ADVANCE NOTICE
NEW YORK — February 28, 2027, marks the 50th anniversary of the first issue of Gaysweek, the pioneering New York lesbian and gay newspaper founded by publisher Alan Bell.
Gaysweek was New York City’s first mainstream weekly lesbian and gay newspaper and the first mainstream gay periodical edited and published by an African American. At the time of its founding, it was one of only three gay weekly newspapers in the world, alongside San Francisco’s Bay Area Reporter and Boston’s Gay Community News.
Published from 1977 to 1979, Gaysweek covered local and national news, politics, community organizations, culture and entertainment, as well as the everyday life of gay and lesbian New Yorkers. When nine men died in the 1977 fire at the Everard Baths, Gaysweek published a special extra devoted to the tragedy and its aftermath.
Beyond the news, Gaysweek covered the broader cultural and social life of gay and lesbian New York, with interviews, commentary, theater, books, music, disco, gossip and extensive listings of bars and events. Its monthly Arts and Letters section was edited by Byrne Fone and Richard Hall, and regular columnists included playwright Robert Patrick, theater producer and activist David Rothenberg, Sandra Trimble and Brandon Judell.
Appearing every week, the newspaper documented a distinctive period in gay history—after Stonewall and before the AIDS epidemic.
COMPLETE RUNS: A complete run of Gaysweek is available digitally through ProQuest and in original form at the New York City LGBT Community Center’s archive.
ARCHIVAL MATERIAL AND EPHEMERA: Gaysweek papers and ephemera are held by the New York Public Library and Cornell University. Additional original records remain with Alan Bell.
WEBSITE: https://gaysweek.com
MEDIA CONTACT:
Regina Kines
jreginakines@aol.com
310-410-0808 x201
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