WAUTurnerTamara6180.xml Guide to the Tamara Turner Papers 1931-2014 Turner (Tamara) Papers Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries © 2018 (Last modified: 1/31/2020)
Seattle, WA 98195
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections 6180 (Accession No. 6180-001) Turner, Tamara Tamara Turner papers 1931-2014 6.84 cubic feet (6 boxes ) Collection materials are in English. Materials on Tamara Turner's career as a librarian and activist

Tamara Turner was a gay-rights activist and librarian. She was born on March 27, 1940 in Seattle, Washington. Turner earned a BA in History and a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Washington. Throughout her career, Turner served as a librarian at a variety of places including Rainier School in Buckley, Northwest Biotherapeutics in Bothell, and Pacific N.W. Cancer Foundation in Seattle. Additionally, she was Director of Medical Library Services at Children’s Regional Hospital and Medical Center in Seattle from 1977-1994. Turner was a strong promoter of workers’ rights and was instrumental in negotiating the first Pierce County Library contract in Washington.

Turner made a lifetime commitment to revolutionary feminism when she joined the Freedom Socialist Party and Radical Women in the early 1970s. She led in developing the groups' understanding of LGBTQ liberation and co-authored the book "Gay Resistance: The Hidden History." She was on the initial staff of the Freedom Socialist newspaper, and created its humor spin-off, "The Scrocialist." Additionally, she performed in the play "Hidden History," in which elder LGBTQ recounted their lives before the presence of the gay liberation movement.

Turner died of leukemia on March 22, 2017 in Seattle, Washington.

Materials related to the life of Tamara A. Turner, including correspondence, administrative records, articles, news clippings, speeches, course materials, newsletters, fliers, event programs, skits, notes, slides, photographs, and ephemera. The majority of materials concern Turner's activism with the Freedom Socialist Party and Radical Women, her book "Gay Resistance: The Hidden History," and the play "Hidden History."

No restrictions on access.

Request at UW

Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.

Donor: Helen Gilbert (member of Radical Women and Managing Editor of Red Letter Press) 2017-11-14

Unprocessed. Minimally arranged.

 Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington) Turner, Tamara--Archives Gay rights--Washington (State)--Seattle Library science--Study and teaching--Washington (State)--Seattle Gay Pride Day--Washington (State)--Seattle International Women's Day--Washington (State)--Seattle May Day (Labor holiday)--Washington (State)--Seattle Capitol Hill (Seattle, Wash Freedom Socialist Party (U.S.) Fraser, Clara, 1923-1998 Feminism--Washington (State)--Seattle Labor movement--Washington (State)--Seattle Seattle Women's Commission Records (Documents) Personal correspondence Ephemera Newsletters Photographs Fraser, Clara, 1923-1998 Women Gays and Lesbians Civic Activism

 

