- unitid
-
{"value"=>"Sc MG 627", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"21111", "type"=>"local_mss"}
{"value"=>"b21043802", "type"=>"local_b"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1982-2002", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1982/2002"}
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Other Countries records"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"11.5 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"29 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"329.6 kb (15 computer files)"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- repository
-
{"id"=>"SCM", "value"=>"Schomburg Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"Other Countries is a not-for-profit organization formed by a collective of black gay male writers in New York City, organized with the purpose to develop, promote, communicate and cultivate literary, cultural, and social endeavors and pursuits relevant to the experience of black gay men. The collection mostly contains material relating to and generated by the activities of Other Countries; but also by affiliated organizations and individuals; and LGBTQ and AIDS advocacy groups."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"<p>[Item], Other Countries records, Sc MG 627, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library.</p>"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Other Countries", "type"=>"corpname", "role"=>"creator"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Other Countries is a not-for-profit organization formed by a collective of black gay male writers organized with the purpose to develop, promote, and cultivate literary, cultural, and social endeavors and pursuits relevant to the experience of black gay men. These goals are achieved through publishing, live performances, guided writing and educational workshops, and outreach to underserved communities.</p> <p>The collective was founded in New York City by Daniel Garrett, growing out of a weekly writing workshop for black gay men that met at the Lesbian and Gay Community Center in Greenwich Village, in 1986. The name of the group was inspired by the works of James Baldwin. The collective is also known as \"Other Countries: Black Gay Expression.\"</p> <p>Other Countries functioned as a program of the Cultural Council Foundation (CCF), which was created under the auspices of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs to provide administrative services to new art groups. The CCF provided the organizations with its tax-exempt status, as well as fiscal management, consulting, and training services. Other Countries also received grants from other arts funding bodies, such as the North Star Fund. The group was administered by a board of directors, whose functions included fundraising and writing grant proposals, communicating with the membership, and overseeing publications.</p> <p>In addition to the writers' workshops and live performances, a major function of the organization is periodically publishing a journal. Its first edition, <span class=\"title\">Other Countries: Black Gay Voices</span>, an anthology of poetry, essays, plays, and art of 32 black gay writers, was published in 1988. In 1993, responding to the AIDS epidemic, the collective published its second anthology <span class=\"title\">Sojourner: Black Gay Voices in the Age of Aids</span>. In 1996, the foundation celebrated its tenth anniversary at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture with readings and performances.The group broadened its focus to include members of the black LGBT community into their workshop, publications, and board in the late 1990s. It published its third anthology, <span class=\"title\">Voices Rising: Celebrating 20 Years of Black Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual ê Transgender Writing</span> in 2007. A number of notable writers have been associated with Other Countries, including Assotto Saint (Yves Lubin), Cary Alan Johnson, Melvin Dixon, Essex Hemphill, Donald W. Woods, Joseph Beam, and Samuel R. Delany.</p> <p>Members of the Other Countries board of directors, such as chairs B. Michael Hunter and Colin Robinson, were also active in other cultural, social, and political advocacy groups that organized around the multiple oppressions associated with belonging to communities marginalized by racism and homophobia. A number of these activities were characterized by their engagement with advocacy and support surrounding the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Examples of these groups are Gay Men of African Descent, The Audre Lorde Project, Gay Men's Health Crisis, and The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center, all of which are still active.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Other Countries records date from 1982 to 2002 and document the group's writing, performance, and publishing activities, while providing insight into the reception of their publications by readers and contributors. The majority of the files were compiled by two members of the board of directors, B. Michael Hunter and Colin Robinson, and show the intersections of their activities as Other Countries members, their participation in other advocacy groups, and their personal lives. The devastating impact of HIV and AIDS on the black gay community is evident in the focus of the group's writings, especially for their 1993 publication, <span class=\"title\">Sojourner: Black Gay Voices in the Age of AIDS</span>, their poetry readings, and performances.</p> <p>Administrative files contain correspondence, internal memoranda, membership information, financial and fundraising records, and organizational files such as reports and board election documents. These trace the development and formalization of the Other Countries' structure, mission, and functioning. B. Michael Hunter's files include correspondence, minutes, and printed matter from both Other Countries, and organizations in which Hunter was active. These also contain teaching, study, and employment–related records, some literary compositions, research material, and personal and financial records</p> <p>The Organizational records encompass discussion on the structure of the group; and planning and reporting of the organization from its genesis as a development of the Other Countries writing workshop. Also present are newsletters produced by the group, board and committee election information, and some internal communications.</p> <p>The Financial Records concern journal printing and sales; mailing and events; and workshop costs. They also contain activity reports and statements; balance sheets; and other documents generated for Other Countries by the Cultural Council Foundation.</p> <p>The Performances, Workshops and Events files include publicity, planning documents, and scripts from the poetry readings and presentations made by Other Countries members and in collaboration with other artists. These include materials for presentations at the Schomburg Center.</p> <p>Subject Files include research on HIV/AIDS, and a large amount of printed matter generated by numerous social justice, advocacy, and special interest groups. They include handbills, newsletters, magazines, posters, party invitations, and other publicity materials.</p> <p>A major function of the collective was publishing anthologies of literary works. This is evidenced in the Writings files which include journal committee minutes and agendas; planning documents; reports; published and unpublished manuscript submissions; and iterations of the final works in varying stages, including galleys and mockups with annotations. These files also contain letters from people across the country expressing support and requesting information on Other Countries, and copies of the journal.</p>"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>The collection is arranged into the following categories: Administrative Files; Performances, Workshops and Events; Subject Files; and Writings.</p>"}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Donated by Bert Michael Hunter on behalf of Other Countries Inc., 1997; and John Manzon-Santos, executor of the estate of Bert Hunter, 2001.</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"type"=>"processing", "value"=>"<p>Compiled by <span class=\"name\">Amelia Carlin</span>, <span class=\"date\">2016</span>.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p>Box 29 (SCM 12-12), and the electronic media were integrated into the rest of the collection in October, 2016.</p>"}
- accessrestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>All reproduction requests subject to limitations noted in divisional policies on reproduction. Sound and video materials are unavailable pending digitization.</p>"}
- userestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>Information on copyright available from repository.</p>"}
- dsc_type
-
combined
- date_start
-
1982
- keydate
-
1982
- date_end
-
2002
- date_inclusive_start
-
1982
- date_inclusive_end
-
2002
- extent_statement
-
11.5 linear feet (29 boxes); 329.6 kb (15 computer files)