphlets were arranged by student workers in alphabetical order by title. The remainder of the folders were left in the order in which it was received at the time of donation. All folder titles were generated by student workers.

Scope and Contents

This collection contains an assortment of gay pornographic and erotic magazines from the 1950s to the 1970s, illustrating the sexual and recreational interests of a gay man living and working in New York during this time. Pamphlets, informational booklets, and news clippings share information on social and cultural analysis, as well as topics of concern for the gay community including homosexuals in the Armed Forces, law reform, homoeroticism, the homophile movement, psychology, gay activism, crime, religion, and AIDS. This collection represents the concerns and interests of a gay man during the 1950s to the 1990s, as he expressed his sexuality and kept current on social and political issues impacting the gay community.

Subjects

Genres

Clippings (information artifacts); Magazines (Periodicals)

People

Poynton, Jerome (Role: Donor)

Topics

Gay liberation movement -- United States.; Homophobia.; Gay rights.; Gay men -- Sexual behavior.; Gay erotica.

Donors

Poynton, Jerome

Conditions Governing Access

Open to researchers. Appointments are necessary for the use of manuscript and archival collections.

Conditions Governing Use

NYU's Fales Library & Special Collections is not the copyright owner for this collection. Collection use is subject to all copyright laws. Researchers wishing to reproduce collection material should contact rights holders for permission.

Preferred Citation

Identification of item, date; Research Collection on Gay Sexuality and Activism; MSS 500; box number; folder number; Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University.

Location of Materials

Materials are stored offsite and advance notice is required for use. Please contact fales.library@nyu.edu at least two business days prior to your research visit to coordinate access.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The collection was donated by Jerome Poynton, between 2016-2017; the accession number associated with this gift is 2017.090.

Custodial History

This collection was accumulated by an individual who gifted the material to Jerome Poynton in 1994. Poynton donated the material to the Fales Library, between 2016-2017.

Collection processed by

Stacey Flatt, with folder title listings written by Jessica Merliss.

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-20 17:03:42 -0400.

Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Language: Finding aid written in English

Processing Information

Between 2016-2017, Fales Library student workers rearranged, refoldered and boxed the magazines, booklets, and pamphlets. The news clippings, flyers, and direct mail items were refoldered and left in their original order. Folder titles were generated by the Fales student workers to reflect the topics and dates inclusive of each folder. The spreadsheet was ingested into the finding aid and the collection is listed to the folder level.

Repository

Fales Library and Special Collections

View Inventory

The Armed Services and Homosexuality, undated, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 1 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

The Babco Men, 1978, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 2 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Ball Magazine, undated, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 3 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Beau, 1996-1997, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 4 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Body Beautiful: Studies in Masculine Art, 1955, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 5 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Boldfinger, 1965, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 6 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Champions All, 1968, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 7 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

The Challenge and Progress of Homosexual Law Reform, 1968, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 8 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

drum: sex in perspective, 1965, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 9 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Face and Physique, 1964, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 10 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

FORMosus, 1964, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 11 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

The Fountain: Voice of the Gay Northwest, 1971, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 12 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Gay Freedom 1970, 1970, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 13 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Gay Studs, 1970, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 14 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

The Griffin: News of Gay Liberation, 1971, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 15 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Gunnison Jr., Foster. An Introduction to the Homophile Movement, 1967, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 16 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Hamilton, G. V. and G. Legman. On the Cause of Homosexuality: Two Essays, the Second in Reply to the First, 1950, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 17 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Harding, Carl B. Education Handbook: Individual and Group Projects and Organizational Techniques, 1959, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 18 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

The Homosexual in our Society: Transcript of a KPFA-FM Berkeley radio program, 1958

Box: 1, Folder: 19 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Husky, undated, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 20 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

J. Brian Presents Bob Anthony's BeefCake!, 1969, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 21 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

L.A. Hot, undated, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 22 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Magpie of California, 1969, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 23 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Male Nudist Portfolio, 1966, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 24 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Male Pose, undated, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 25 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Man Handle, undated, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 26 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Mandate: The International Magazine of Entertainment and Eros, 1978, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 27 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

MANual, 1960-1966, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 28 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

mars, 1965, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 29 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Marshall, George. The Beginner's Guide to Cruising, 1964, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 30 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Mr. Sun, 1967, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 31 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

National Probation and Parole Association Journal, 1960, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 32 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Orpheus: Alternative University, 1976, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 33 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

The Paper, undated, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 34 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Playguy: The Magazine of Male Erotica, undated, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 35 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Scimitar, 1968, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 36 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Sherman, S. P. Porro Unum Est Necessarium or The Gaiety of Socrates, 1915, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 37 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Silverstein, Charles. Journal of Homosexuality, 1976, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 38 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Social Progress: A Journal of Church and Society, 1967, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 39 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Sexology: The Authoritative Guide to Sex Education, 1962, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 40 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Sexual Behavior: How Shall We Define and Motivate What is Acceptable?, 1950, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 41 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Sutton, Richard L. Gay Marriage Guide, Vol. 1: Complete Homosexual Photos, circa 1971, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 42 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Together, 1976, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 43 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Tomorrow's Man, 1956, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 44 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Treese, Robert L. Homosexuality: A Contemporary View of the Biblical Perspective, 1966, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 45 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Wild One, 1968, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 46 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Young Chops, 1969, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 47 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

ZEBRA'z: Distinguished Merchandise for the Alternative Lifestyle, 1997-1998, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 48 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Cultural and Social Analysis in the News, 1953-1970, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 49 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Mail from the 1970s, 1970-1979, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 50 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Opera Memorabilia and Reviews + Articles about Judicial Issues of the Time, 1975-1976, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 51 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Materials Concerning Gay Community, 1976-1978, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 52 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

News Clippings re: activism, theater, crime, social issues, AIDS, religion, travel, film, and politics, 1957-1990, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 53-56 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)