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NAMES Project Records

 Collection
Identifier: Tretter-289

Scope and Content

The NAMES Project Records contain organizational documentation concerning the AIDS quilt and its premier national tour. Committee meeting minutes from Twin Cities event coordinators, recognition in Minnesota media outlets, and correspondance between national and local organizers are available. Supplemental records concerning fundraising efforts, public support of the project, promotional flyers, and general informational materials about the AIDS Quilt are present. Materials given to NAMES Project volunteers and coordinators such as handbooks, schedules, and task lists surrounding the event. Selected newspaper clippings from Twin Cities newspapers covering the AIDS Quilt and its arrival.

Dates

  • Creation: 1987-1992

Creator

Language of Materials

English

Restrictions on Access

Items in this collection do not circulate and may be used in-house only. Materials will be retrieved from and returned to storage areas by staff members.

Restrictions on Use

Please contact staff regarding copyright status of these materials. Researchers may quote from the collection under fair use provisions of the copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code).

Historical Note

In 1985, following a memorial for Harvey Milk, Cleve Jones instructed people to write names of those lost to AIDS on a pieces of paper and tape them to the side of the San Francisco federal building. The sight inspired him to create the AIDS quilt. Two years later with the help of friends and volunteers the AIDS Quilt made it's debut on the lawn of the Washington Mall. It contained nearly 2000 individual quilt panels measuring six feet by three feet and was larger than a football field. The impact of the quilt was so great it was deemed necessary that the Quilt tour the country. It's inaugural tour visited twenty cities in the span of four months. From the time of its original display at the Washington Mall to the time of the inaugrual tour the Quilt doubled in size and weighed more than 11,000 pounds. It is now considered one of the largest pieces of Folk Art in the world.

Extent

3 boxes (2.3 linear feet)

Abstract

The NAMES Project Records contains organizational, promotional, and event materials surrounding the NAMES Project National tour and its first appearance in the Twin Cities in 1988.

Source of acquisition

The Names Project Records were donated by the Names Project.

Related Materials

Jean-Nicklaus Tretter papers

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Tyler Gardner in 2015. The processing efforts have been financed in part with funds provided by the State of Minnesota from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the Minnesota Historical Society.

Subject

Title
NAMES Project records (AIDS Quilt), 1987-1992
Author
Tyler Gardner
Date
January 2015
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English

Collecting Area Details

Contact The Jean Nickolaus Tretter Collection in GLBT Studies Collecting Area

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