Lionel Pires collection
Scope and Contents
The Lionel Pires collection includes personal accounts and narratives of Lionel Pires’ experiences in the LGBTQ+ community in both Rhode Island and the United States from the late 1970s to early 2000s. The bulk of the collection is photographs, however it also includes ephemera, newspaper articles, and correspondence. Materials document Pires' personal travels across the United States, including significant LGBTQ+ historical events such as Gay Games, Boston Pride, Hotlanta, and March on Washington. Materials about Rhode Island include photographs capturing nightlife moments at the Castaways gay bar and its predecessor David’s Bar in Newport, RI, early photos of LGBTQ+ gathering spaces such as First Beach, Glen Manor House and events including Providence Pride, Tiverton Labor Day Party and Providence AIDS Walk.
Dates
- 1975 - 2007
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open for research. Digital records are accessible in the Special Collections reading room upon request.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright of original materials created by Lionel Pires have been assigned to PPL. Consideration of the copyrights for materials collected by Lionel Pires is the responsibility of the researcher.
Biographical / Historical
Lionel Edward Pires (1957- ) was born in Middletown, Rhode Island. He was a competitive racquetball player, earning a Bronze medal in the 1990 Gay Games in Vancouver, B.C. and a Gold medal in the 1994 Gay Games in New York City. Pires owned Castaways, a gay bar at 28 Prospect Hill in Newport, RI from 2001-2004 with his partner at the time, Kevin Santos. The bar was previously known as David’s and operated as a gay bar at that location from the late 1980s to early 2000s. Throughout Pires' life, he has participated in several LGBTQ+ events around the United States including the March on Washington in 1994. Pires also worked at Butler Hospital in Providence and currently works as an advocate for prison reform and organizes the RI Born This Way Prom.
Extent
.75 Linear Feet (2 boxes)
96 Megabytes (1 external hard drive )
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is organized into two series. Series 1 contains items related to the creator's personal history with LGBTQ+ related events and culture within the scope of the United States; this includes photography, ephemera, correspondences, and receipts. Series 2 contains items related to the creator's personal history within the boundaries of Rhode Island; this includes photography, ephemera, correspondence, and newspaper articles.
Accompanied with the collection is an oral history narrative from the creator that spans both series.
Custodial History
Material was acquired from the creator.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Lionel Pires, 2022
Existence and Location of Originals
Newspaper articles were copied and originals were destroyed.
Processing Information
The collection was processed by Phos Ivestei in 2023 under the supervision of Kate Wells.
- Title
- Lionel Pires collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Phos Ivestei
- Date
- 2023
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Providence Public Library Repository
150 Empire Street
Providence RI 02903 United States of America
401-455-8021
special_collections@provlib.org