1977–1979
New York City’s first mainstream weekly lesbian and gay newspaper.
Our history
A newspaper.
A community.
A record.
Gaysweek served New York’s lesbian and gay community from 1977 to 1979. The city’s first mainstream weekly lesbian and gay newspaper, it was one of only three weeklies serving gay readers at the time. Its pages mixed news and interviews with reviews, fiction, poetry, gossip, entertainment listings, regular columns, and community calendars.
Founded by Alan Bell, Gaysweek published its first issue on February 28, 1977. It was the first mainstream gay periodical edited and published by an African American.
Over its 114-issue run, the paper grew from an eight-page tabloid printed in one color to a 24-page publication using two colors. Its monthly supplement, Gaysweek Arts and Letters, was edited by Byrne Fone and Richard Hall.
Archives, memories & milestones
The story is still here.
Explore the archives, share a memory, and mark 50 years since Gaysweek’s first issue. Research access varies by institution.
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Complete newspaper run
The LGBT Community Center
A complete run in New York. Contact the National History Archive to arrange research access.
Visit the archive -
Behind the newspaper
The New York Public Library
Gaysweek records, including production materials and editorial correspondence.
View the collection guide -
Publishing records
Cornell University Library
Publishing and advertising materials in the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections.
View the collection guide -
Digitized issues
ProQuest
The newspaper is in LGBT Magazine Archive, Collection 2. Ask your library about subscription access.
About the collection -
Staff, contributors & readers
Were you there?
Did you work on Gaysweek or read it each week? Your memories can help tell the paper’s story.
Share your memories - 1977 — 2027
50years since
the first issue.Remembering the newspaper and the people who made it and read it.
Staff, contributors, readers & friends
Remember Gaysweek?
Did you work on the paper, contribute to it, advertise in it, or pick up a copy each week? We’d like to hear from you.
Memories, photographs, and other materials can help tell Gaysweek’s story.
Researchers and journalists are welcome to get in touch, too.