A motto of archive activism. We find old materials that have been forgotten, sealed, or basically deleted and use those materials to talk about gay civil rights and the ongoing struggle for gay civil equality. We will show you both films in their entirety in a couple of minutes. One is seven minutes. The other is 12 minutes. Your connection to the films is what . Mr. Francis we were honored to be chosen by lilli vincenz, the creator of these films the producer, the director. She chose us to bring together her archives, including these films, and donate them to the library of congress, and that is what we did. They belong to the American People thanks to the generosity of lilli vincenz. Where is she now . Mr. Francis lilli vincenz is still with us but not well enough to do interviews like this, so im honored to pinchhit for her. You brought a prop. This is an rca 16mm projector. Millennials may say, what is that . Mr. Francis millennials may think it is a science project of some kind, but it is really an rca projector that belonged to lilli. Lilli would use this projector to show the films you are going to see today. She would show the films two films the films to groups and individuals and independent film festivals, and she would charge 15 for rental. The importance of this projector. The importance of this projector as a symbol is that it shows what a Community Operation this whole thing was. There was no cnn. There was no cable television. There were no documentary film producers. There were no friendly networks. There was nothing. There was no oprah or anderson or anybody. Lilli just said, we are going to make a movie, so she borrowed a film camera, took a film class, and she hit the streets. The first one you will see is at Independence Hall in philadelphia from 1968. The second one is the first ever pride parade in new york. No networks to help. No one there. Lilli shot them, edited them, put them together, and this projector was her distribution center. No company would distribute these films. You used the u. S. Mail and leaned on the First Amendment of the constitution to tell your story. At that time late 1960s, early 1970s you had abc, nbc, cbs. Did any Major Networks consider covering the story . Mr. Francis oh, no, and if they did, it would be utterly hostile. I dont want to name names, but if you do your homework, you will see that the Major Networks were total anti, bordering on insulting. Lilli made her own film to tell these stories as a joyous story, cultural watershed, marching on the First Anniversary of the stonewall riot from christopher street to central park where they had a gayin. You could not have gotten that out of any media in those days. They would have treated you as aliens from a foreign planet. You also brought along these pamphlets, the homosexual citizen. One of them tells what to do if you are arrested. Mr. Francis yes, this is a time when our very lives were illegal and lilli was the editor of this publication called the homosexual citizen. It was published by the Mattachine Society. She published it under a pseudonym. In those days, you valued your privacy as an individual. Used a phony name. This is a powerful publication of ideas, but you will see it is 1966 or 1967, and they are doing a piece on what if you are arrested. It is very oldschool. Ask for an attorney, write a letter. It is not at all part of the real world of stonewall where they are throwing you into paddy wagons. It is a different era, but if you are arrested reminds us all when we had sodomy laws and simply being homosexual openly homosexual was a crime. As our viewers watch the films lets better understand who she was. Born in hamburg, germany, she came to the u. S. When . What were her early years like . Mr. Francis lilli was born in germany in 1937. Andurg was in nazi germany, her parents brought her to the United States in 1949. She went to columbia to study literature. She joined the womens army corps, and in the womens army corps, in a gay purge, which they frequency had in the womens army corps, she got booted. It was one of the greatest things that ever happened to her because she was able to shed all the pretense and be who she was as an openly gay pioneer activist. Growing up in a german family, there was a word kicked around her house a lot when she was growing up, she used to say. That is a german word which means life artist, someone who looks at their life as a work of art. Someone who masters the art of living and i believe she became one. That was part of her german heritage. The 1970 film titled gay and proud how did this come about . Mr. Francis gay and proud is an amazing film she decided to make on the First Anniversary of the stonewall riots documenting the first parade, and it was called the christopher street liberation day parade, greenwich village, central park. Stonewall was what . Mr. Francis stonewall was in 1969, and it was a gay bar that was raided, as bars were in those days, and this was the straw that broke the camels back with the gay, lesbian, and trans patrons of this bar. They refused to get in the paddy wagons. They refused to follow the advice of if you are arrested. It was a threeday riot that shook the world. Major media did not cover it at all or very slightly. Nicholas fun hoffman wrote in a column in the washington post, calling it the faggot riots, up in new york, but lilli did this film. The film is epic because there is nothing like it, because she was the only one. Heres