The Homophile Movement
The phrase "Homophile Movement" refers to organizations and political strategies employed by the GLBT community prior to the era of confrontational activism of the 1970s. Donald Stewart Lucas was a gay rights pioneer, leader of the Mattachine Society, and in later years advocate for the poverty stricken. These records shed light on the trials and tribulations of a gay man during the 1950s and 60s, highlight efforts to move society towards acceptance and equality, and document the development of a variety of homophile organizations, particularly the Mattachine Foundation, the Mattachine Society, Pan-Graphic Press, the Council on Religion and the Homosexual, the Society for Individual Rights, and the Economic Opportunity Council of San Francisco. Lucas' also focused his activism on a number of anti-poverty programs and initiatives that are well documented.