I posted this notice of Barbara Gittings' passing over at LISNews. Gittings was a gay rights pioneer and was awarded the ALA's highest honor of Lifetime Membership in 2003. She was honored with this title because of her work with the American Library Association's Gay Task Force to attract more attention to gay literature and urge libraries to provide more information on sexuality and gay issues.
Gittings has been in our thoughts lately at my house. Juniorina is doing her National History Day paper on the Stonewall Riots and I told her that there was an ALA Stonewall Book Award named after Barbara Gittings. I had encouraged her to try and contact her for an interview and find out the connection between Gittings and Stonewall. She sent an email to a book awards committee person last week, but had not heard back. Sadly, we now know why.
If anyone has remembrances of Barbara Gittings, or would like to talk to my daughter about Gittings' legacy, please leave a comment here or drop me an email so that I can get my girl in touch with you.
I got to meet Barbara when she came to Des Moines, IA in April 2005, later that month my partner & I were in Philly and got to see Barbara again and meet Kay.
Since Barbara's death, I have spent a lot time looking at web site and reading more about the woman who was very import to me and my life.
Here is the best site I have found with the greatest amount of detail of Barbara's life. http://www.rainbowhistory.org/gittings.htm Once you are on the site and have read it, the resources on the bottom of the page have great infomation.
My name is Sandy and you or your daughter can email at RainbowEQPAC.aol.com.
I hope this information is helpful. Thank you for trying to raise an opened and healthy child.
In Peace,
Sandy
Posted by: Sandy Vopalka | 2007.02.23 at 04:05 PM