Gay Wisdom - JANUARY 16 THIS DAY IN GAY HISTORY

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JANUARY 16

THIS DAY IN GAY HISTORY

HAPPY MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY.

With assistance from the Quaker group the American Friends Services Committee, and inspired by Gandhi's success with non-violent activism, King visited Gandhi's birthplace in India in 1959. The trip to India affected King in a profound way, deepening his understanding of non-violent resistance and his commitment to America's struggle for civil rights. In a radio address made during his final evening in India, King reflected, "Since being in India, I am more convinced than ever before that the method of nonviolent resistance is the most potent weapon available to oppressed people in their struggle for justice and human dignity. In a real sense, Mahatma Gandhi embodied in his life certain universal principles that are inherent in the moral structure of the universe, and these principles are as inescapable as the law of gravitation." African American civil rights activist Bayard Rustin had studied Gandhi's teachings. Rustin counseled King to dedicate himself to the principles of non-violence, served as King's main advisor and mentor throughout his early activism, and was the main organizer of the 1963 March on Washington. Rustin's open homosexuality, support of democratic socialism, and (like Harry Hay) his former ties to the Communist Party USA caused many white and African-American leaders to demand King distance himself from Rustin.

At the White House Rose Garden on November 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating a federal holiday to honor King. Observed for the first time on January 20, 1986. Following President George H.W. Bush's 1992 proclamation, the holiday is observed on the third Monday of January each year, near the time of King's birthday. On January 17, 2000, for the first time, Martin Luther King Jr. Day was officially observed in all fifty U.S. states. Arizona (1992), New Hampshire (1999) and Utah (2000) were the last three states to recognize the holiday.

1887 - On this date in 1887 GEORGE EDWARD KELLY was born in Philadelphia. Although better known as the uncle of the future Princess Grace of Monaco, Kelly was a successful Broadway playwright, screenwriter, director, and actor.Kelly won the Pulitzer Prize in 1925 for his play "Craig's Wife." The play served as the basis for the 1950 Joan Crawford film "Harriet Craig."Notable actors who appeared in works by Kelly include Alison Skipworth, Josephine Hull, Lee Tracy, Tallulah Bankhead, Spring Byington, Joan Blondell, Ina Claire and Rosalind Russell.George maintained a fifty-five-year relationship with his lover William Weagley up until his death. Weagley was seemingly passed off often as George's valet. Although Weagley was not invited to the funeral, he managed to sneak inside and sat in a back pew, where he wept.

1921 - On this date the prominent fashion photographer FRANCESCO SCAVULLO was born. Best known for his work on the covers of Cosmopolitan Magazine and his celebrity portraits, Scavullo big break was working at Vogue magazine under well-known fashion photographers Cecil Beaton, John Rawlings, and Horst P. Horst. But the major turning point in his career came in 1965 when Cosmopolitan editor Helen Gurley Brown hired him to help develop a new and sexier image for the magazine. With free rein to select the models, wardrobe, make-up, and hair styling, Scavullo successfully created the image of the modern day Cosmo girl. Scavullo was also responsible for the famous Cosmopolitan centerfold of a nude Burt Reynolds. Scavullo would go on to shoot every Cosmopolitan cover over the next three decades. Beginning in 1972, he was assisted by Sean M. Byrne, who also became his life partner. Scavullo also created memorable shots for various movie posters and Broadway shows, including one for A Star is Born (featuring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson), as well as a portrait of Julie Andrews for Blake Edwards' Victor Victoria. He was also popular throughout his career for his celebrity portraits with many becoming iconic pieces and symbols of pop culture.In 2004 Scavullo died of heart failure while on his way to a photo shoot with a then up-and-coming CNN news anchor, Anderson Cooper.

1933 - On this date the essayist, activist, novelist & intellectual SUSAN SONTAG was born (d: 2009). Sontag is remembered for her critical essays on photography and on camp. She was also a champion for gay rights in repressive countries like Cuba. Annie Liebowitz, her partner of many years, documented Sontag's courageous battle with cancer. She died in 2004.

1961 - Today is also the birthday of Bisexual singer-songwriter JILL SOBULE.  Born in Denver). Sobule is best known for the 1995 song "I Kissed a Girl," her folk-inflected compositions alternate between ironic, story-driven character studies and emotive ballads, a duality reminiscent of such 1970s American songwriters as Warren Zevon, Harry Nilsson and Randy Newman. A central preoccupation of her work is the classic one: "Love found, love lost, love wished for and love taken away."

1965 - today's the birthday of poet, writer and teacher ALDO ALVAREZ.  Born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, he's the author of Interesting Monsters: Fictions (Graywolf Press). He teaches English full time at Wilbur Wright College and, on occasion, creative writing at Northwestern University's MFA program. He has a Ph.D. in English from SUNY Binghamton and an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University. He's currently on sabbatical and working on a book of poems.

2008 - On this date Moroccan courts imprisoned 6 people for allegedly taking part in a gay wedding.

2008 - On this date Cameroon sentenced 3 men to 6 months hard labor for alleged homosexuality.

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