Oral Histories

Interview of Jewel Thais-Williams

Black lesbian activist and founder of the iconic Black LGBT club, The Catch One.
Series:
Black LGBTQ+ Legends of Los Angeles
Topic:
African American History
Community History
Women's Issues
LGBT Movement
Biographical Note:
Black lesbian activist and founder of the iconic Black LGBT club, The Catch One.
Interviewer:
Johns, Byron
Interviewee:
Thais-Williams, Jewel
Persons Present:
Johns and Thais-Williams
Place Conducted:
This interview was conducted at Jewel's home in Pomona, CA.
Supporting Documents:
Records relating to the interview are located in the office of the UCLA Library's Center for Oral History Research.
Interviewer Background and Preparation:
The interview was conducted by Byron Johns, Psy.D., organizational psychologist and trained facilitator and interviewer. Johns has worked with Gay Men of African Descent (GMAD) in New York City, and on numerous LGBTQ-focused projects.
Processing of Interview:
The transcript is a verbatim transcription of the recording as transcribed by a professional transcribing agency. The interviewee was given an opportunity to review the transcript but made no corrections or additions.
Length:
8.5 hours
Language:
English
Copyright:
Interviewee Retained Copyright
Series Statement:
The Black LGBTQ+ Legends of Los Angeles oral history project reflects a legacy of Black folks supporting each other in the face of race, sexual orientation, and class-based marginalization. Los Angeles is one of the major US cities that experienced sweeping social and political changes as a result of Black civil rights movements and gay liberation movements from the 1960’s until the present. Likewise, Los Angeles is often represented as a city where integration was established ahead of legislation. However, LGBT histories involving African Americans are limited. These oral history testimonies will fill historical gaps relating to Black LGBT social and political life in Los Angeles.
Note:
This interview is available upon request from COHR