1 Alice B. Arts 1990-1997 1 Books and gays-schools controversy 1994-1997 1 E Queeribus Unum program 1996-1997 1 Anti-gay intiatives 1994-1995 1 Intiative 677 1997 1 Northwest Lesbian and Gay History Museum Project 1995-1997 1 TCI classes 1997 1 Medical Library Association: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Special Interest Group 1997 1 Roman, Prof.- UW classes 1992 1 Bigot Busters-Anti-gay intiatives 1994-1995 1 City Light 1994 1 Freedom Day Committee 1983-1998 1 Freedom Day Committee and NAMBLA (North American Man/Boy Love Association) 1996 1 Freedom Day Committee themes 1995-1997 1 Freedom Day Committee bylaws 1994-1997 1 Women's Rights Day 2004 1 International Women's Day 2001 1 International Women's Day- Radical Women 1994 1 International Women's Day 2011 1 International Women's Day- Radical Women fundraiser 1995-1997 1 Women's Rights Day 1993-2001 1 Fundraiser for Women's Rights Day 1997-1998 1 Women's Rights Day 2002 1 Women's Rights Day 2001 1 International Women's Day and Clara Fraser's talk 1988 1 May Day 1975 1 May Day speech 1986 1 May Day information 1973-2000 1 May Day- origins, etc. 2001-2002 1 May Day 1984 1 May Day- Portland 1997 1 Pride: Dyke's march and rally 2011 1 Pride: Dyke march, speech, etc. 2009 1 Gay pride parade- Seattle 2005 1 Miscellaneous articles circa 1973-1975 1 Miscellaneous articles undated 1 Unsorted undated 1 Capitol Hill Pride- booth and parade 2011 1 Pride Fest- Seattle Center 2011 1 Gay Pride: speech and article 1994 1 Clara Jordanna's play 1993 1 Freedom Socialist Party 1988-1989 1 Fight for gay rights 1993-1994 1 Occupy Seattle 2011 1 Radical Women- Halloween skit 2011 1 Radical Women- public speaking skills 2011 1 Anti-gay intiative 13 1978 1 Freedom Socialist Party statement on transit issues 2011 1 Political 1996-2012 1 Ross Johnson correspondence about Troy 2011 1 "More Years for the Locust" by Jim Higgins 1997 1 "Ten Years for the Locust" by Jim Higgins 2003 1 Jim Higgins memorial meeting 2003 1 Book launch for revised Radical Women Manifesto 2001 1 Megan Cornish's birthday speech 2004 1 "Inlaws and Outlaws" film 2005-2006 1 Atkins, Gary- about his book "Gay Seattle" 2003 1 Union Contract (modeled on the Staff Association Contract) 2000 1 Speech by Clara Fraser 1989 1 "Cigarrettes and Class: Excerpts from Clara Fraser's Columns" 1995 1 Tribute to Clara Fraser 1998 1 Clara Fraser interviews 1989-1995 1 Clara Fraser and Seattle City Light 1975-1980 1 Freedom Socialist Party- Clara Fraser's case with Seattle City Light 1983 1 Clara Fraser 1980-1998 2 Clara Fraser obituary 1998 2 Clara Fraser tributes 1998 2 Clara Fraser tribute by Allison Thorne 1998 1 Brodine, Karen 1944-1980 1 Brodine, Karen 1984-1987 1 Thorne, Alison 1997-2007 1 Tamara Turner interview with Alison Thorne 1997 1 Skelley, Grant 1996 1 Docekal, Su 2004 1 Button and audio cassette tape for Hormel worker strike 1986 2 Freedom Socialist Party- Archives 1970-1975 2 "Workers Guide to the 20th Century" by Tamara Turner undated 2 Pragmatism- Susan Williams 2001 2 Subject heading examples for radical material undated 2 Holt Labor Library 1999 2 "Socialism in America"- speech 2002 2 Freedom Socialist Party- Soapbox article by Tamara Turner 2010 2 Freedom Socialist Party- Going away party for Maxine Reigal undated 2 Radical Women- presentation on postmodernism 2000 2 Freedom Socialist Party- general correspondence 2000 2 Freedom Socialist articles 2002-2007 2 Freedom Socialist Party accomplishments 1995-1996 2 Bolerium Books catalogues undated 2 "Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Spain" by Felix Morrow 1938 2 "Women and the Cuban Revolution" by various authors 1981 2 "A Labor Party for the United States" by The Social Economic Forum 1936 2 "Lesbian and Gay Liberation in Canada" by Donald W. McLeod 1996 2 Correspondence 1997-2000 2 Tibet 1959-1999 2 Organizations- United Workers Union 1974-1981 2 United Workers Union- Independent 1974-1979 2 United Workers Union- Independent: clippings and ephemera 1973-1974 2 Staff Rights Organizing Committee 1972-1973 2 "Long Road to Freedom" exhibit: speech, clippings, ephemera 1995 2 "SROC"- humor 1977-1987 2 Freedom Socialist Party/Radical Women 1983-2011 2 News clippings and articles 1963-2012 2 "Open Letter to the Editor of the Nation" by Lenni Brenner 1998 2 Pornography 1985-1993 2 Miscellaneous publications 1931-2011 2 Correspondence- Tamara