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Bil Browning and Jerame Davis Papers

National Museum of American History

Object Details

Creator
Browning, Bil
Davis, Jerame
Davis, Jerame Joe, 1975-
Browning, William Dale, 1972-
Topic
Sexual orientation
Political activists
Lesbian and gay experience
Homosexuality
Gay activists
Discrimination in employment
LGBT
Provenance
The papers were donated by Bil Browning and Jerame Davis, in 2015.
Creator
Browning, Bil
Davis, Jerame
Davis, Jerame Joe, 1975-
Browning, William Dale, 1972-
See more items in
Bil Browning and Jerame Davis Papers
Summary
Bil Browning and his husband, Jerame Davis were activists for LGBT issues, locally in Indiana as well as nationally in Washington, D.C.
Biographical / Historical
Bil Browning (William Dale Browning) was born in Zanesville, Ohio in 1972. Jerame Davis (Jerame Joe Davis) was born in Columbus, Indiana in 1975. After coming out as gay in high school, Browning joined the Clinton presidential election campaign and the organization ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) in 1992. Davis worked for multiple LGBT organizations, including Indiana Equality, Indiana Fairness Network, Columbus Gay/Straight Alliance, Indiana Stonewall Democrats, and Pride at Work. In the late 1990s, Browning and Davis were involved in an employment discrimination case against Fast Max Sunoco in Indiana. This case served as a catalyst for them to continue championing LGBT rights. The same case resulted in their organizing the internet's first gay rights grassroots online action against the local company that had fired them. Since then, Browning has won multiple awards for his work as an activist. He is also a board member of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, and an advisory board member of the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance. Davis has served as the executive director of the National Stonewall Democrats. Together, Browning and Davis were the co-owners of the Bilerico Project, a group blog that chronicled Indiana politics and LGBT issues for nearly 11 years. On June 30th, 2015, Browning made his last post on the blog, saying that he was taking time off to work on his book. Browning and Davis separated in 2023.
Extent
3.15 Cubic feet (13 boxes)
Date
1972-2015, undated
Archival Repository
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Identifier
NMAH.AC.1334
Type
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Posters
Scrapbooks
Petitions
Photographs
Correspondence
Identity cards
Bumper stickers
Periodicals
Oral history
Videocassettes
Programs
School records
Citation
Bil Browning and Jerame Davis Papers, 1972-2015, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged into six series. Series 1: Personal Papers, 1972-2015, undated Series 2: Activism Records, 1992-2012, undated Series 3: Legal Records, 1991-2011, undated Series 4: Publications, 1981-2014, undated Series 5: Photographs, 1972-2006, undated Series 6: Audiovisual, 1992-2008, undated
Processing Information
Processed by Sara N. Dorfman, intern, 2015; supervised by Franklin A. Robinson, Jr., archives specialist.
Rights
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Genre/Form
Posters -- 21st century
Scrapbooks -- 20th century
Petitions
Photographs -- 1980-2000
Correspondence -- 21st century
Identity cards
Bumper stickers
Periodicals -- 21st century
Oral history -- 2010-2020
Videocassettes
Programs -- 21st century
School records -- 1980-2000
Scope and Contents
The Bil Browning and Jerame Davis Papers consist of approximately 3.15 cubic feet documenting their activism on behalf of LGBT rights in Indiana, and includes correspondence, photographs, school papers, a scrapbook from Browning's youth, posters, petitions, handouts, bumper stickers, periodicals, conference and event programs, ID cards, VHS recordings, and printed materials. There are extensive notes from an oral history interview with Browning and Davis conducted by Archives Center intern, Sara Dorfman, in Series 1. Series 1, Personal Papers, 1972-2015, undated, consists of correspondence between Browning and his friends and family, school-related materials such as yearbooks and report cards, an oral history interview, and a scrapbook from Browning's youth. The scrapbook contains materials pertaining to Browning's work with ACT-UP, along with letters and other personal materials. Series 2, Activism Records, 1992-2012, undated, contains papers from the Fast Max Sunoco employment discrimination case, papers from the Indiana Stonewall Democrats, conference and event programs, papers from Indiana Equality, papers from the Human Rights Campaign, papers from Pride at Work, a presentation on LGBT youth homelessness from the LGBT Editor/Blogger Convening, an invitation to the inauguration of President Obama, an invitation to LGBT Pride Month from the White House, and papers from the Bilerico LGBT Media Foundation. Series 3, Legal Records, 1991-2011, undated, contains financial records as well as papers from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development and documents regarding termination of child support paid by Browning's father. Series 4, Publications, 1981-2014, undated, includes newspaper clippings relating to Browning's youth, LGBT events, and ACT-UP. It also contains pamphlets, hand-outs from conferences, and multiple LGBT periodicals from around the United States, such as the Washington Blade, that claims to be the oldest LGBT newspaper in the country. Series 5, Photographs, 1972-2006, undated, contains photos from Browning's youth, friends and family of Browning and Davis, Browning's significant others, protests, and drag shows. Series 6, Audiovisual, 1992-2008, undated, covers Browning's involvement with the organization ACT-UP, interviews with Browning, an open forum led by Jerame Davis in response to a protest against Cummins, a rally staged by the Indiana Action Network, and various clips from news programs covering some of these events.
Restrictions
Collection is open for research.
Related link
Record ID
ebl-1503513445828-1503513445834-0
Metadata Usage
CC0
GUID
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8ea671fa9-7b26-443f-bfa3-b4f69099f583

