ACT UP / LA

I decided to analyze ACT UP’s Los Angeles records for this week’s blogpost. I chose ACT UP,  which stands for AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, due to its historical impact in the promotion of treatment and destigmatization of AIDS. ACT UP was radical in its work; active from 1987 to 1995 (the time frame in which the records also date from), the group identified as “a grass-roots, democratic, militant, direct action organization dedicated to creating positive changes around AIDS in federal and local government, the media, and medical industries through non-violent public protests.”

The materials in the collection (“buttons, clippings, correspondence, financial records, fliers, membership materials, minutes, newsletters, photographs, press releases, stickers, and topical files”) create a timeline of theorganization, from its inception — a West Hollywood meeting inspired by ACT UP New York and a recent March on Washington — to its end in 1995 after hundreds of protests. These records make explicit the details of protests staged by ACT UP, allowing for its audience to see the content of meetings as well as ephemera from events. Many of ACT UP’s protests were successful including a week-long vigil in front of the Los Angeles County Hospital leading to the creation of a dedicated 20-bed AIDS unit at the hospital. 

ACT UP/LA’s collection gives viewers a greater understanding of the changes in attitudes surrounding AIDS during its active years. However, if one’s sole understanding of AIDS and LGBT culture stemmed from the ACT UP/LA materials, one would be unable to get a holistic history of the AIDS crisis. Despite the radical change ACT UP/LA incited, their collection does not tell the full story of those affected by AIDS before and after ACT UP’s presence. It should be of note that these records are housed by ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives, a major organization promoting for both equity and equality for the LGBT community. With the support of this organization, it might be possible to find first hand sources as well as other documentation of life with AIDS outside of ACT UP.

Despite leaps and bounds of progress towards the acceptance of AIDS and the LGBT community, stigma remains today. One can hope that the preservation of documentation of ACT UP/LA’s work can incite and inspire the fearlessness of yesterday, today.