Origins & Early Life

Franklin Edward Kameny (May 21, 1925 – October 11, 2011) was an American gay rights activist. He has been referred to as "one of the most significant figures" in the American gay rights movement. During the Lavender scare, in 1957, Kameny was dismissed from his position as an astronomer in the U.S. Army's Army Map Service in Washington, D.C., because of his homosexuality, leading him to begin "a Herculean struggle with the American establishment" that would "spearhead a new period of militancy in the homosexual rights movement of the early 1960s".

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Kameny formally appealed his firing by the U.S. Civil Service Commission. Although unsuccessful, the proceeding was notable as the first known civil rights claim based on sexual orientation pursued in a U.S. court. Kameny was born to Ashkenazi Jewish parents in New York City on May 21, 1925.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

His father, Emil Kameny, was a Polish electrical engineer, and his mother, Rae Beck Kameny, was of Austro-Hungarian descent and worked as a high-ranking secretary. Franklin and his younger sister Edna spent their childhood in Richmond Hill, a neighborhood in southeastern Queens. From the age of four, he knew that...

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• 1925 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1925
• May 21 (05-21) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on May 21
• 2011 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2011
• October 11 (10-11) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on October 11