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Abstract
On 31 July 1994 the Board of Directors of the Alice Austen House Museum on Staten Island, NY presented its annual Nautical Festival at the Museum. The Festival, like other events the museum hosts throughout the year, celebrates the life and work of photographer Alice Austen (1866–1952), and encourages visits to the museum, a Victorian cottage known as ‘Clear Comfort’, which was her family home. On this particular occasion, visitors to the Festival and museum volunteers were greeted by demonstrators from the Lesbian Avengers, an activist organization ‘dedicated to fighting for lesbian visibility and survival’. Footnote1 To the dismay of some volunteers, demonstrators marched through the grounds proclaiming the Alice Austen House Museum a ‘National Historic Lesbian Landmark’.Footnote2 Lesbian Avengers distributed pamphlets at the demonstration, which maintained that although the Board of Directors of the Alice Austen House Museum denies publicly Austen's homosexual orientation, her collection of photographs documents her life as a white, middle-class lesbian at the turn of the century. Footnote3 In addition, Austen shared ‘Clear Comfort’ with her lover, Gertrude Tate, for almost 30 years.4 Their exclusive relationship lasted for 55 years.
Anne Maguire of the Lesbian Avengers, draft letter to the Board of the Alice Austen House, 3 August 1994, Lesbian Herstory Archives, Brooklyn, NY.
As referred to in a pamphlet the Lesbian Avengers distributed at the demonstration. The pamphlet, entitled ‘Alice Austen and Gertrude Tate House: A National Hestory Lesbian Landmark’ is a museum and biographical guide. Lesbian History Archives, Brooklyn, NY. Parts of the demonstration, including confrontations between museum volunteers and activists, can be seen in the film, The Female Closet, 1997, dir. Barbara Hammer.
The Board of Directors, also known as Friends of the Alice Austen House Museum, Inc., has managed the House Museum since 1985. The City of New York owns the property.
Anne Maguire of the Lesbian Avengers, draft letter to the Board of the Alice Austen House, 3 August 1994, Lesbian Herstory Archives, Brooklyn, NY.
As referred to in a pamphlet the Lesbian Avengers distributed at the demonstration. The pamphlet, entitled ‘Alice Austen and Gertrude Tate House: A National Hestory Lesbian Landmark’ is a museum and biographical guide. Lesbian History Archives, Brooklyn, NY. Parts of the demonstration, including confrontations between museum volunteers and activists, can be seen in the film, The Female Closet, 1997, dir. Barbara Hammer.
The Board of Directors, also known as Friends of the Alice Austen House Museum, Inc., has managed the House Museum since 1985. The City of New York owns the property.
Notes
Anne Maguire of the Lesbian Avengers, draft letter to the Board of the Alice Austen House, 3 August 1994, Lesbian Herstory Archives, Brooklyn, NY.
As referred to in a pamphlet the Lesbian Avengers distributed at the demonstration. The pamphlet, entitled ‘Alice Austen and Gertrude Tate House: A National Hestory Lesbian Landmark’ is a museum and biographical guide. Lesbian History Archives, Brooklyn, NY. Parts of the demonstration, including confrontations between museum volunteers and activists, can be seen in the film, The Female Closet, 1997, dir. Barbara Hammer.
The Board of Directors, also known as Friends of the Alice Austen House Museum, Inc., has managed the House Museum since 1985. The City of New York owns the property.