University of Wyoming
Donald Vining was born in 1917. He became interested in writing and studied to be a playwright at Yale. He wrote some plays and scripts for radio shows but he became most well-known for the publications of his diaries and the writings he did commenting on his homosexual lifestyle in New York City. His diaries, published under the name "A Gay Diary", and his book of essays "How Can You Come Out If You've Never Been In?" are his most well-known works, but he also edited a collection of American World War II diaries.
The Donald Vining diary collection contains edited and original diaries from the years 1926 through 1982. The diaries outline his experiences as a gay man throughout most of the 20th century. This collection contains the original, unedited diaries from 1959-1970. The remainder of the diaries in this collection are edited for publication.
There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.
Donald Vining's earlier unedited diaries are at Yale University.
Finding aid available in repository.
Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
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