Skip to main content Skip to main navigation
heart-solid My Visit Donate
Home
Press Enter to activate a submenu, down arrow to access the items and Escape to close the submenu.
    • Overview
    • Museums and Zoo
    • Entry and Guidelines
    • Maps and Brochures
    • Dine and Shop
    • Accessibility
    • Visiting with Kids
    • Group Visits
    • Overview
    • Exhibitions
    • Online Events
    • All Events
    • IMAX & Planetarium
    • Overview
    • Topics
    • Collections
    • Research Resources
    • Podcasts
    • Stories
    • Overview
    • For Caregivers
    • For Educators
    • For Students
    • For Academics
    • For Lifelong Learners
    • Overview
    • Become a Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Make a Gift
    • Volunteer
    • Overview
    • Our Organization
    • Our Leadership
    • Reports and Plans
    • Newsdesk
heart-solid My Visit Donate

The Mattachine Society of Washington "Love in Action" Collection

National Museum of American History

The Source Residential Program
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
Finding aid
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .

Object Details

sova.nmah.ac.1428
GUID
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep84339c111-fe10-4905-bac6-5a8cc5339023
Donor
Mattachine Society of Washington
Topic
Homosexuality
Lesbian and gay experience
Sexual orientation
Psychology
Mental health
Gays
Bisexuality
Health
LGBT
Provenance
The collection was donated by The Mattachine Society of Washington, 2017.
Donor
Mattachine Society of Washington
See more items in
The Mattachine Society of Washington "Love in Action" Collection
Summary
Papers and publications collected by the Mattachine Society of Washington, DC relating to the gay to straight conversion therapy program known as Love in Action (LIA) and director of the Memphis, Tennessee LIA, John J. Smid and author Garrard Conley.
Biographical / Historical
Love in Action was founded in 1973 in San Rafael, California. Their motto was, "Finding freedom in Jesus Christ from sexual and relational sin." The first two paragraphs of this history are taken directly from their archived website, "Love in Action International (LIA) was founded by Frank Worthen in 1973. At age 43 Frank rededicated his life to Jesus after 20 years of pursuing homosexual behavior. With his testimony and a newspaper ad, Frank proclaimed a seldom-heard message: "There is a way out of homosexuality, and his name is Jesus Christ!" "Love in Action is the oldest established member ministry of Exodus International, a nationwide referral network. We are a referral ministry of Focus on the Family and the American Family Association. Known around the world for our residential discipleship programs, we have had clients from all over the US and more than a dozen countries. In 1994 LIA moved from its original home of San Rafael, California to Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis has been a hospitable home, and its many vibrant churches play a crucial role in the ministry. In 2001 LIA started a groundbreaking residential discipleship program. Since then, hundreds of men and women have found freedom and significance in Christ through this uniquely powerful experience. We are privileged to be involved in serving the people of God by partnering with them in their journey out of bondage and into the freedom and power of obedience to Jesus Christ." After the settlement of a lawsuit between LIA and the State of Tennessee and the departure and recanting of the program by director John Smid, Love in Action was repackaged into Restoration Path in 2012. Restoration Path is headed by David Jones and continues to exist in Tennessee. Garrard Conley, the author of Boy Erased, is a survivor of the conversion therapy program that was based in Memphis and headed by John Smid. Boy Erased recounts Conley's experiences in the program. The book is the basis for the motion picture of the same name. Website accessed 2018 July 10: https://web.archive.org/web/20110803195310//http://www.loveinaction.org/aboutus Founded in 1961 by Franklin Kameny and Jack Nichols, the Mattachine Society of Washington, DC was the first gay civil rights organization in Washington, DC. The Society has actively worked to seek out and archive papers and collections directly related to LGBT history.
Extent
4.1 (13 boxes) Cubic feet
Date
1978-2013, undated
Custodial History
Donated to the Archives Center in 2017 by the Mattachine Society of Washington, DC. Portions of the collection had previously been donated to the Mattachine Society by Garrard Conley and John J. Smid.
Archival Repository
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Identifier
NMAH.AC.1428
Type
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Manuals
Pamphlets
Newsclippings
Newsletters
Citation
The Mattachine Society of Washington "Love in Action" Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into five series. Series 1: Smid, John J., 1983-2009, undated Series 2: Love in Action, 1978-2013, undated Series 3: New Hope and Exodus International Ministries, 1987-2001, undated Series 4: Publications, 1983-2011, undated Series 5: Audio-Visual,1988-2005, undated
Processing Information
Processed by Katarina Walthers, intern, 2018. 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
Manuals
Pamphlets
Newsclippings
Newsletters
Scope and Contents
This collection contains papers, publications, pamphlets, and newsclipping relating to the gay to straight (known as ex-gay), conversion therapy program, Love in Action (LIA). This collection contains the papers of John Smid, former director of the Love in Action program in Memphis, Tennessee. There are also materials from other ex-gay programs New Hope Ministries and Exodus. Series 2 contains Garrard Conley's (author of Boy Erased) workbook and a folder of loose material from his time in the Love in Action program. Series 2 also contains the Love in Action class manual, Love in Action Steps Out Program. Series 4 and 5 contain a variety of publications, writings, and audio-visual materials from groups and programs dedicated to conversion therapy.
Restrictions
Collection is open for research. Do not use original materials when available on reference video or audio tapes.
NMAH.AC.1428
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep84339c111-fe10-4905-bac6-5a8cc5339023
NMAH.AC.1428
ACAH
Record ID
ebl-1562767864975-1562767864984-0

