LGBT pulp fiction collection, 1928-1989 : Ms.Coll.54 Finding aid prepared by Sandra Glascock based on cataloging by Joan Lubin (2016) on October 24 2017 PDF produced on July 17, 2019 John J. Wilcox, Jr. LGBT Archives, William Way LGBT Community Center 1315 Spruce Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 [email protected] LGBT pulp fiction collection, 1928-1989 : Ms.Coll.54 Table of Contents Summary Information .................................................................................................................................... 3 Biographical / Historical ................................................................................................................................ 3 Scope and Contents ........................................................................................................................................ 4 Arrangement ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Administrative Information ............................................................................................................................ 4 Controlled Access Headings .......................................................................................................................... 5 Collection Inventory ....................................................................................................................................... 5 A ................................................................................................................................................................... 5 B ................................................................................................................................................................... 7 C ................................................................................................................................................................... 9 D ................................................................................................................................................................. 12 E ................................................................................................................................................................. 14 F ................................................................................................................................................................. 15 G ................................................................................................................................................................. 15 H ................................................................................................................................................................. 17 I .................................................................................................................................................................. 19 J .................................................................................................................................................................. 20 K ................................................................................................................................................................. 21 L ................................................................................................................................................................. 22 M ................................................................................................................................................................ 23 N ................................................................................................................................................................. 26 O ................................................................................................................................................................. 26 P ................................................................................................................................................................. 26 R ................................................................................................................................................................. 27 S ................................................................................................................................................................. 28 T ................................................................................................................................................................. 31 U ................................................................................................................................................................. 33 V ................................................................................................................................................................. 33 W ................................................................................................................................................................ 34 Y ................................................................................................................................................................. 35 Author unknown ........................................................................................................................................ 35 - Page 2 - LGBT pulp fiction collection, 1928-1989 : Ms.Coll.54 Summary Information Repository: John J. Wilcox, Jr. LGBT Archives, William Way LGBT Community Center Title: LGBT pulp fiction collection, 1928-1989 ID: Ms.Coll.54 Date: 1928-1989 Physical Description: 10.4 Linear feet Physical Description: 26 boxes Language of the English Material: Preferred Citation LGBT pulp fiction collection, 1928-1989, Ms. Coll. 54, John J. Wilcox, Jr. LGBT Archives, William Way LGBT Community Center, Philadelphia, PA. ^ Return to Table of Contents Biographical / Historical Although pulp fiction is not a precise term, it generally refers to the sensationalist genre literature produced in paperback during the twentieth century. "Pulp" referred to the cheap paper stock on which these stories were printed. While the pages were of low quality, the covers typically displayed eye- catching and provocative illustrations. Mainstream publishers packaged these cheap paperback books to be sold on racks in train stations, drugstores, stationary shops and newsstands. Pulp fiction disturbed and fascinated mass audiences because, as author Mary Elliott states, "it offered glimpses of taboo eroticism, questioned comfortable assumptions about social good and evil, sold itself through beautiful cover art, and provided moments that challenged the premises of established gender and value systems." The first wave of gay pulp fiction materialized in the 1940s and was primarily composed of reprints of earlier mainstream, respected literary fiction with gay themes. These books—such as Blair Niles' Strange Brother and Gore Vidal's The City and the Pillar—portrayed characters examining what it means to be a man who is sexually and emotionally attracted to other men. Though lesbian-themed pulp fiction was also being produced at this time, they consisted of original stories written by men for a heterosexual male audience whereas the gay pulp fiction books were written by gay men for a wide readership. - Page 3- LGBT pulp fiction collection, 1928-1989 : Ms.Coll.54 Relaxation of censorship laws in the 1960s led to a second wave of gay and lesbian pulp fiction where it was possible to publish work with more explicit sexual content and present unapologetic queer characters. These new pulps contained original, nonliterary stories and were distributed with an intent to sell sexualized material. For both gays and lesbians these new writings, which reached far more people than the earlier literary fiction, "were both a visceral and visible marker of personal as well as group identity" according to author Michael Bronski. Additionally, in the back pages of the books, there were advertisements for homophile organizations and spaces for personal ads. As significant as they are salacious, these pulps capture a transitional period in LGBT history. (Sources: Bronski, M. (2004). Pulp fiction: Gay (467-470) and Elliott, M. (2004). Pulp fiction: Lesbian (471-475); In M. Stein (Ed), Encyclopedia of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history in America. New York, NY: Charles Scribners & Sons.) ^ Return to Table of Contents Scope and Contents The LGBT pulp fiction collection is comprised of over 550 paperback books containing homoerotic stories published from the 1920s to the late 1980s in the United States. The materials are primarily gay men's pulp fiction but lesbian pulp fiction is also included as well as pseudo-scientific case studies analyzing sexual behavior. Writers such as Richard Amory, Ann Aldrich and Truman Capote are represented and the books feature both beautiful and salacious cover art. ^ Return to Table of Contents Arrangement Books are arranged alphabetically by author's last name. ^ Return to Table of Contents Administrative Information Publication Statement John J. Wilcox, Jr. LGBT Archives, William Way LGBT Community Center - Page 4- LGBT pulp fiction collection, 1928-1989 : Ms.Coll.54 1315 Spruce Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 [email protected] Conditions Governing Access This collection is open for research use. Conditions Governing Use Copyright restrictions may exist. It is the