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Don Paulson and Skippy LaRue photograph collection, 1903-2000

Overview of the Collection

Collector
Paulson, Don
Title
Don Paulson and Skippy LaRue photograph collection
Dates
1903-2000 (inclusive)
1939-1980s (bulk)
Quantity
2.32 cubic feet (7 boxes, 3 oversize folders)
269 photographs : black and white
234 photographs : color
19 drawings
Ephemera (35 postcards, 4 posters and other material)
Collection Number
PH0673
Summary
Research materials, including photographs, postcards, and clippings of early local and national female impersonators
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

The collection is open to the public.

Request at UW

Additional Reference Guides

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

Research materials, including photographs, negatives, postcards, and clippings of early local and national female impersonators, and original artwork collected for the creation of An Evening at the Garden of Allah: A Gay Cabaret in Seattle , a book co-written by Don Paulson. Related materials include publicity posters and photographs for Paulson's book readings and "Return to the Garden of Allah," a contemporary tribute to the performers celebrated in Paulson's book. Scrapbooks from two performers, Jackie Starr and Hotcha Hinton, are included. Also includes photographs, slides, and original artwork created by Paulson as a member of the Seattle chapter of Black and White Men Together (BWMT) and other gay/lesbian groups.

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Other Descriptive Information

For this collection, when gender is unknown, it is determined by the clothes the individual is wearing.

Inventory entries refer to photographs unless otherwise indicated.

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Use of the Collection

Alternative Forms Available

View selections from the collection in digital format.

Restrictions on Use

Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Arranged into 9 series:

  • Early Performers (Non-Garden of Allah)
  • Jewel Box Revue
  • Modern Performers (Non-Garden of Allah)
  • Performers, Garden of Allah patrons, and early Northwest gay and lesbian community figures
  • Garden of Allah Performers (Group Photos)
  • Garden of Allah, miscellaneous
  • An Evening at the Garden of Allah
  • Return to the Garden of Allah Performance
  • Black and White Men Together (BWMT)

Acquisition Information

Gift of Don Paulson and Skippy LaRue, 2003.

Processing Note

Processed by Richard Visick, and Marion Brown, 2009

These materials were relocated from the Don Paulson Papers, Accession No. 5354-001, in the repository in 2004.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

 


2009 (Last modified: 2/16/2024)

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