Turner 1997 2 Collected articles 1990-1997 2 Comedy routine 2004 2 Freedom Socialist Party convention- skits 1999 2 "Water"-poem by Nellie Wong 2006 2 Nelson, Sandy 1997 2 Fidel, Raya 1996-1997 2 Levay, Simon 1993 2 Bailey, Thatcher 1996 2 Tipton, Billy 1989 2 Weiss, Myra and Murray 1976 2 Cammermeyer, Margaret 1995 2 Freedom Socialist Party and Fourth International 1996 2 "Joy of Capital" show 1996 2 Radical Women and the National Organization for Women 1996 2 Seattle Women's Commission 1994 2 Articles about genetics 1995 2 New Alliance Party articles 1996 2 Welfare reform 1996-1997 2 Scott Paulson article 1994 2 Gay marriage 1996 2 Lesbian/Gay immigration 1995 2 "A Lesbian Estated"-poems by Lynn Lonidier 1970-1971 2 Murray Weiss collection 1988 2 Murray Weiss memorial 1982 2 "Privacy Rights and the First Amendment"- by the Freeway Hall Case Defense Committee 1988 2 LGBT film project preparation 2002 2 Unsorted undated 2 Grand Union Tavern reunion t-shirt 1982 3 "In Defense of Marxism" class undated 3 "What is Economics" by Rosa Luxemborg 1954 3 Radical Women: Program and Structure 1969 3 Unsorted undated 3 Study group on Karl Marx's "Captial" 1996 3 45th anniversary celebration of the Freedom Socialist Party 1966-2011 3 Readings for prospective Freedom Socialist Party members 2002-2009 3 Seattle Out Protest meeting notes 2010 3 Radical Women- Halloween 2010 3 International Women's Day information 1984-2001 3 Panel: The New Wave of Queer Radicalism 2009 3 Thorstad, David 1995-2009 3 Freedom Socialist Party- Open to Question Project about activism in the University District of Seattle 2009 3 Bannon, Ann 2002-2008 3 New Year's Eve skit 2009 3 Information about Gary Atkin's book "Gay Seattle" 2003 3 Freedom Socialist Party- local townhall meeting on health care reform 2009 3 Clara Fraser and church 1950 3 Seattle Out Protest 2009-2010 3 Odd Girls Press: LGBTQ bibliography 1999 3 Comparable worth notes undated 3 Labor 1975-1976 3 Introduction to Marxist Economics class 1982 3 Radical Women- Halloween skit 1995 3 Freedom Socialist Party- New Year's Eve cabaret 1977 3 Nelson, Sandy 1994-1995 3 Feminist Coordinating Council 1975 3 Radical Women- writings and ephemera 1971-1976 3 Radical Women- feminist credit union 1977 3 Humor and skits 1978-1987 3 Cuba study group 2011 3 Information about "Oreo," a novel by Fran Ross undated 3 Freedom Socialist Party- first newsletter 1966 3 Miller, Jack- poems about the Everett Massacre undated 3 Upward Bound for Veterans organization 1974 3 Associated Students of the University of Washington (ASUW) Art Fair 1973 3 Women in the Arts event program 1974 3 Chandler, Adam 1993-1994 3 Pamphlet about librarians and unions 1944 3 United Workers Union- Independent 1974-1975 3 Lesbians in Literature event 1976-1984 3 Writers in Action day 1974 3 "Odd Girls Out" talk by Tamara Turner to the Stonewall Committee 1995 3 Unsorted undated 3 Women's Rights Day 1992 3 Freeway Hall Case Defense Committee 1992 3 Press about Bo Gritz 1992 3 Miscellaneous ephemera 1991-1998 3 Celebration for Gloria Marin and Nina Harding 1988 4 New Year's Eve skit 2004-2005 4 El Salvador and Nicaragua 1979-1981 4 Paper on Cohens v. Virginia, written by Tamara Turner for a history class undated 4 Database searching- genetics 1993-1995 4 Freedom Socialist Party- toast to Wendy McPherson 1998 4 Freedom Socialist staff roast 2004 4 Homeless in Seattle- "First Things First" meeting 1999 4 Oral history: how-to 1994 4 Radical Women "Festo" 1977 4 SROC originals circa 1970s 4 Children's Hospital and Medical Center- "Layoffs can be Fun!" 2004 4 Freedom Socialist Party- Last Blast at Freeway Hall event 1985 4 "Corazon, Corazon" play by Susan Bazargan undated 4 The Chinese Revolution- Part I 1972 4 "Four of the Human Predicament" by Brian Thompson circa 1959-1961 4 Soviet Union 1957-1988 4 New Year's Eve skit 1984 4 "The Smallest Mass Party in the World" by Ian Birchall 2000 4 Miscellaneous articles undated 4 Committee for a Revolutionary Socialist Party: Discussion Bulletin 1980 4 Freedom Socialist Party- Rebuild New Orleans 2006 4 Freedom Socialist Party convention 2014 4 Seminar about Russian Revolution 1988 4 Articles and news clippings circa 1938-2002 4 Unsorted undated 4 Miscellaneous publications 1972-2002 4 "Palestine Occupied" by Sami Hadawi 1968 4 "Women in Society" course paper by Peggy Shafer undated 4 