In the Collection

Pages

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  • Civil Disobedience Training (ACT UP)

  • 1st grade class photo (Willard Elementary School)

  • High school report cards (Winchester Community High School)

  • Bil Browning baby book

  • Bil Browning's parents (Gary Browning and Jean Browning)

  • Elementary school yearbook (Willard Elementary School)

  • Graduation programs (Winchester Community High School)

  • Birth announcements

  • The New York City Anti-Violence Project

  • Drawings

  • The National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality

  • Democratic National Convention (Denver, Colorado)

  • Dallas Voice (Dallas, Texas)

  • Blogger meetup sign (National Gay and Lesbian Task Force)

  • To Members and Friends

  • Bil Browning's high school diploma (Winchester Community High School)

  • Assorted information

  • Indiana Equality Region 8 photo scrapbook

  • Certificate of Attendance

  • Metro Weekly (Washington, D.C.)

  • ePride Guide

  • Washington Blade (Washington, D.C.)

  • OutQ in the Morning with Larry Flick

  • Indiana General Assembly, House of Representatives

  • Indiana Stonewall Democrats

  • Political signs

  • Jerame Davis' high school diploma (Columbus North High School)

  • Fort Wayne Pride Festival (Fort Wayne, Indiana)

  • Certificate of Achievement (University of Evansville)

  • Elementary school report cards

  • Student behavior referral (Winchester Community High School)

  • Human Rights Ordinance (Indianapolis, Indiana)

  • Personal (Browning, Bil; Browning, Gary; Browning, Jean Dow, Jean; Blizzard, Jimmy; Pat, Blizzar; Brandenburg, Donna Pittman, Donna; Muramatsu, Eri Howard, Eri; Dow, Don; Jose, Thomas; Knight, Rick Austin Head, Richard; Middleton, Daniel; Hawkins, Brenda; Owen, Matt; Hawksworth, Paige; Davis, Jason; Davis, Sherry)

  • Inauguration of President Obama (Washington, D.C.)

  • National Gay and Lesbian Task Force conference (Dallas, Texas)

  • Drag show

  • Indiana Department of Workforce Development

  • QNotes (Charlotte, North Carolina)

  • High school photograph book (Winchester Community High School)

  • Laborers' International Union of North America, Netroots Nation Conference (Providence, Rhode Island)

  • Hollywood Spotlite Special Award Photo Magazine

  • Personal (Boyd, Dan; Bashem, Dustin; Muramatsu, Eri Howard, Eri; Sprinkle, Jay; Kaufman, L.A.; Jones, Walter; Agin, Francis; Agin, Bill; Thorpe, Maxine; Thorpe, Delbert; Helmick, Golda; Dow, Don; Dow, Jean; Fleischaker, Ted; Howard, Mark; Carson, Julia; Knight, Rick Austin)

  • Drag show (Brooks, Erik; Jose, Thomas; Browning, Bil; Geiger, Victoria)

  • South Florida Gay News

  • Protest at Columbus City Hall (Davis, Jerame; Douglas, Chris; Murray, Rhea; Stevens, Marla; Miner, Jeff)

  • United States Census (Washington, D.C.)

  • Loose papers from baby book

  • Legal Records

  • Indiana Equality petitions

  • Indiana Equality Handouts

  • Golden Era, yearbook (Winchester Community High School)

  • Get Active Software

  • ACT UP

  • National Gay and Lesbian Task Force conference (Denver, Colorado)

  • Christmas play program (Willard Elementary School)

  • Drag show behind-the-scenes (Browning, Bil; Muramatsu, Eri Howard, Eri; Jose, Thomas; Geiger, Victoria)

  • Jerame Davis B110/B063

  • ACT UP - Evansville (Evansville, Indiana Chapter)

  • News clippings

  • American Values Alliance

  • Indiana Equality Region 8

  • Gay City News (New York, New York)

  • Drawing

  • Unity Convention (Las Vegas, Nevada)

  • Human Rights Campaign press pass

  • Copy of scrapbook

  • Indiana Equality

  • Seniors book (Winchester Community High School)

  • Bil Browning and parents

  • Termination of child support (Winchester, Indiana)

  • LGBT Editor/Blogger Convening (San Francisco, California)

  • Oral history interview with Browning and Davis, paper notes, conducted by Sara Dorfman, Archives Center intern

  • Bil Browning

  • 7th Congressional District (Indianapolis, Indiana)

  • Traditional Marriage Rally Disruption

  • Kocolene, Fast Max, Sunoco (Bloomington, Indiana)

  • South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) (Austin, Texas)

  • Acorn Equality Fund

  • Golden Era, yearbook (Winchester Community High School)

  • Focus on the Family (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

  • The Indianapolis Recorder (Indianapolis, Indiana)

  • Equality Delaware (Wilmington, Delaware)

  • Materials from scrapbook

  • Bilerico LGBT Media Foundation (Indianapolis, Indiana)

  • National Honors Society (Winchester Community High School)

  • The College Board, SAT admission ticket, SAT score report

  • Valentine's Day card

  • South Florida Gay News

  • Birthday cards

  • Congratulations sign

  • Citizen Journalism Boot Camp (Indiana Coalition for Open Government)

  • The Jonah Institute for Gender Affirmation (Jersey City, New Jersey)

Pages

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Bil Browning and Jerame Davis Papers
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International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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