Private Collection Of Gay/Lesbian History Donated To San Jose State University

San José State University has announced that Theodore (Ted) Sahl, a local award-winning photographer, has donated his collection of San José gay and lesbian history works to the university library. This collection is the first historical documentary of the gay and lesbian movement in the Santa Clara County.

The Ted Sahl Archives is a collection of photographs, negatives, essays, newsletters, newspapers, magazines, books and the rough drafts of his new book. These materials provide a historical perspective of the San José gay and lesbian community between 1977 and 2001.

Sahl is the author of From Closet to Community - A Quest for Gay and Lesbian Liberation in San José and Santa Clara County, which will be released this spring. "This historical documentary covers the gay movement in San José and Santa Clara County - a heart-breaking struggle which included many victories and defeats," stated Sahl.

"This collection is in keeping with the focus on local and university history as developed by the SJSU Library Special Collections," said Patricia Breivik, dean of the university library. "The Sahl archives will have a special place within the university's growing collection of local history."

The collection will be on display at the Library Special Collections facility at 1875 Senter Road, in San José. The facility is open to the public on Monday through Friday by calling for an appointment at 408-924-2715.

Sahl served as the staff photographer for the Lambda News, Our Paper, South Bay Times and Valley Views.His photos have appeared in a number of other works, including a 1999 San Jose Mercury documentary on the San José lesbian and gay community, entitled "A Community of One." In 1981, the San Francisco Cable Car Award Association nominated Sahl for an award in photo journalism. He was also the recipient of an honorable mention in Advocate magazine's National Photo Contest in the people category.

Contact: Nancy L. Stake at 408-924-1166