Alan Lessik interview (part 1 of 2)

Alan Lessik discusses Rene Valdes’s life in Cuba and the persecution of gay people that led him to join the flood of Cubans immigrating to the United States during the Mariel Boatlift. Interview conducted by Britt Aamodt, October 8, 2018. Used with the permission of Britt Aamodt and Alan Lessik.

Ira Jones with Cuban refugees

Ira Jones with Cuban refugees

Ira Jones with Cuban refugees at Camp McCoy in Wisconsin. Printed in GayLife, Friday, August 8, 1980. Original caption: "Ira Jones (second from left) chats with refugees and sponsors from Minneapolis. Communication was sometimes a problem, but the universal language of gay love always prevailed."

Calixto Martinez, Mike Bergeron, and Edwardo Rodriguez

Calixto Martinez, Mike Bergeron, and Edwardo Rodriguez

Calixto Martinez, Mike Bergeron, and Edwardo Rodriguez at Fort McCoy in Wisconsin. Printed in GayLife, Friday, August 8, 1980. Original caption: "Calixto Martinez (left) and Edwardo Rodriguez (right) pose with Gay Life's managing editor, Mike Bergeron. Calixto and Edwardo are lovers. Calixto cut all his pants into shorts only to discover that the other refugees in the camp recognized him as being gay. Several of the non-gay refugees tried to rape Calixto and lover Edwardo stepped in to protect him. Edwardo was stabbed. A Minneapolis sponsor attempted to get both Calixto and Edwardo out together. Ultimately, they were represented by two different agencies. The agency representing Calixto allowed him to leave with the sponsor. The agency representing Edwardo would not allow him to go. Calixto refused to leave without his lover. Eventually, Calixto was convinced that he should leave and they would continue the attempt to get Edwardo released. A tearful moment came for the GayLife staff members when Calixto boarded a bus for Minneapolis. Edwardo just sat down in the corner of the yard, sighed, and watched his lover leave without him." Thom Higgins papers, Manuscripts Collection, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul.

Stephen Kulieke (center bottom) with Cuban refugees

Stephen Kulieke with Cuban refugees

Stephen Kulieke (center bottom) with Cuban refugees at Fort McCoy, WIsconsin. Printed in GayLife, Friday, August 8, 1980. Original caption: "GayLife's Stephen Kulieke became the darling of the refugees. They followed him all day as he shot all the photos of Fort McCoy." From the Thom Higgins papers, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul.

Positively Gay Cuban Refugee Task Force

Founded in Minneapolis by activists Thom Higgins and Bruce Brockway, the Positively Gay Cuban Refugee Task Force helped ninety gay Cuban men fleeing the regime of Fidel Castro find new homes in Minnesota in the summer of 1980.

Norwegian Minnesotans posed for a picture with a sloop (boat).

Descendants of Norwegian immigrants to Minnesota

Descendants of Norwegian immigrants to Minnesota pose by the sloop on which their ancestors came to America at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, 1925.

Jacob Fahlström plaque

Jacob Fahlström plaque

This plaque, located in downtown St. Paul’s Culture Park, on the grounds of the Ramsey County Government Center East (160 East Kellogg Boulevard), was unveiled by Swedish crown prince Bertil in 1948 to honor Jacob Fahlström, the first Swedish settler-colonist in Minnesota. Photograph by Wolfie Browender, June 16, 2005. Used with the permission of Wolfie Browender.

Daguerreotype of Hans Mattson

Hans Mattson

Daguerreotype of Hans Mattson, ca. 1863.

Munsingwear employees at work

Munsingwear employees at work

Munsingwear employees at work in Minneapolis, 1920. Minneapolis companies like Munsingwear provided employment for immigrant women, including Swedes.

Passport issued to Swan Victor Anderson

Passport issued to Swan Victor Anderson

Passport issued to Swan Victor Anderson for travel from Sweden to the United States, 1925.

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