Bennett Hammer LGBT Collection
Collection
Identifier: MSS-975-BC
Scope and Content
This collection includes materials related to individuals and organizations that detail the development of LGBT issues and policies in New Mexico. The collection contains 6 series, with the publication series divided into 2 subseries for southwestern regional publications and the national publication. Although organizations and individuals are inseparable and overlap, the specific focus of the documents determined where to place the materials.
Series 1: Oral Histories. The folders contain oral histories with LGBT community members and activists from New Mexico. Topics covered include New Mexico LGBT history, political organizing, gender nonconforming and trans-identified subjects, same-sex marriage, AIDS and coming out in the 1980s. The description notes in the finding aid identify the available format for the interview and the interviewer.
Series 2: Identified People. The folders contain documents specific to an individual.
Series 3: Organizations. These folders contain documents specific to an organization.
Series 4: Memorabilia. These folders contain images of T-shirts and buttons. Caden Rocker photographed the T-shirts; there is a complete set of T-shirts from the yearly Albuquerque Pride festival. Random T-shirts from the southwest are also included. The button images include miscellaneous buttons, but include buttons associated with ACT-UP from Korbal’s activist work in the 80s.
Series 5: Publications. This series is divided into southwestern regional publications and one national publication. The southwestern publications in the folders are random and include miscellaneous volumes and numbers.
Series 6: Posters. This series includes a random selection of posters, including two Spanish language posters from Honduras about AIDS in the 1980s.
Series 1: Oral Histories. The folders contain oral histories with LGBT community members and activists from New Mexico. Topics covered include New Mexico LGBT history, political organizing, gender nonconforming and trans-identified subjects, same-sex marriage, AIDS and coming out in the 1980s. The description notes in the finding aid identify the available format for the interview and the interviewer.
Series 2: Identified People. The folders contain documents specific to an individual.
Series 3: Organizations. These folders contain documents specific to an organization.
Series 4: Memorabilia. These folders contain images of T-shirts and buttons. Caden Rocker photographed the T-shirts; there is a complete set of T-shirts from the yearly Albuquerque Pride festival. Random T-shirts from the southwest are also included. The button images include miscellaneous buttons, but include buttons associated with ACT-UP from Korbal’s activist work in the 80s.
Series 5: Publications. This series is divided into southwestern regional publications and one national publication. The southwestern publications in the folders are random and include miscellaneous volumes and numbers.
Series 6: Posters. This series includes a random selection of posters, including two Spanish language posters from Honduras about AIDS in the 1980s.
Dates
- 1970-2017
Language of Materials
English and Spanish
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Copy Restrictions
Limited duplication of CSWR material is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy, and libel laws. Permission is required for publication or distribution.
Historical and Biographical Note
The Bennett Hammer LGBT Collection includes news clippings, organizational documents, memorabilia, and publications collected by Bennett Hammer. Hammer grew up in Long Beach, New York. In 1967 he moved to Las Vegas, New Mexico where he completed his B.A. in Spanish and English (1969) and a M.A. in Bilingual Education (1974) at New Mexico Highlands University. He taught Spanish at levels kindergarten through university. In 1975, he began working as a real estate broker in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In the 1990s, Hammer was a member of the New Mexico Lesbian and Gay Political Alliance, The Duke City Gay and Lesbian Business Association, and the Common Bond Community Center. Hammer served on the Board of Directors of the ACLU of New Mexico (1994-2006), and was New Mexico’s representative to the National ACLU Board for three years (2003-2006). Hammer was a founding board member of the bilingual theatre group La Compania de Teatro de Alburquerque (1977-1983). The ACLU of New Mexico honored Hammer with its Civil Libertarian of the Year Award (2005), and he received the Russell Gray Community Service Award from the Common Bond Foundation (2007). In the 1990s, Hammer began to collect what became known as the "Hammer Archives" and included New Mexico organizational documents, LGBT event materials, and news clippings. In 2009, the "Hammer Archives" became part of the LGBT Educational Archives Project, which is devoted to the preservation of LGBT archives. Barbara Korbal arranged the materials as the Director of the LGBT Educational Archives Project.
In the Hammer Collection, documents found in Box 1, Folders 41 and 55 contain newsletters and materials detailing the life-long collecting efforts of Hammer, and the development of the LGBT Educational Archives Project under the direction of Korbal.
In the Hammer Collection, documents found in Box 1, Folders 41 and 55 contain newsletters and materials detailing the life-long collecting efforts of Hammer, and the development of the LGBT Educational Archives Project under the direction of Korbal.
Extent
7 boxes and 1 flat oversize folder (7.34 cu. ft.)
Abstract
The Bennett Hammer LGBT Collection includes materials from 1970 to 2017 and consists of news clippings, organizational documents, memorabilia, and publications.
Separated Material
Five publications were separated from the collection and added to the holdings of the Center for Southwest Research. The publications are: OUT! New Mexico’s Gay and Lesbian News Source; The Weekly Rainbow: Albuquerque's Lesbigay Update; Common Bond, INK; Sister Lode; The Burning Bush: Feminist News and Commentary for the Albuquerque Area.
- Title
- Finding Aid of the Bennett Hammer LGBT Collection, 1970-2017
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Barbara Korbal
- Date
- © 2017
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
- Sponsor
- Funding provided by a Mellon American Historical Association Career Diversity Fellowship
Revision Statements
- Monday, 20210524: Attribute normal is missing or blank.
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451