  • Images 3 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Archival materials 156 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Audio 13 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Cassette tapes 13 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Moving Images 9 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Videocassettes (vhs) 9 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Computer Disks 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Electronic discs (dvd) 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1970s 3 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1980s 19 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1990s 71 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 2000s 49 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 2010s 10 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • The Mattachine Society of Washington "Love in Action" Collection 156 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • The Mattachine Society of Washington "Love in Action" Collection / Series 4: Publications 59 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • The Mattachine Society of Washington "Love in Action" Collection / Series 2: Love in Action (LIA) 35 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • The Mattachine Society of Washington "Love in Action" Collection / Series 1: Smid, John J. Papers 24 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • The Mattachine Society of Washington "Love in Action" Collection / Series 5: Audio-Visual 24 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • The Mattachine Society of Washington "Love in Action" Collection / Series 3: New Hope and Exodus International Ministries 9 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • CC0 156 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • No 152 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Yes 4 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • ead_component 156 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Love in Action (LIA)

  • The Source Residential Program

  • The Source Discipleship Program

  • Love in Action International, The Source Residential Program, (Garrard Conley's workbook and folder of loose material)

  • Women Only

  • Homosexuality: Is It Right or Wrong; Do I Have to Take a Stand?

  • Sexual Wholeness Seminar: Purity in Relationships: Where Does Our Model, Smid, John

  • Destiny Bridge, Worthen, Frank

  • Before Confronting One Another

  • Out of Egypt, Howard, Jeanette

  • "One Nation Under God" (PBS Broadcast)

  • Child Development #2

  • Smid, news clippings

  • Can Homophobia be Cured?, Hilton, Bruce

  • The Secret Sin, Laaser, Mark R.

  • Closets and Doors

  • Do You Really See Jesus

  • The Healing Presence, Payne, Leanne

  • Radical Living information book

  • Sexual Identity, Yarhouse, Mark A. and Lori Burkett

  • Someone I Love is Gay, Worthen, Anita and Bob Davies

  • Church's Response

  • Not Afraid to Change, Paulk, John

  • When a Loved One Says, 'I'm Gay', Focus on the Family


  1. Current page 1
  2. Page 2
  3. Page 3
  4. Page 4
  5. Page 5
  6. Page 6
  7. Page 7
  8. Next page Next
  9. Last page Last

Discover More

  • baseball with Babe Ruth's signature.

    Preserving Baseball History: Art, Artifacts, and Memorabilia

arrow-up Back to top
Home
  • Facebook facebook
  • Instagram instagram
  • LinkedIn linkedin
  • YouTube youtube

  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Get Involved
  • Inspector General
  • Records Requests
  • Accessibility
  • EEO & Small Business
  • Shop Online
  • Host Your Event
  • Press Room
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use