a portion from 1970, gay and proud. [video clip] at first, i was very guilty, and then i realized, of all the things that are taught you not only by society, but by psychiatrists are just to fit you in the mold. I just rejected the mold and when i rejected the mold, i was happier. These are independent organizations across the country. Somewhere between 60 and 75 independent groups across the United States maybe more now because they keep growing overnight. This is a unified effort on the part of somewhere between 20 and 30 organizations on the east coast. That is from the film gay and proud. Why was this a Tipping Point for the Gay Rights Movement . Mr. Francis it was a generational change, from the old school mattachine, where when they would pick it, they where when they would pick it , they would wear jackets and ties and skirts and dresses, to the new era that happened almost overnight after Stonewall Inn 1969 after stonewall in 1969. She caught that change. The explosion of a cultural change from old mattachine. I feel that spirit welling up today with new interest in this movie. One of the marshals of the coming pride parade in new york, billy porter, he said, this is not going to be an effing parade. Its going to be a march. I feel that he and that comment captures in that comment captures the spirit of that first parade. Explain the significance of what our viewers are about to see. Mr. Francis the significance is seeing actually the texture of history. The joy in the streets, the youth, the new spirit of we are not going to take this anymore. And then it is a lot of fun. They will enjoy the whole 1960s gayin moment, which you see so clearly in central park. Charles francis, thank you for joining us from the Mattachine Society in washington, d. C. From filmmaker lilli vincenz, two films. The first one is seven minutes titled the second largest minority. The second one is titled gay and proud. [vd [video clip] [indiscernible] [gunshot] basically, what we are trying to impress upon people are these very similar things, that we are homosexual human beings and homosexual american citizens. Everybody always remember stuff remembers the first word in both of those phrases homosexual and very conveniently overlooks the second and third words in each of those phrases american citizens and human beings. We want the full rights and dignity and all that goes with being a human being and an american citizen. Any minority well, any group, any classification, i dont care if it is foreigner or what have you you cannot lump them together in one group. You have to take them as individuals. We are seeking Human Dignity, our equality and acceptance as homosexuals. Who is denying you this Human Dignity . As a citizen. If homosexuals had the visibility that the negro does, there would be 15 million unemployed homosexuals. If the homosexuals had the visibility that the negro does, that you knew who was homosexual, there would be 15 million unemployed homosexuals. Way to gethe only your prompt that is the only way to get your problems settled. If you dont bring things out in the open, how is anyone going to know anything about it . Everyone should have the chance to live their life the way they wish. It is gathering momentum. A movement such as this takes time. Unless it started somewhere and now they are going forward. I have lived for eight months on . 20 a day. This is a time when people in my profession were in higher demand than in all of Human History and i could not get a job. Simply because of my sexuality. I am not alone. I know many people who have felt the same. I have seen careers ruined, lives destroyed for no other reason. These were people with a great deal to offer to society. Society is against them and will not allow them equality of opportunity. Your government will not give a job to a homosexual, regardless of how well you have served in the military, you will get a less than honorable discharge. You wont be taken in. Next although this situation is changing rapidly, it is still a valid situation today that a person known to be a homosexual cannot get an education in this country. Schools will throw them out or not accept them at any level at all. This is all they are asking, that very same right, not to be interfered with with what they do in private. You will find as in this country, there are different and Diverse Group as richness to adds richness to society. In the gradual death of antisemitism. With regards to the negro, it is taking time. It will be a while unfortunately. It is evolving in the same direction. Diversity doesnt have to imply race. Does not have to imply threat. Having to lie, i feel, is the saddest and the ugliest part of being a homosexual. When you have your first bad love experience, for instance, and you cannot go to your other or sister and say, im brother or sister and say, im hurting. At first, i was very guilty. And then i realized that all the things that are taught you not only by society but by psychiatrists are just to fit you in a mold. I just rejected the mold and when i rejected the mold, i was happier. These independent organizations across the country, there are somewhere between 60 and 75 independent groups across the United States maybe more now because they keep growing up overnight. This is a combined effort of somewhere between 20 and 30 organizations on the east coast. Certain groups tend to emphasize very militant confrontation tactics. Other groups will emphasize