Making Gay History
Memoir of a Scholar-Activist
Will be published approx. on 7. July 2026
Book
Hardback
290 pages
978-1-4780-3384-4 (ISBN)
Description
Making Gay History continues John D'Emilio's story, following his memoir of his early years, Memories of a Gay Catholic Boyhood. Here, D'Emilio recounts his career as a public historian, activist, and academic, relating his own queer history alongside the development of the LGBTQ movement in the United States. D'Emilio was part of the first burgeoning period of LGBTQ studies while still a graduate student in New York City. From there, he takes readers through his experiences as an out professor at UNC Greensboro, his activism in Washington, DC, and finally, his employment at the University of Illinois as an LGBTQ historian, a position that was unimaginable at the start of his career. At the same time, he narrates his own coming out, his successes and struggles with LGBTQ advocacy, and the loves and losses faced throughout his adult life, telling an intertwined personal and national history of queer hearts and minds.
Reviews / Votes
"This lively, engaging memoir by one of the earliest, major historians of US sexuality is a report from the trenches, a history of the struggle to create a history of sexuality, a personal history of political activism, the story of a smart boy from the Bronx who made himself into a pioneering, left, feminist, anti-racist gay, public intellectual."-Jonathan Ned Katz, author of The Daring Life and Dangerous Times of Eve Adams"One of John D'Emilio's great gifts is the ability to bring the large-scale transformations that are the heart of history to life. Now he's done it with his own remarkable story. The scholarly, activist, and personal life of one of our greatest queer historians illuminates so much about the rise of queer activism and queer history in the last quarter of the twentieth century."-Leila J. Rupp, author of Sapphistries: A Global History of Love Between Women
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
North Carolina
United States
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
13 illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 231 mm
Width: 150 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
544 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4780-3384-4 (9781478033844)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
John D'Emilio is Emeritus Professor of History and Gender & Women's Studies at the University of Illinois Chicago. He is the author of numerous books, including Memories of a Gay Catholic Boyhood and The World Turned, both published by Duke University Press, as well as Queer Legacies.
Content
Prologue ix
Part I. New York
1. Reading as a Pathway to Change 3
2. Studying US History 9
3. Life with Carlos 17
4. The Meeting That Changed My Life 25
5. A Conference to Remember 35
6. The Decision to Do "Gay History" 43
7. Coming Out to My Parents 51
8. A Chosen Family 59
9. The Gay Socialist Action Project 67
10. Finding Our History 75
11. California Discoveries 81
12. Life as an Activist and Writer 89
13. San Francisco Call Me 99
14. Struggling to Move Forward 109
15. He Enters My Life 119
16. Now What? 131
Part II. Greensboro
17. Moving to Greensboro 146
18. Learning to Teach 153
19. Staying Engaged and Connected 163
20. Remaining an Activist 171
21. Life Picks Up Speed 181
22. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force 189
23. My Year in Paradise 197
24. Troubles at Home 205
25. Hoping to Leave 213
Part III. Washington, DC
26. Creating the Policy Institute 225
27. What Now? 235
Epilogue 251
Acknowledgments 255
Bibliography 257
Index
A gallery appears after page 142
Part I. New York
1. Reading as a Pathway to Change 3
2. Studying US History 9
3. Life with Carlos 17
4. The Meeting That Changed My Life 25
5. A Conference to Remember 35
6. The Decision to Do "Gay History" 43
7. Coming Out to My Parents 51
8. A Chosen Family 59
9. The Gay Socialist Action Project 67
10. Finding Our History 75
11. California Discoveries 81
12. Life as an Activist and Writer 89
13. San Francisco Call Me 99
14. Struggling to Move Forward 109
15. He Enters My Life 119
16. Now What? 131
Part II. Greensboro
17. Moving to Greensboro 146
18. Learning to Teach 153
19. Staying Engaged and Connected 163
20. Remaining an Activist 171
21. Life Picks Up Speed 181
22. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force 189
23. My Year in Paradise 197
24. Troubles at Home 205
25. Hoping to Leave 213
Part III. Washington, DC
26. Creating the Policy Institute 225
27. What Now? 235
Epilogue 251
Acknowledgments 255
Bibliography 257
Index
A gallery appears after page 142