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Ron Bluestein papers

 Collection
Identifier: 7749

COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

The collection contains albums with photographs Bluestein took of nude men, some taken in his apartment, some taken at clubs. Additionally, all of the journals he kept during his lifetime, approximately 60 volumes dating from 1968 until 2006. A small number of audiocassette recordings of various interviews.

Dates

  • 1900s-2000s.

Creator

Language of Materials

Collection material in English

Restrictions on use:

Photograph albums and photographs in boxes 2 and 3 may not be reproduced or published until 2068.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Ron Bluestein was born in Philadelphia on February 4, 1949 and died from cancer on September 20, 2007 in his sister's home in Springfield, PA. His journal writing, started as an assignment in Arthur Lessing's philosophy class at Lake Forrest College, Illinois in 1969, continued avidly across the years. Bluestein wrote about AIDS hospice, art, entertainment, spirituality, and sex clubs for the Bay Area Reporter, the Advocate, Vogue, and other publications. In about 1984 he helped start the San Francisco Jacks, a safe sex group still active in 2007 and described as "a fellowship of men who like to jack-off in the company of like-minded men." He supported himself as a waiter and as a caretaker in a San Francisco Zen center. He was close with his sister Sheryl Bluestein McShea who added his nickname Ronnette as her middle name after his death.

Extent

2.2 cubic feet. (2.2 cubic feet.)

Abstract

Collected journals and photographs of writer Ron Bluestein.

RELATED MATERIALS

Collecting program: Human Sexuality Collection.

Physical Description

Photographs, journal.

General

Contact Information:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections 2B Carl A. Kroch Library Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853 (607) 255-3530 Fax: (607) 255-9524 rareref@cornell.edu http://rmc.library.cornell.edu
Compiled by:
Sarah Keen
Date completed:
January 2008
EAD encoding:
Sarah Keen, January 2008 Ezra Corral, July 2008 Sara McDermott, May 2010
Date modified:
Marcie Farwell, February 2018
Status
Completed
Author
Compiled by Sarah Keen
Date
January 2008
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections Repository

Contact:
2B Carl A. Kroch Library
Cornell University
Ithaca NY 14853
607-255-3530
607-255-9524 (Fax)