Queer Newark Oral History Project

As the president of Newark Pride, Sharronda “Love” Wheeler sits down with Kristyn to chat about what it’s like to organize and run four days of Pride events annually in the city of Newark. They also discuss how Newark Pride got started, how it has grown over the years, and how others can start Pride celebrations in their own towns or cities. Be sure to come out July 11-14th for The Sounds of Pride: Newark!

Ray Rivas identified as a "revolutionary gender evolutionary." A trans warrior, activist, and artist, he refused to adhere to gender norms and instead demanded society conform to him. Sadly, Ray passed away days before he could record his life story for QNOHP, tragically underscoring the importance of documenting LGBTQ history before it’s lost. In this episode, Ray’s friend Aleix Martinez recalls his life, his radical gender politics, and how he paved the way for others to live authentically.

One hundred and seventy years ago, famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass gave a speech at the Plane Street Colored Church, once located at the site of what is now the athletic field at Rutgers University-Newark. In this episode, Kristyn talks to grad student Noelle Lorraine Williams about her work researching this recently revealed historic event. What was the significance of Douglass’ visit? Who was in the audience that day and why? Williams provides the answers to these questions and gives us insight into her own work as an artist, activist, and scholar. Join the Rutgers-Newark community for a major event that will bring together city and university leaders along with the great-great-great grandson of Douglass and more than 200 descendants of Greater Newark’s abolitionists to commemorate the life and legacy of Douglass on Wednesday, April 17, 2019 from 2:30pm to 5:00pm at the newly renamed Frederick Douglass Athletic Field at Rutgers-Newark. The event is free and open to the public.

American Studies doctoral students Kristyn Scorsone and Mi Hyun Yoon talk about their process when conducting oral history interviews including building trust, showing respect for the interviewee, and what types of questions to ask. Mi Hyun also discusses her work on the Korean diaspora in the United States and how she plans to use oral history to research the Korean merchant population in Newark, which is currently at risk of displacement due to gentrification.

This is part one of two episodes on tips for doing oral history interviews. In this episode, Kristyn Scorsone talks to Dr. Timothy Stewart-Winter to find out why oral history is used to document the experiences of marginalized groups and hear some of his practical tips for doing oral history interviews. Stewart-Winter is a historian at Rutgers-Newark and the author of Queer Clout: Chicago and the Rise of Gay Politics, which won the 2017 John Boswell Prize for the outstanding book in the field of LGBT history, awarded by the American Historical Association Committee on LGBT History. He is now working on the first book-length study of the scandal surrounding the 1964 arrest of White House aide Walter Jenkins on disorderly conduct charges. 

In this episode Kristyn Scorsone talks to Aaron Frazier about his new book of poetry, Tears of a Poet. As house mother, Aaron describes what it's like to be a part of Newark's ballroom scene since the 1980s. Find out what films like Paris is Burning and shows like Pose miss in their focus on NYC. He also talks about how he has been living with the AIDS virus for 38 years as well as describes queer bars and clubs in Newark that he used to hang out in, and we get to hear him read one of his amazing poems. 

Welcome to the Queer Newark Oral History Project! In this episode, grad student Kristyn Scorsone talks to Dr. Whitney Strub and Dr. Timothy Stewart-Winter about Newark's LGBTQ history and their work as historians of gender and sexuality. Find out why Newark's LGBTQ history matters and how oral history is a great way to preserve LGBTQ history for future generations.  Don't forget to Subscribe to our show!