Alan Robinson papers

Collection

Identifier: LaRC-1104

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Alan Robinson papers contain materials related to Alan Robinson's life as LGBTQ and AIDS activist. It contains correspondence, organizational materials, newsletters, research, and political and medical resources related to the following organizations: Louisiana Lesbian and Gay Political Action Caucus (LAGPAC), Orleans Parish Democratic Executive Committee (OPDEC), New Orleans AIDS Task Force (NO/AIDS), and the Gay Rights National Lobby. Other materials include some personal correspondence, photographs, and material related to the Faubourg Marigny Bookstore, which Robinson owned and operated from 1988 until 2003.

Dates

Creation: 1969-1997

Creator

Robinson, Alan, 1949-2012 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Access is unrestricted.

Conditions Governing Use

Physical rights are retained by the Louisiana Research Collection. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws.

Biographical / Historical

A native of the Chicago suburbs, Alan Robinson attended the University of Illinois and lived in Provincetown, MA and Ft. Lauderdale, FL before moving to New Orleans in 1975. In New Orleans, he became a prominent activist in the gay community and organized several social and political organizations. He helped found the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, which became the Gertrude Stein Society and a precursor for the Louisiana Lesbian and Gay Political Action Caucus (LAGPAC). Robinson served as co-chair of LAGPAC during the first attempt to pass a Civil Rights ordinance in 1984 that included protections for gender and sexuality in New Orleans. Robinson was the first openly-gay delegate elected to the Louisiana State Democratic Convention, and was an elected member to the Orleans Parish Democratic Executive Committee. He helped organize and served as secretary for the New Orleans AIDS Task Force (NO/AIDS), helping to spread awareness and to counter false information about the epidemic. In addition to his work as an activist, Robinson also wrote for the Impact and the Advocate and owned and operated Faubourg Marigny Books on Frenchmen Street from 1988-2003.