a more educational approach, going into areas where, you might call Middle America people who dont know much about homosexuality. Most groups provide help for people in need. This is a minor part of the effort. The effort today is to change the institutions. Gay and proud gay and proud gay and proud [chanting] say it loud, say it proud say it loud, say it proud say it loud, say it proud [chanting] gay power gay power gay power say it loud, say it proud say it loud, say it proud say it loud, say it proud say it loud, say it proud say it loud, say it proud say it loud, say it proud [chanting] what is the worst incident that has happened to you since you have been gay, as far as being gay . I guess my parents finding out was the worst. [indiscernible] what is the American Church . Like the Catholic Church but we accept homosexuals as part of our community. You have to be recognized as a human being and as a woman. [indiscernible] are definitely combined and the two communities are coming together. [indiscernible] most of the beliefs about homosexual men and homosexual women are the same. Gay and proud gay and proud if nothing else, we are good for the population explosion. Gay and proud gay and proud can you tell me what you feel about the Homophile Movement . I think its great. I think the only way to achieve it is through force and marches like this. [chanting] can you tell me what you thought about charlie brown, the sodom and gomorrah guy . Carrying the American Flag . Hes a closet queen and you can find him at Howard Johnson any night. What color underwear does he wear . Pink. Thank you. Are you gay . Yes. Do you recommend it . Absolutely. Thats where i think its at. Gay and proud [chanting] what do you think . I think its great. [chanting] what do you think . It is disgraceful. It is to separate the people. They have done it with the black movement. They done it with the italian movement. They done it with the jewish movement. Now they are doing it with the gay movement, so to speak. This is what hitlers did in germany. Hitlerers didnt did in germany. They use all the frustrated homosexuals as the gestapo. Gay, gay, all the way since you are not homosexual obviously well, im taking it for granted why are you in the parade today . I knew some people here and they convinced me to go. Do you think homosexuality should be legalized completely . Definitely. Would you ever marry a girl who had been a homosexual . You know, i think it would be more interesting. Gay, gay, all the way [chanting] do you think the added stress of being a homosexual in a heterosexual society causes a lot of torment in the homosexual relationships of women . Yes, it does. A lot of women seem to think that there if they are with women because they have rejected men in that sense, but they come to realize they are with women because they want to be and they are rejecting a role, then they would no longer be guilty. As far as this thing today is concerned, its all right to say what you feel as long as you keep it at an intellectual level. All of this orgy stuff and all of that i think it is kind of , ridiculous. If straight people can do it, why cant we . It straight people can hold hands and kiss in the park, why cant we do it . They aint no better than i am. Im not talking about kissing and Holding Hands in the park. Im talking about some guy dropping his pants, all right . Ive seen people fuck in the park, men and women. That doesnt mean we have to do it. It gives us a bad name. But we should be allowed to do it. If we want to give ourselves a bad name. It is a kissing contest. We are going to attempt to break the record. Couple beatexual the time. Myra, Say Something to the press . Tell me how you feel about being here today . I feel beautiful, fantastic. How many years have you been a homosexual . I was born homosexual. Its beautiful. Has the new movement given you added pride or incentive . Yes, i was sad to see there was not a politician or something here today. I think lindsay should have made it a point to be her today as that sheer today as well as be here today as well as possibly some of the gay movement organizes themselves. They might have been here, but they did not speak out to us and they should have. Also, i think they should have there should have been a United States flag at the beginning of the parade, which i did not see, but i think people were very well behaved, very well mannered, and the police respected us, and i think that the showing that we have really made it. Because if two homosexuals can live together and thrive and can be constructive rather than destructive to each other and themselves without legal bonds, without children, without the sanction of the great society, then they can demonstrate to heterosexuals they need not be so concerned with their property and their marriage and divorce laws. You think you are happier now now that you realize exactly where your feelings lie . Indeed. Im just sorry it took so long. Im sorry i spent so many years in the closet. I mean, it really finally comes down to finding one other person to love and to be loved by and you serve each others needs. Proud gay in a moment, we will be live from the National Stonewall monument to mark the 15th 50th anniversary of the 1969 stonewall riots, a key turning point in the stonewall in the Gay Rights Movement. Of thest is an editor stonewall riots, documented history. Having to lie is the
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