Alfred Benson ClubHouse Oral History Interview

Title

Subject

Alfred Benson talks about the Clubhouse, "The Children" and being Black and LGBTQ in DC during the 70's and 80's.

The ClubHouse was a DC after hours club that was open from 1975-1990 catering mostly to a Black queer clientele. It was known internationally for its sound system built by the audio engineer that created Studio 54’s. The ClubHouse had legendary DJ’s and introduced house music to DC. It hosted the Children’s Hour and many political events for the DC democrats including being a regular campaign stop for Marion Barry. The ClubHouse helped fund the Third World Gays and Lesbian Conference and hosted the first AIDS Forum for Black and Third Worlds Gays.

Description

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Creator

Delan Ellington

Abstract

Teenagers going to gay bars in the 80s. Living in Virginia on a military base. Baltimore, Delaware and NYC Bar scenes.Member of the Clubhouse. Drug use and sober. Mentions the Brass Rail well and ways that young POC gay men became intergrated ti gay social life. Great section on the music that is played at the Clubhouse. Prejudice of white clubs.Alfred names a lot of other people who were around at the time.

Date

May 1975- end of May 1990

Date Created

March 30, 2020

Contributor

Glenn C Reimer along with a team of volunteers

Format

Digital Recordings and digital photographs

Language

English

Type

Oral History

Coverage

African American LGBTQ Spaces, LGBTQ Bar/Club, 1980's DC, Late 1970's DC

Spatial Coverage

Washington D.C.

Temporal Coverage

1970’s – 1990

Audience

Researchers and all Black Queer People

Rights Holder

The Rainbow History Project

Collection

ClubHouse Oral History Project

Citation

Delan Ellington, “Alfred Benson ClubHouse Oral History Interview,” Rainbow History Project Digital Collections, accessed November 21, 2024, https://archives.rainbowhistory.org/items/show/1650.

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