Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Historical Society

Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, lesbian organizers for civil rights, civil liberties, and human dignity, pioneered the modern lesbian and feminist movements. They founded the Daughters of Bilitis, one of the most important early lesbian organizations, in 1955. Lyon and Martin were also instrumental in forming and shaping related social movements, including the contemporary women's rights movement. These women helped bring hidden issues of violence against women and within families into public view; ensured the open involvement of LGBT people in electoral politics; and challenged censorship at local, state, and national levels. This collection covers the extensive work of Lyon and Martin in social movements for the advancement of the rights of women and sexual minorities--specifically, their work for, and leadership of, the LGBT movement and the modern women's rights movement both in San Francisco and across the United States. Their work illuminated issues such as police violence against gay youth, discrimination against LGBT persons in employment, enlightened responses to the victims of the AIDS crisis, and the backlash against affirmative action. A variety of materials in the collection, such as meeting minutes, notes, press clippings, reports, mailing lists, correspondence, and memoranda, showcase their work with the ACLU, the San Francisco Coalition for Human Rights, the Commission on Crime Control and Violence Protection, the Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Sexuality, the San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women, and the San Francisco Human Rights Commission.