1 25 1 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Jack Nichols Photographs and Papers : Digital Collection, 1955-2005 Description An account of the resource The Jack Nichols Digital Collection includes photographs and documents created by, about, or collected by Jack Nichols. The collection includes an unedited draft of his memoirs, which were never completed. Jack Nichols is a native of Chevy Chase, MD. Until he moved to New York City with his partner Lige Clarke in the late 1960s, Nichols was extensively involved in gay activism and gay life in Washington, DC. He was a founding member of the Mattachine Society of Washington (MSW), participated in MSW’s picketing at the White House, the Pentagon, Civil Service, and at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Nichols was an active participant in annual meetings of the East Coast Homophile Organizations (ECHO) and spoke from the podium on several occasions. In New York City, Nichols and Clarke founded, wrote for, and edited the early national newspaper Gay. Today he edits and writes for the online newspaper Gay Today (www.gaytoday.com) which is published by the Badpuppy website. He has generously contributed a wonderful album of photographs of his life in DC and elsewhere from which the following photographs are drawn. The Rainbow History Project (RHP) greatly appreciates Jack Nichols’ generosity in sharing these photographs and more with RHP. The photographs displayed here are the property and copyright of either Jack Nichols or the credited creators of the photos. They may not be used without permission. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Nichols, Jack Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. February 22nd 1975 Today is Edge's thirty-third birthday. ¥ou may not have seen him today as closely as I have, and since there are rumors, I'll tell you what I know about what he's been up to and' how he's been. Some think that Lige was mowed down on a dark Mexican road near Veracruz; that crazed bandits emptied an automatic round into his ^oody as he travelled the open road. Weil, that's true. That happened. Lige left hare {"here" being an oceanfront condominium we'd shared since early November) on February 7th in Charlie's car-With both Juan and Charlie. Juan had just returned from a two-year stint in South America and was trying to orient himself to the U.S. with a visit with Lige and me before he headed north. Charlie lived on the same floor of our condominium complex. We'd known him jointly since January, and he'd just finished working a taxing job end was anxious to travel, it-seemed, and to learn. He knew that Lige had a fierce urge to travel. He had a car, he offered his friendship to both of us, and Lige jumped at the chance to take a jaunt to Mexico. Charles did not die in the hail of bullets. He was injured, both in feeling and bodily, but hot permanently I hope/ Lige didn't have much cash, but he was always eager to see new places, cash or no. He took only a few clothes, the materials for the book he'd been working on here, and an extra type^A'riter. He'd, always wanted to see the east coast of Mexico and he must have driven very fast to get from Cocoa Beach, Florida to the Verajjruz region in so short a time. Juan decided not to accompany Liee and Charlie to Mexico and boarded a plane for Washington, D.C. in Houston, evidently feeling more oriented after a rapid transit ride ana" ready to face his adopted country once more. My last months with Lige had been "V.'hare Peaceful Waters Flow" as Gladys Knight might have sung it. (The most recent record album Lige listened to intently was Imagination by Gladys Knight and the ?ips.-) - - oh - - - he was also humming and singing Honeybee and Reach Out recorded by Gloria Gaynor. ) He decided suddenly, as he often decided things, to take the Mexican trip. But he was ^aiming to expand and so I was happy for him. "I'll' go down the coast of Mexico and'find us an inexpensive place to live during the economic, collapse," he joked,"! may be back in a week. Will *you send me' busfare if I get stranded?15 "Sure," I smiled back. Our last moments^were perfect moments. Happy. Undemanding. Concerned only fojr each other's well being. He'd done quite a bit of nursing. I had the flu in December. His aunt Monte had gone into a Miami hospital at the end of January. But while he was here in Cocoa Beach, he'd run on the beach, work on his book, swim, cook, and catch those rays — sweet mother sun. He'd stopped smoking for the second extended time. I was working on a book too. We fed each other ideas. He told me about his travels. Since Lige had always dreamed of world travel, he worked his way around the globe Mftvilfi'&fj bQ countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, and South/North America aboard a Norweigan cceanliner. He'd brought home little gifts or sent cards and letters to his loved ones everywhere. "The seas of the world," he said, "are like many colored jewels: turquoises, emeralds." During the time he travelled (January to August, 19?