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Patron's at Compton's Cafeteria.

Bill Beardemphl (1926-2002) was a journalist, activist, and chef who is best known for founding the Society for Individual Rights (SIR), a homophile organization, and publishing its magazine Vector. In the 1980s, he was also the owner of the San Francisco Sentinel. The collection contains Beardemphl’s journalistic notes, subject files, and photographs, as well as early issues of Vector.

Photograph of Bill Beardemphl with his lifelong partner Johnny DeLeon, circa 1960s.

A mailer/poster exemplifying the opposition to Propositions A and B, which were local ballot measures in San Jose and Santa Clara County intended to outlaw discrimination against LGBTQ people. The poster is part of Bill Beardemphl's large collection of homophobic materials, which he collected as part of his research into his political opponents.

Notes towards an unwritten history of queer San Francisco, potentially titled "Homosexualizing the City," by Bill Beardemphl.

Photograph of Bill Beardemphl and his lifelong partner Johnny DeLeon, circa early 1960s ("must have been taken in '63 or '64" on verso).

Verso of photograph of Bill Beardemphl and his lifelong partner Johnny DeLeon, circa early 1960s (labeled "must have been taken in '63 or '64").

Photograph of Bill Beardemphl and his lifelong partner Johnny DeLeon.

Photograph of Bill Beardemphl and his lifelong partner Johnny DeLeon.

Photograph of Bill Beardemphl (right), his lifelong partner Johnny DeLeon (center), and an unidentified friend, circa 1960s. This photo may have been taken at an Imperial Court event, given the Renaissance costumes worn by the men.

A posed photograph of Bill Beardemphl at work.

Photograph of Bill Beardemphl with his lifelong partner Johnny DeLeon at home.

Mink stole belonging to Eve Finocchio, the owner of Finocchio's nightclub. This item is undated.

Mink stole owned by Eve Finocchio, the owner of Finocchio's nightclub. This item is undated.

Hat worn by Finocchio's doormen. This item is undated.

Hat worn by Finocchio's doormen. This item is undated.

Green lace gown worn by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Large format photograph of performer that was displayed at Finocchio's. This item is undated.

Large format photograph of performer that was displayed at Finocchio's (rear). This item is undated.

Painted portrait of a performer that was displayed at Finocchio's nightclub. This item is undated.

Painted portrait of a performer that was displayed at Finocchio's nightclub. This item is undated.

Red lace gown worn by performers at Finocchio's. This garment was designed by Pat Campano and is undated.

Red lace gown worn by performers at Finocchio's. This garment was designed by Pat Campano and is undated.

Pink feathered hat worn by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Pink feathered hat worn by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Red folding fan used by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Red folding fan used by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

A group of attendees at a Halloween drag event.

The James Dewsnap collection contains two full-length nude portraits of Scott O'Hara by San Francisco artist David Ross; transcripts of 16 interviews from 1994 that Dewsnap conducted with Jackie Phillips, the lead "comedienne" at Finocchio's from the late 1950s to the mid-1970s; and an unpublished book-length typescript on Phillips’ life, called "Oh, what a drag! The life and career of Wacky Jackie Phllips, Finocchio's riotous redhead, as told to Jim Dewsnap."

An oral history of longtime Finocchio's comedy queen Jackie Phillips, taken by James Dewsnap and later incorporated into Phillips' autobiography ghostwritten by Dewsnap.

The autobiography of longtime Finocchio's comedy queen Jackie Phillips, as told to and ghostwritten by James Dewsnap.

Drag queen in a light blue leotard and large feathered headpiece standing on the street.

Photograph by Roz Joseph. From her series of photographs of the San Francisco drag scene in the mid-1970s.

Photograph by Roz Joseph. From her series of photographs of the San Francisco drag scene in the mid-1970s.

Photograph by Roz Joseph. From her series of photographs of the San Francisco drag scene in the mid-1970s.

Roz Joseph (1926–2019) was a San Francisco-based photographer who in the mid-1970s photographed the pageantry and activism of the city’s diverse drag cultures at Gay Freedom Day parades, Halloween celebrations, Imperial Court coronations and drag and costume balls. The collection consists of matted color photographic prints, notebooks of slides, interviews and manuscript materials, and various ephemera.

"Ambi Sextrous." Photograph by Roz Joseph. From her series of photographs of the San Francisco drag scene in the mid-1970s.

"Ricky". Photograph by Roz Joseph. From her series of photographs of the San Francisco drag scene in the mid-1970s.

Photograph by Roz Joseph. From her series of photographs of the San Francisco drag scene in the mid-1970s.

Photograph by Roz Joseph. From her series of photographs of the San Francisco drag scene in the mid-1970s.

Jean-Baptiste Carhaix (1946-2023) was a French photographer. The collection includes photographs of early members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and images of events, including AIDS fundraisers and marches.

Program for Crusade, a softball benefit for the 1982 Gay Olympics, presented by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

This collection contains materials relating to Finocchio’s, one of the oldest and best-known female impersonation clubs in the world. The term, "female impersonators" is a historic term that comes from a straight-coded Victorian theatrical form and continued until the mid-20th century before merging into what we now call drag. Finocchio's performers included what we now know as drag queens, trans people, and cis men in drag.

A list of jokes performed by Finocchio's emcees during shows. This item is undated.

A list of jokes performed by Finocchio's emcees during shows. This item is undated.

