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Don Paulson papers, 1939-2006

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Paulson, Don
Title
Don Paulson papers
Dates
1939-2006 (inclusive)
Quantity
21.21 cubic feet (31 boxes, 2 oversize folders, 2 vertical files)
Collection Number
(Accession No. 5354)
Summary
Papers of an activist, writer, and artist in Seattle's gay community.
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Textual and visual materials are open to all users. Archival recordings cannot be played due to preservation concerns. Contact Special Collections for more information.

Request at UW

Languages
English
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Biographical Note

Don Paulson, an artist and author in the greater Seattle area, was born in Seattle in 1933. Paulson attended Auburn High School, then served for two years in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He lived in New York and Los Angeles for short periods but returned to Seattle in 1966 and devoted himself to painting. Paulson, a contributor to the Seattle Gay News , formed a friendship with Skippy LaRue, whose photo and clipping collection on female impersonators led Paulson to write about the topic. Specifically interested in female impersonators who performed at the Garden of Allah nightclub in Seattle, he collaborated with University of Washington communications professor Roger Simpson on the book, An Evening at the Garden of Allah: A Gay Cabaret in Seattle (Columbia University Press, 1996), for which they won the Governor's Writers Award in 1997. Paulson used the nickname "Dawn" among his friends, and he used "Whitey Boom" as an alias in connection with painting.

Paulson was a member of Black and White Men Together, a gay interracial organization committed to fostering supportive environments and overcoming racial and cultural barriers. BWMT/Seattle participated in educational, political, cultural, and social activities as a means of addressing racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, and heterosexism in the community.

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Content Description

The Paulson papers are comprised of textual materials, sound recordings, videocassettes, programs, handbills, and sheet music relating to Paulson's life as an artist in the Seattle area, his friendships with other gay men, and his research on female impersonators, notably those who performed at the Seattle cabaret, the Garden of Allah, in the 1950s.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Arranged into 5 accessions:

  • Accession no. 5354-001, Don Paulson papers, 1954-2002
  • Accession no. 5354-002, Don Paulson-Skippy LaRue collection, 1944-2003, undated
  • Accession no. 5354-003, Don Paulson papers, 1950-2003
  • Accession no. 5354-004, Don Paulson papers, 1939-2006
  • Accession no. 5354-005, Don Paulson papers, 1970-1999

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Detailed Description of the Collection

 

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Female impersonators--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Female impersonators--Washington (State)--Seattle--Interviews
  • Gay bars--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Gay clubs--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Gay men--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Gay men--Washington (State)--Seattle--Archives
  • Music-halls (Variety-theaters, cabarets, etc.)--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)

Personal Names

  • Davis, Keith Delano
  • DeVoe, Billy
  • Goodwin, Harvey W
  • Koenig, John Franklin, 1924-
  • Lee, Harvey
  • Meurer, Dennis
  • Nolan, Tim S. (Timothy Shawn)
  • Nordyke, Terry
  • Paulson, Don--Archives
  • Raye, Robin
  • Salsman, Joel
  • Scott, Diane
  • Stipek, Daryl
  • Strachan, Bruce Pitcairn
  • Wight, Elizabeth

Corporate Names

  • BWMT/Seattle
  • Garden of Allah (Cabaret : Seattle, Wash.)

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)--Social life and customs--20th century

Titles within the Collection

  • Evening at the Garden of Allah: a gay cabaret in Seattle

Other Creators

  • Personal Names

    • LaRue, Skippy (collector)
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