^) I was ir. Cocoa Beach writing my first major philpsoohical work which I had dedicated to Llge add which he had read carefully and. helped proof and collate upon his return. It xvill be published in May and is full of lessons I learned from Lige which is what the dedication says, in effect.. The book is called "MSN'S LIBERATION: A New Definition of Masculinity." Its 31c uages will tell you what many of our conversations were about in recent years. Llge has been a very wise man. lie has been a guide whose own cuo was overflowing, a man who save to others. To each man or woman who loved him I am sure he is say ins: today, his birthday, what Walt Whitman (whose eyes were similar to Lite's) did: Whoever you are, now I place my hand unon you, that you be my poem. I whisper with my lips close to your ear, I have loved many women and men, but I love none better than you. Many strange things happened before Lige left, but I will tell you just two. We had two large towels between us, both of which Lige had bought on his world trio. One was a plain brown. The other was a towel of many colors, which I am sure that he left not only for me, but for each of those whom he loved. The word "Love" was v.rinted all over the towel and he said, "Here, take this. I'm taking the brown one." It was his way of saying, "You may have the oretty one." Lis-e left here that Friday afternoon his face wreathed in smiles. He seemed almost ecstatic. The Open Road was before him, and there was not « troubled line in his face, \-ihen he left there were no regrets, no serious concerns. We would see eech other soon and he knew, as he always seemed, to know InCtlvely somehow, that there is a fit balance in the universe ;.:;'.; defies apoearances. One of r.ipre's recent gifts to me (here in Cocoa Beach) was the soundtrack of :Jinnochio (from the film.) Often, when we've been out at ni.crht, Li^e (since we met) always first stooped and scanned the heavens looking: for the earliest star, and he would close his eyes to make a wish. "What are ycuV* wishing?" I'd ask. "I can't you," he.'d smile, "because if I did, the wish might nob come true." finnochio's theme scner is "When You Wish Upon a Star." Do • know the words to that son:-r? If not, listen bo them carefully. They will tell you (in part) what Li-re believes and how he lives his life even now, I should think. I have never seen him hesitate to make his dreams come true (never, certainly because of financial considerations or because of security.) He taught me that I must trust my first instincts more fully and yet neither of us, certainly, always took the jrood advice we dispensed on avery occasion. But we tried. Lise tried. Kis heart was in his dreams, as the Pinnochio theme suggests. I am sure that Lise save nothing to me that he did not "give carefully to others." "When You Wish Upon a Star" is a preser." for you too, I am sure. 3- February 23rd 1975 I promised yesterday to mention only two of the strange things that have happened recently. But today something else hapoened.. Ten years ago, when Lite's mother died in the hills of Kentucky, I took him to see "The Sound of Music" the night the word had come. He liked the film, he said, because the principal character treated children much as his^o^her had treated him and her other children. Lige's extraordinary. Snelbianna, had. seen the film and thought likewise. Today, a week after another funeral took place in the hills of Kentucky, two wonderful friends who have kept me close company, fortunately, during the past two weeks) took me to a film. (I speak of films because Lige was fascinated by films as an art form.) One of my comrades suggested that we go and the other paid for the three of us. The film was an adaptation of a book by Antoine de Saint-Exupery: The Little Prince. Look for yourself in the film, if you are fortunate enough to see it. You will wonder about "The Little Prince". Who was he? You will see yourself in the film and those near you. I am sure that if Lige were to see the film or read the book with you himself he would, say, "You__are the Little Prince." One becomes what one absorbs. Lige was absorbing constantly. Ons that fateful night in Mexico he was carying, as he usually d.id^ three books: Leaves of Grass, The Prophet, and The Voice of the Silence. He loved, each of these books simply because they expressed a nature akin to his own, a nature which is like yours. That is a secret which he knew about you, even if icsxai you did not knew it. But I am sure that if Lige showed in some way that be cared, for you, that he didn't keen it a secret either. Hare, before I tell you about the real life experience I enjoyed. at a funeral in Kentucky last week, let me quote some words from "The Little Prince." (You know how I am about quoting good things don't you?): It could be Lige speaking to his loved, ones: "And when your sorrow is comforted (time soothes all sorrows) you will be content that you have known me. You will always be my friend. You will want to laugh with me. And you will sometimes ooen your window, so, for that pleasure." Now, about this funeral in the hills of Kentucky.