Business card for Young's Wigs, located in Oakland, California. This item is undated.

Sign with hours of operation of Finocchio's. This item is undated.

Red lace gown worn by performers at Finocchio's. This garment was designed by Pat Campano and is undated.

Green dirndl dress worn by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Hat worn by Finocchio's doormen. This item is undated.

Mink stole owned by Eve Finocchio, the owner of Finocchio's nightclub. This item is undated.

Decorative textile from Finocchio's nightclub. This item is undated.

Multicolor top and skirt worn by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

A run of show listing the schedule of performers and their acts at Finocchio's nightclub.

A run of show listing the schedule of performers and their acts at Finocchio's nightclub.

Promotional postcard advertising Finocchio's nightclub. This postcard uses the term "female impersonators" to describe performers, which is a historic term that comes from a straight-coded Victorian theatrical form and continued until the mid-20th century before merging into what we now call drag.

Red folding fan used by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Illustrated menu for the restaurant, Enrico's, which was directly below Finocchio's. The illustration depicts the facade of both Enrico's and Finocchio's and was created by Wendy Wheeler.

Painted portrait of a performer that was displayed at Finocchio's nightclub. This item is undated.

Large format photograph of performer that was displayed at Finocchio's. This item is undated.

Silver necklace worn by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Pearl necklace worn by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Pink feathered hat worn by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Black velvet dress worn by Finocchio's performers. This item is undated.

Promotional postcard for a Kinsey Sicks show, New York or Bust, containing material from their off-broadway production.

Promotional postcard for the Kinsey Sicks show, Homecoming Queens.

Promotional postcard for the Kinsey Sicks. Members pictured include: Ben Schatz (Rachel), Irwin Keller (Winnie), and Jeff Manabat (Trixie).

Flyer for the Kinsey Sicks production, Balled Sopranos.

Photograph of Kinsey Sicks posing before or after a show. Members pictured include: Kevin Kirkwood (Trixie), Ben Schatz (Rachel), Chris Dilley (Trampolina), and Irwin Keller (Winnie).

Photograph of the Kinsey Sicks posing in front of a skyscraper in San Francisco, CA. Members pictured include: Jerry Friedman (Vaselina), Ben Schatz (Rachel), Irwin Keller (Winnie), and Maurice Kelly (Trixie).

Poster for a Kinsey Sicks show at the Herbst Theatre in San Francisco, CA. Members pictured include: Ben Schatz (Rachel), Kevin Kirkwood (Trixie), Chris Dilley (Trampolina), and Irwin Keller (Winnie).

Jose Sarria as the Widow Norton seated wearing a white dress with a sash and pearls, a white wig, and a crown.

Costume Contest at the Ramrod, a gay bar in San Francisco, CA, and Sinderella Outtakes, circa 1965-1970. Film by Henri Leleu (1907-1996), a gay man who was active in the San Francisco leather scene and participated in LGBTQ community groups. File name: glbths 1997-13 7 003 sc

Halloween at the Ramrod, a gay bar in San Francisco, CA, 1968. Film by Henri Leleu (1907-1996), a gay man who was active in the San Francisco leather scene and participated in LGBTQ community groups. File name: glbths 1997-13 7 007 sc

Halloween at the Ramrod, a gay bar in San Francisco, CA, 1969. Film by Henri Leleu (1907-1996), a gay man who was active in the San Francisco leather scene and participated in LGBTQ community groups. File name: glbths 1997-13 7 008 sc

Halloween Costume Ball at the Hayloft, a gay bar in Los Angeles, CA, 1965. Film by Henri Leleu (1907-1996), a gay man who was active in the San Francisco leather scene and participated in LGBTQ community groups. File name: glbths 1997-13 7 002 sc.

A drag ensemble created by the artist Gilbert Baker, drawing on the popular image of Betsy Ross.

A Statue of Liberty drag ensemble created by the artist Gilbert Baker.

A biographical essay about Gilbert Block (Sister Sadie, Sadie the Rabbi Lady), written by Gilbert Baker after his friend's death.

Gilbert Baker and companions holding a rainbow flag. The slide is dated July 1978, but appears to depict the 1978 San Francisco Gay Freedom Day parade, when the flag was first flown; it is likely that the slide was taken that day and developed later.

Gilbert Baker poses in drag in front of the San Francisco Ferry Building. Photograph by Jean-Baptiste Carhaix.

Gilbert Baker and group, displaying a sign protesting the Briggs Initiative, which would have forbidden LGBTQ people from teaching in California public schools. The slide is dated July 1978, but appears to depict the 1978 San Francisco Gay Freedom Day parade, when the raimbow flag was first flown; it is likely that the slide was taken that day and developed later.

Artist Gilbert Baker applying makeup, photograph by Jean-Baptiste Carhaix.

The artist Gilbert Baker on Fire Island, in an American flag gown based on the popular image of Betsy Ross.

The artist Gilbert Baker, photographed in drag atop a lion statue by Jean-Baptiste Carhaix.

The artist Gilbert Baker, depicted on a greeting card in his drag persona, Sister Chanel 2001.

Gilbert Baker was an artist, drag queen, and Sister of Perpetual Indulgence who played the central role in the 1978 creation of the rainbow LGBTQ pride flag. Baker’s collection consists largely of textiles, sewing supplies, art, and audiovisual materials, along with a small number of documents.

Lou Sullivan in his early twenties, dressed in a tuxedo for a Milwaukee drag ball.