Collections : [New York State Modern Political Archive]

This series contains material collected by Professor Rosenthal during the course of his research. It contains an extensive collection of transcriptions of Rosenthal's interviews with various Capital District gay and lesbian activists. Interview subjects include Albany Common Council member Keith St. John (the first openly gay African-American to be elected to public office in the United States), Father Ron Gerber of the Albany Damien Center, activist Libby Post, and numerous other individuals involved in the movement for gay and lesbian rights. They discuss matters such as the history of the GLBT community in the Capital District, its role in Albany municipal politics and New York State politics, and the impact of AIDS on the community. These transcriptions are arranged chronologically; an alphabetical index which cross-references names with dates is available in Box 1, Folder 1. The series also includes a file of publications on the AIDS crisis, including reports by the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute (NYSDOHAI), other New York State agencies, and a number of federal agencies and private nonprofits.