CASDLA_000029_T2_PRSV

Interview with Robert "Jess" Jessop, part 3, 1990

 

1990-02-09

 

Interviewer: Nobiletti, Frank

(Sound begins at about 13 seconds.) This is the third part of an oral-history interview with Jessop done on January 26, February 2, and February 9, 1990. From The California Audiovisual Preservation Project summary: "Jessop was an early activist in the San Diego LGBT community. He cofounded the San Diego LGBT Center and the Lesbian and Gay Historical Society of San Diego, fought to obtain city permits for the first Pride parade in 1974, organized the first openly LGBT political support in the city, and was a names historian for the Names Project Tour when the AIDS Quilt came to San Diego in 1988. This is his last interview before his death of AIDS in 1990."

Jess Jessop; Robert Hall Jessop; Oral histories; Frank Nobiletti; Stonewall Rebellion; Stonewall protests; Stonewall riots; LGBTQ politics; David B. Goodstein; The Advocate (newspaper); David Farrell; Reverend David; Metropolitan Community Church; MCC; San Diego LGBT Community Center; Gay Liberation Front; GLF; San Diego Democratic Club; San Diego Democrats for Equality; Gay Alliance for Equal Rights

 

 

Rights are owned by Lambda Archives of San Diego (LASD)

 

 

English

 

Audiotape

00:33:56 minutes

Yes

CASDLA_000029_T1_A_PRSV; CASDLA_000029_T1_B_PRSV

This is a summary, not a transcript:
0:14 Audio starts
0:55 They are a fairly young movement that emerged from the turmoil in the 1960s and they are still figuring out the politics of it
2:30 Interviewer asks Jess about in the late 1970s when there was an emergence of strong leadership from people and if that is a mature stage in the movement. Interviewer mentions someone named Albest?
3:18 Jess responds that he is not sure "mature" is the right word, but they shifted the view from a "dirty hippie" to something else.
5:25 Life Magazine featured nine pages in 1971 that recaptured years of the Gay and Lesbian Movement
6:22 Five years post the Stonewall Rebellion they saw more and more people who wanted to participate in the movement despite the fact that they might be embarrassed about it
7:25 In order to get through to the elected officials, they realized banners and placards do not work
8:25 They realized they needed to be appointed commissions and be administrative assistants, positions that showed that they were regular individuals who just happened to be gay.
9:12 David Goodstein was a wealthy businessperson who came out of the closet. He bought The Advocate and made it more sophisticated and well-known The Advocate is a Gay and Lesbian magazine
10:40 Jess talks about the "movers and shakers at that time"
11:35 David Goodstein thought all the previous advocates were a total embarrassment and that they would never get anywhere with what they were doing
12:30 Jess eventually adopted a much gentler approach in 1976 or so, when he cut off his ponytail
13:15 After defeating Prop 6, which did not allow teachers to be gay, there was a testimonial dinner for David Farrell to say thank you
15:50 Jess talks about when he gave his speech at the dinner
17:10 Interviewer asks more about David Farrell
17:15 David Farrell was a long time pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church San Diego.
17:25 They talk about David Ferrell becoming the pastor
19:20 Interviewer asks, "when you were head of The Center, was he (Farrell) an active force in the community?" and Jess responds no. The Center was The Gay Center
20:15 Jess says he was never a member of the MCC and when he was on the Gay Liberation Front, he was antagonistic to the church MCC= Metropolitan Community Church
21:35 Jess says the MCC was the most pervasive gay organization and they have made a tremendous impact on the movement
22:32 Interviewer asks about Bob Liend and Jess's impression of him Unsure of spelling of last name
22:45 Jess explains that Bob was a local attorney who showed up to the occasional Gay Liberation Front meeting
23:10 Bob thought that the GLF had too radical of an approach GLF= Gay Liberation Front
24:00 Jess explains that Bob and a few others founded the San Diego Democratic Club
24:40 Interviewer asks about Nicole changing up the Community Center and what happened after
25:20 Jess explains again that The Community Center's rent got too expensive and they had to move
26:40 Interviewer asks about The Gay Coalition and United Gay Week
27:00 Jess talks about The Gay Alliance for Equal Rights
28:40 Interviewer asks when the Community Center moved but Jess had no idea
30:40 Interviewer asks for more comments or thoughts about the time between Stonewall and the first parade
33:00 Jess states that there were no magical movements in time that radically changed things, and that it was a gradual movement
33:47 Audio ends

 

Audio

WAV

1.13 GB