Lorraine Fontana papers
Scope and Contents of the Papers
The Lorraine Fontana papers span from her birth certificate in 1947 to her endeavors in Atlanta in 2014, with the bulk of the papers documenting 1968-2010. These papers chronicle Fontana's school and college days in Queens, New York, her interests in spirituality, and her career as a civil rights and LGBT activist.
The papers comprise of articles, artwork, artifacts, agendas, brochures, correspondence, conference and workshop materials, employment documents, guides, minutes, newsletters, notes, pamphlets, photographs, publications, and toolkits as well as t-shirts and buttons. They document Fontana's activities as an activist with organizations such as VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), Atlanta Pride, Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Association, Lambda Legal, Queer Progressive Agenda, National Jury Project, National Lawyers Guild, Anti-Klan Project, Racism Action Project, and many other social justice causes.
Dates
- 1947-2014
- Majority of material found within 1968 - 2010
Creator
- Fontana, Lorraine (Person)
Restrictions on Access
Collection is open for research use. Access to some items is restricted for 75 years from the date of creation except in redacted form.
Conditions Governing Use and Reproduction
Georgia State University is the owner of the physical collection and makes reproductions available for research, subject to the copyright law of the United States and item condition. Georgia State University may or may not own the rights to materials in the collection. It is the researcher's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and obtain permission from the copyright holder before publication, reproduction, or display of the materials beyond what is reasonable under copyright law. Researchers may quote selections from the collection under the fair use provision of copyright law.
Biography of Lorraine Fontana
Born in Queens, New York, in 1947, Lorraine Fontana became an anti-war activist and supporter of the Civil Rights movement early in life. After joining VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) in 1968, she came to Atlanta, and together with other feminists, founded the Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance (ALFA - 1972 to 1994), and later DARII (Dykes for the Second American Revolution). She trained at the People's College of Law in Los Angeles (1976-1979) and went on to work with the National Jury Project, Georgia Legal Services, the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) in New York City (October 1999 to January 2004), and Georgia's Lambda Legal Education Defense Fund (2006-2012). She was a member of the short-lived Queer Progressive Agenda (QPA), and is currently a supporter of First Existentialist Congregation of Atlanta's Social Justice Guild, the Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition, Charis Books, the Atlanta Grandmothers for Peace, SAGE Atlanta, and Southerners on New Ground.
Extent
53.33 Linear Feet (in 37 boxes; 28 textile boxes and 1 oversized box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract:
Lorraine Fontana is an activist for the LGBTQ community and has fought for social justice since her early college days. Her papers, 1947-2014 (bulk 1968-2010), include correspondence, conference materials, flyers, notes, programs and publications, representing her activities in Atlanta, New York, and elsewhere.
Arrangement
Arranged in 10 series.
Acquisition Information
Donated by Lorraine Fontana in multiple accessions, 2012-2019.
Separated Materials
Separated to the Gender and Sexuality Periodicals Collection (Q-GS-Periodicals) see finding aid for access
- Aid Atlanta newsletter, (vol. 1; no.3) winter 1984
- ALFA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, (nos. 1-4), September 1973-December 1973
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, (nos. 5-15), January-December, 1974
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, (nos. 16-18; numbering ends at #18, August 1975 missing) January-December, 1975
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, January-December 1976
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, January-December 1977
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, January-December 1978
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, January-December 1979
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, January-December 1980
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, January-December 1981
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, December-January 1982
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, January-December 1983
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, January-December 1984
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, January-December 1985
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, January-December 1986
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, January-December 1987
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, January-December 1989
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, January-December 1989
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, January-December 1990
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, January-December 1991
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, January-December 1992
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, January-March; May-December 1993
- AFLA (Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance) newsletter, January, March, April, May, 1994
- Dr. Christina Northrup's Health Wisdom for Women newsletter, September 1994-December 1995
- Dr. Christina Northrup's Health Wisdom for Women newsletter, January-December 1996
- Dr. Christine Northrup's Health Wisdom for Women newsletter, January-November 1997
- Dr. Christina Northrup's Health Wisdom for Women newsletter, January-December 1998
- Dr. Christina Northrup's Health Wisdom for Women newsletter, January-December 1999
- Dr. Christina Northrup's Health Wisdom for Women newsletter, January-December 2000
- Dr. Christina Northrup's Health Wisdom for Women newsletter, January-December 2001
- Dr. Christina Northrup's Health Wisdom for Women newsletter, February-August 2002
- Dr. Christina Northrup's Health Wisdom for Women newsletter, May-December 2003
- Dr. Christina Northrup's Health Wisdom for Women newsletter, January 2004
- GL -- Gay Life: Maryland's LGBT Community Newspaper, January 20-February 2, 2012
- Indypendent, (issue 62), December 2, 2004-January 11, 2005
- Lake Clare Community Land Trust News, (vol. 16, issue 1) February 2004
- Lark Letter: A Women's Guide to Optimal Health and Balance, February-March 2005
- Lesbian Connection magazine, (vol. 28, issues 5;6-vol. 29, issues 1;2), 2006
- Lesbian Connection magazine, (vol. 33, issues 2), 2010
- Lesbian Connection magazine, (vol. 34, issues 6), 2012
- Lesbian Connection magazine, (vol. 35, issues 4-6), 2013
- Lesbian Connection magazine, (vol. 36, issues 1-4), 2013-2014
- Lesbian Connection magazine, (vol. 37, issues 2-3), September-December 2014
- Lesbian Connection magazine, (vol. 38, issue 5), March-April 2016
- Lesbian Connection magazine, (vol. 39, issues 1-6), July 2016-June 2017
- Lesbian Herstory Archives newsletter, March 1999
- Ms. Magazine, (vol. 19, no. 1) Fall 2009
- Off Our Backs: the Feminist News Journal, (vol. 33, no's 5-8; 11/12), 2003
- OUTloud, January 20, 2012; Vol. IX, Iss. 18
- Operandi Modus Number three, 3 Steps Back, Early Summer 2005
- SFLA (Southern Feminist Library and Archives) July 1985; August 1986
Collection Transfer Note
This collection was previously designated W110, but was assigned collection number Q110 with the formationĀ of the Gender and Sexuality Collection in 2018.
Processing Information
Organized and arranged by Lorraine Fontana, 2014-2015. Folder titles and folder-level descriptions created by Lorraine Fontana. Processing and finding aid completed by Hilary Morrish, 2016.
- Atlanta (Ga.)
- Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance
- Civil rights
- Gay activists
- Gays -- Legal status, laws, etc
- Lambda Legal
- Lesbian activists
- Lesbian activists
- Lesbian community
- NJP Litigation Consulting
- New York (N.Y.)
- T-shirts
- Unitarian-Universalist Congregation of Atlanta
- United States. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- Volunteers in Service to America
- buttons (information artifacts)
Creator
- Fontana, Lorraine (Person)
- Title
- Lorraine Fontana:
- Subtitle
- A Guide to Her Papers at Georgia State University Library
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Hilary Morrish
- Date
- October 2016
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Repository
100 Decatur St., S.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
404-413-2880
404-413-2881 (Fax)
archives@gsu.edu