James Anctil papers, circa 1930-1997

James Anctil (1943-1997), was a resident of the Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, area from December 1981 until his death from suicide in July 1997. A translator and Slavic language expert by profession, Anctil was also a published writer, diarist, vocalist, dancer, and visual artist and active in the gay & lesbian community of the Pacific Northwest.

Born in Nashua, New Hampshire on March 26, 1943, Anctil graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont in 1965 before moving to New York City. Anctil received his master's degree in Slavic languages from New York University and eventually moved to Portland, Oregon, in 1981. In Portland, Anctil taught English as a second language at five area colleges. He was a frequent contributor to gay publications including "Just Out" and "The EAGLE Newsmagazine," and active in gay organizations including the Portland Gay Men's Chorus (PGMC) and Rosetown Ramblers (an LGBT square dancing club.) Anctil was a choral translator for the Portland Opera and the Oregon Symphony, as well as a prolific visual artist.

Anctil's extensive diaries attest to his perspectives on homosexuality, politics, depression, love, art, and daily life over a span of 25 years. The Anctil collection documents his interests in spirituality, the men's movement, and gay & lesbian issues.