Columbia Queer Alliance
Columbia Queer Alliance (CQA) is the central
History
During its first year, the Student Homophile League had about ten members who fought with university administrators until the group was officially recognized.
When the group's charter was finally granted in April 1967, Donaldson sent an announcement to every media outlet he knew, but the only response was a radio interview on WNEW, a New York station,[3] and an article in the Columbia Daily Spectator, which reported that some students believed the new group was an April Fools' Day joke.[5] Two weeks later, on May 3, The New York Times reported the story on its front page.[3][5] Donaldson later wrote: "The next couple days were frantic as media—which had ignored the press release—suddenly wanted the information I had already given them."[3]
Student activists at Cornell University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New York University, Rutgers University, and Stanford University formed similar groups of their own within two years. More than 150 such student groups had been established by the end of four years.[3]
Activities
Among other activities, the Columbia Queer Alliance has hosted "First Friday Dances" for decades, which at their inception were one of the few places where college-age LGBT people could socialize with one another.
Many of the Columbia Queer Alliance's activities have been historically held in Earl Hall, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018 in recognition of its role in queer history.
References
- ^ a b Retherford, Bill (Summer 2016). "Under the Rainbow". Columbia Magazine. p. 3. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
- ISBN 0-415-93336-6.
- ^ a b c d e f Retherford, Bill (Summer 2016). "Under the Rainbow". Columbia Magazine. p. 4. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
- ^ Retherford, Bill (Summer 2016). "Under the Rainbow". Columbia Magazine. p. 1. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
- ^ a b Schumach, Murray (May 3, 1967). "Columbia Charters Homosexual Group". The New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved June 16, 2016.