Gangway Suzie collection
Scope and Contents
This collection comprises correspondence, award certificates, flyers, clippings, publicity photographs, drawings, and other material, 1976-1982, from Gangway Suzie, a bartender and drag performer at The Gangway bar in San Francisco, California. Included are certificates and other material from drag queen events and competitions, including from Imperial Courts events.
Dates
- Creation: 1976-1982
Creator
- Slezewski, Alfred (Creator, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the ONE Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives at USC Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Historical Note
Alfred K. Slezewski was born in New York on June 25, 1928. He adopted the name Suzie/Susie at the Lemon Twist bar in Los Angeles, where he performed camp at bars and drag queen competitions. He moved to San Francisco and became a bartender and performer for The Gangway bar for nine years. Slezewski was stabbed to death on January 22, 1982 in San Francisco. The man who admitted to killing Slezewski, Douglas Toney, was acquitted based on claims of self-defense.
Extent
1.2 Linear Feet (1 flat box.)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Correspondence, award certificates, flyers, publicity photographs, and other material, 1976-1982, from Gangway Suzie, a bartender and camp drag performer at The Gangway bar in San Francisco, California. A local celebrity in the San Francisco drag queen community, Gangway Suzie, whose real name is Alfred Slezewski, was killed in 1982.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged alphabetically.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donor and date of acquisition unknown.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Loni Shibuyama, September 2014.
- Title
- Finding Aid to the Gangway Suzie Collection, 1976-1982
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Loni Shibuyama
- Date
- © 2014
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is in English.
- Sponsor
- Processing this collection has been funded by a generous grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Repository Details
Part of the ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, University of Southern California Repository
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles California 90007 United States
(213) 821-2771
askone@usc.edu