Committee for a Revolutionary Socialist Party (CRSP) Conference 1978 4 Miscellaneous articles circa 1953-1998 4 Miscellaneous articles undated 4 Unsorted (largely Freedom Socialist Party related) 1973-1984 4 Radical Women 1971-1985 4 Documents about cataloging Freedom Socialist Publications 1984-1987 4 Freedom Socialist Party-National convention 1999 4 Radical Women and the Seattle Public Library 1984-1985 4 Northwest Lesbian and Gay History Museum Project 1996-2000 4 Miscellaneous articles 1936-1999 4 Library-related documents 1981-1984 4 Library-related documents 1981-1998 4 Contract Proposal: Staff Association of Pierce County Library 1975 5 Miscellaneous articles and publications circa 1957 5 Freedom Socialist Party-National convention 1988 5 Conference: "Breaking the Barriers of Job Discrimination" 1984 5 Freedom Socialist Party course 1976 5 Black Workers for Justice 1992-1993 5 First Annual African American Film Festival 1992 5 Proposed Agreement between Hutchinson Center Staff Association and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center 1981 5 History of the Russian Revolution- Freedom Socialist Party course 1976 5 Jazz and Revolution 1977 5 Committee for a Revolutionary Socialist Party- Discussion Bulletins 1978-1980 5 Committee for a Revolutionary Socialsit Party- Discussion Bulletins 1980-1983 5 Freedom Socialist Party/Radical Women related documents 1979-1992 5 Miscellaneous publications 1954-1985 5 Miscellaneous articles circa 1938-1988 5 Health Services 1982-1998 5 Children's Orthopedic Hospital and Medical Center 1983 5 Script for audio sessions 1995 5 "Hidden History" tour- North Seattle Community College 1994 5 News clippings about "Hidden History" 1979-1980 5 "Hidden History"- cast information undated 5 "Hidden History"- notes exercises undated 5 "Hidden History"- script draft 2 1992 5 "Hidden History"- script draft 3 1992 5 "Hidden History"- large-print script 1992 5 "Hidden History"- tour schedules 1994 5 "Hidden History"- Bumbershoot information and script 1992 5 "Hidden History" tour- Bellingham 1993 5 "Hidden History" tour- Portland 1993 5 "Hidden History" tour- University of Washington 1993 5 "Hidden History" tour- Shoreline Community College 1994 5 "Hidden History" tour- Tacoma 1994? 5 "Hidden History" tour- Pasco 1994 5 "Hidden History" tour- general 1993 5 Unsorted documents related to "Hidden History" circa 1992-1994 5 "Hidden History" correspondence 1991-1994 5 "Hidden History" slides and photographs 1992-1993 5 Gay Resistance- promotional 1997 5 Reading at Northwest Aids Foundation 1994 5 Gay Resistance event in Vancouver, Canada 1997 5 Gay Resistance- miscellaneous 1997 5 Gay Resistance galleys 1996-1997 5 Red Letter Press- administrative and general 1995-1996 5 Red Letter Press- Gay Resistance 1996-1997 5 Red Letter Press 1996-1998 5 Martin, Gloria 1993-1994 5 Gay Resistance- Sam Deaderick 1978-1991 5 Interview about Gay Resistance for Portland radio 1997 5 Gay Resistance- reading at Elliot Bay Book Company 1997 5 Gay Resistance- Seattle Times review 1997 5 Interview about Gay Resistance for GloRadio 1997 5 Gay Resistance- readings 1997 5 Gay Resistance review by Pat Freeman 1997? 5 Gay Resistance- flier for event in Tacoma 1997 5 Seattle Gay News article about Gay Resistance 1997 6 Martin, Gloria 1986-1999 6 El Salvador 1980-1981 6 Freedom Socialist Party- "Crisis in New York" 1975-1976 6 Articles about gay marriage 2003 6 Committee for a Revolutionary Socialist Party (CRSP)- Statement of Purpose 1982 6 Freedom Socialist Party- crisis of international tendency 1975-1977 6 International Women's Day flier 1975 6 United Workers Union- Independent: legal memorandum 1975 6 Unsorted (largely Freedom Socialist Party related) undated 6 Unsorted undated 6 Freedom Socialist Party/Radical Women related documents circa 1986-1993 6 Trip to Israel 1985 6 The Story of Clara Fraser and Seattle City Light (documentary album) 1981 6 Collected documents from various leftist organizations (purchased from Bolerium Books) 1964-1983 6 Photographs circa 1978-1987 6 Photographs from Gay Resistance reading at Elliott Bay Bookstore undated 6 Photographs from Gay Resistance book launch at New Freeway Hall 1997 6 Jewish manuscript undated 6 Satirical compostition by Ed Mignon: "Ellen Enters Her Corporate Body" undated 6 Poster for Hidden History performance at Shoreline Community College 1994