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The STONEWALL Veterans' Association ("S.V.A") is the standing original Gay organization that started giving in mid-1969 and, over four decades later, still keeps on "giving, giving, giving" to the Gay, Lesbian, Bi and Transgender ("GLBT") community and Friends and way beyond -- now via the internet throughout the entire World!
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The STONEWALL Veterans' Association's received requests to
speak at schools, civic groups, forums, churches, symposiums, political clubs,
labor councils, etc. regarding the late-1960's Stonewall Era and the 1969 Stonewall
Rebellion are always in demand. This is a public service
that the S.V.A. provides at no charge, however, wherever possible, an
honorarium or a sponsorship is reasonably expected and greatly appreciated. The S.V.A. makes
arrangements via direct telephone conversations. Requests with
details must then be made in writing and the original letter sent via
U.S. mail or an express carrier, if
needed. A copy of the request can be faxed. The
STONEWALL Veterans'
Association would like to accommodate all educational requests --
especially in the
annually forthcoming international advent of the "Stonewall Celebration Anniversary" in June ("Gay Pride Month"). Request from Portland, Oregon, Gay Pride Committee ----- Original Message ----- The following summarizes the S.V.A.'s information and speaking engagements in a typical year:
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In addition, the STONEWALL Veterans' Association ("S.V.A.") has public official staffers, writers, reporters, authors, educators, columnists, researchers and students attend the regular monthly meetings of the S.V.A. at the New York City Gay Community Services Center in Manhattan, New York on the last Saturday odf every month! Actual interviews happen sometimes right at or after the S.V.A. meeting. Please see the S.V.A.'s website homepage for general S.V.A. meeting information. Also see the S.V.A.'s "Current and Upcoming Events" section for specific details such as monthly meeting dates and guest speakers: www.STONEWALLvets.org/upcomingevents.htm.
Requests from Schools, Teachers and Students
| An example of the S.V.A.'s received requests is as follows: A social studies teacher from Hamilton Regional High School in Hamilton, Massachusetts calls on Thursday morning at 11 a.m., November 14, 2002, on behalf of a Gay -- yes, capital "G", we are a "people" -- 16-year-young student, who is doing a term paper on the late-1960's Stonewall Era and the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion. The student wants the teacher to arrange for him to interview an actual person who was present at least one of the five nights of that GLBT event. Immediately, the supportive and interested teacher is taught that the Stonewall uprising was a 'rebellion' not a 'riot'. Our educational program has already begun in this contact! By noon, the student has long-distance interviewed two Stonewall Rebellion Veterans... Jeremiah Newton and Terri Van Dyke, both officers of the S.V.A. All of the above is coordinated by S.V.A. President Williamson Henderson. Notes of appreciation are received by the S.V.A. We receive these educational requests on a regular basis. |
Letter from S.V.A. President to a Community College for GLBT Event
Wednesday, 24 October 2007
Greetings to All of the Students, Faculty and Friends at
the Cape Cod Community College ("4-C"): in Massachusetts
The purposes of the original Stonewall Inn was to serve
as a Gay meeting place, a same-gender dancing club and, in
effect, a Gay community center. Even if you didn't know
every person, in most cases, you recognized the faces. We
always welcomed new faces. Gay people came from all over.
After the five nights from June 27th to July 3rd, 1969, the
unexpected yet spontaneous Stonewall Rebellion took place.
The uprising was not a "riot". That is a perjorative and
criminalizing term. There was no looting, no burning of
cars, no assaulting passersby and, most telling, there were
no insurance claims! Thus, there was no riot. That was a
negative police term. The Stonewall Rebellion was a civil
rights demonstration. It was akin, in comparison, to the
Boston Tea Party! Stonewall demonstrators unknowingly --
yet literally -- ignited the modern Gay rights movement.
The STONEWALL Veterans' Association ("S.V.A.") formed the
very next month on July 11th, 1969, in a Greenwich Village
deli restaurant. Our mission then -- and now -- was to
unite the Stonewallers of the rebellion and, by extension,
the Gay community. The S.V.A. has been successfully doing
educating and a whole lot more for nearly four decades.
The S.V.A.'s main purpose was and is to educate the public
-- both Gay and non-Gay. So, you can imagine how extra
proud I am of our Stonewall veteran David Bermudez -- and
his wonderfully supportive spouse Robert "Bob" Isadore --
for presenting this educational forum "The Gay Rebellion
in America: STONEWALL" at the Cape Cod Community College.
You will know how the Gay rights movement really ignited!
Despite the real dangers at that time, it was fun doing it
and the music of The Stonewall was great!
To learn more about the S.V.A., the people and the rebellion
-- in addition to the famous 1969 Cadillac "Stonewall Car"
and the fabulous "Songs of The Stonewall", please visit the
Stonewall Era, the people and the club on the S.V.A. website at:
www.STONEWALLvets.org/Stonewall.htm. Or, you can go to any
internet search engine and enter two words: Stonewall Veterans.
Gayly,
Williamson Henderson, Presdident
STONEWALL Veterans' Association
[This S.V.A. e-mail is crafted to be printed and enlarged.]
Invitation from LaGuardia High School, NYC
(event: 6 June 2009)
We are all impressed with your outstanding Stonewall Veterans website.
I've been involved with a major Federal grant focused on curriculum
development, education and outreach for high school American history
teachers since 2006. This grant funds opportunities for teachers through
the New York Historical Society, and has empowered teachers to take part
in experiences as diverse as a field-trip and panel discussion on
Woodstock and travel to Philadelphia and the Constitution Center. The
educators involved in these workshops are all exemplary New York City
teachers working in a wide variety of high schools across the city.
Currently, I am organizing and teaching a mini-seminar on the Stonewall
Rebellion and GLBT Activism since the 1960s. As a Global Studies and
American history teacher at LaGuardia High School for Music & Art in
Manhattan and the Performing Arts since 2007 and a teacher at Harvey Milk
High School from 2003 to 2007, I have found that while students may learn
about American civil rights movements, the pivotal nature of Stonewall and
the importance of GLBT actvism frequently is overlooked in high school
history curricula across the city. This seminar will be working to
address this shortcoming with a group of 15 teachers.
My goal is to bring together a panel of 4-5 GLBT activists, ideally those
who experienced events at or surrounding Stonewall or who have been
noteworthy contributors to and supporers of community activism in the
years since. These individuals would participate in a panel discussion at
the New York Historical Society significantly during Gay Pride Month
between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Saturday, the 6th of June, 2009.
Panel participants should be able to share "Stonewall" experiences
and insight into their lives as both GLBT individuals and activists,
solidifying the importance of the personal and ongoing struggle for
civil rights for GLBT people for a small group of high school teachers.
While I would really welcome the participation of any member of your
SVA organization, I am aware that you may already have plans for this
Saturday morning. Any assistance you would be able to provide in
provdiing Stonewall veteran participants in the panel would be greatly
appreciated. I can be contacted by email at xxyyyzz2009@msn.com
or called directly at 111-222-3333.
Hope you are well and enjoying the beautiful weather this week!
Best,
LaGuardia High School
American History Department
100 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, New York
10023
The STONEWALL Veterans' Association is listed at an excellent resource for the
Gay, Lesbian, Bi & Transgender ("GLBT") community and Friends and Supporters:
www.GayellowPages.com
25 August
2010
====40th Anniversary of the Gay Stonewall Rebellion====
Friday night, June 27 ~through~ Thursday evening, July 3, 1969
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