- It was the supreme expereicne of my life thus far. It was hard, yes, but all of us scot done what needed to be done, and it didn't seem very hard. Lige's hometown is a magic spot (isn't everyplace?) with a copulation under 1,000. Old friends were able to attend from several far away cities (Lige's hometown is isolated in those southeastern Kentucky hills). The reason that the spot seemed magical to us was that its inhabitants sholred us that those who reach out and love are loved in return. Lige's funeral was the most profound exchange in ecstatic communication that I have ever experienced, far surpassing, even, our "Rocky Mountain High" when we spoke together at the 26th Annual Conference 0$ World Affairs (University of Colorado, Boulder, 1973) and met young peoole who enchanted us with the good we sav; in them. But the beautiful oeople of that mountainous Kentucky region taught your stand-ins at Lige's funeral about the k\ natural goodness of men, particularly if they are left alone to grow by themselves. Prudy, a beautiful country woman, one of the most beautiful 1 have ever seen, told of how Lige had given her a copy of The Prophet. But first": she sang about "an uncldudy day'1 and I am certain you can remember at least one day when Lige touched you on such a day, can't you? i a Pm&j was preceded by two parsons, both of whom were very brief. She ! ^Jsaid only a very few words, but they captured an essence. She said: o A"I remember Lige as my Third Son. He was the friend who shared in i £ X3° the many "little boy" adventures of my son, Jimmy, and later in the V6 teen age escapades of drag-racing, girl chasing, and just plain j 3 ^v* having fun. I ^ r c-j Lige was the extra family member for the holiday meals. It was not I ~>> comolete without his impish grin and his small love offering for me —. -~N^r which could be anything from a duck to cook to a bag of candy from I i ; V tiis daddy's store. ( ^J He was truly a dreamer; artistic, sensitive, curious, and a chaser * ^ N S after rainbows. He was always searching for what lay just over the "T/K horizon. He was ever in search of new adventures and new places. ?y •~": Lige1 s faith in a Supreme Being was very firm. We have discussed this ! i many times. His gqjd was a loving God ~- one who met his children 0 with a smile, not an angry, fearful God. As a small boy Lige put his Bible in the corner stone of this very H church. If he were here, I feel he would say, "No sad faces; I am not dead. I have jast started on the most wonderful adventure of them ail. SXraile - for 1 am just away." i -> . ^ At the graveside i found myself translating the scripture into my own jidiom, and I'll pass on to you what 1 thought; "Be not afraid.. In jmy father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you." 2It was raining as the mountain folk climbed with us to the hilltop graveside <Lige would have worried that some of them, not quite strong enough, were bothering to make the climb. But they did climb. They seemed determined. "Someone at the graveside asked me if I wanted a rose. A thoughtful >gesture. But no. Not this time. Now, I thought, the "Whispers of Heavenly Death" have never sounded so loud before, and yet neither had life with its precious, fragile beauty ^caused such new amazement. I hear new whisperings, and while Lige's ispirit was unique it tells me that he is also everywhere where there are 'sentient creatures who are willing to climb, where there is good counsel, lifting: us to new heights. Can you hear his oft-expressed thoughts? I can. He's saying%"Breathe deeply, ten times perhaps, and then be continually conscious of your breaths. If you're hyper, breath-consciousnes will help you set a new pace." Next he'd say, "Don't waste useless time in fruitless speculation. There are unanswerable questions. I raise them myself. But do what you can do now to make the best of a situation. "There Is nothing that haopens but that it can be turned to beautiful results." Those of us who loved Lige while he occupied his bod.y know that1 we can still love him in everyone we meet, no matter the face, the age, the sex, •or the station in life. "I will have no one slighted or kept away," he might |have said. We know he couldn't have been stooped by a mere spray of bullets fired automatically by poor unfortunates on a dark Mexican road. The "latest word Is that the unfortunates have been apprehended and that Charlie is returning wounded to ^.^.»3335SH£^1sS5S# North Carolina to recuperate. ^ f Bj *&86t Lige was reading the writings of Peter Kropotkin (18^2-1921) and was expressing strong disapproval of the treatment of prisoners. I am making no judgements myself. Others, who feel cheated, may. *•*•!•••••••••* Original Format If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Typed letter signed : 4 p. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Jack Nichols' letter upon death of his partner Lige Clarke Subject The topic of the resource Nichols, Jack Clarke, Lige Gay couples--United States Description An account of the resource Typed letter signed : 4 p. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Nichols%2C+Jack">Nichols, Jack</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Jack Nichols Photographs and Papers, 1955-2005 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1975-02-22">1975-02-22</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=47&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Reproduction+and+use+of+this+material+requires+permission+from+the+copyright+holder.+Please+contact+the+Rainbow+History+Project+for+more+information.">Reproduction and use of this material requires permission from the copyright holder. Please contact the Rainbow History Project for more information.</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Washington (D.C.) New York (N.Y.) Jack Nichols Lige Clarke