F.B.I. and Homosexuality: A History

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homosexuality

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ENTRY UNDER CONSTRUCTION

See also:

Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Vault Index.

Accessed October 9, 2011.

Description from the FBI Vault Index site:

The FBI has converted many FOIA documents to an electronic format (PDF), and they may be viewed below. In the case of voluminous pages, only summaries or excerpts from the documents are online. Subjects are sorted alphabetically by first name. You can also use your browser's find feature to locate subjects on the page.

Searches of the Vault Index

A search of this site for "homosexual" on October 9, 2011 returned 76 items. A search on the same date for "homosexuality" returned 26 items, some of which were not included in the original 76 items. A search for "homosexuals" returned 40 items some of which were not included in earlier searches,

A search for "lesbian" returned 8 items, some of which had not been included in the earlier results. A search for "lesbianism" returned one result. A search for "lesbians" has not yet been made.

A search for the term "gay" included 504 results, all of which may not refer to homosexuality and the results have not been included in this list. A search for "gay and homosexual" returned 21 results not yet included on the list below.

Names of individuals on the FBI Vault Index known to be homosexual or associated with homosexuals or homosexuality have also been added to this list without knowledge that their FBI files refer to homosexuality.

Unless otherwise noted, all search results are listed below in alphabetical order.

Research Request

Users of OutHistory would like to know more about what each of these files contains. If necessary, please contact Jonathan Ned Katz about adding data on the FBI surveillance of homosexuals or suspected homosexuals. Katz: jnk123@mac.com

A Note on the URLS

On October 8, 2011 some of the URLs listed on this page are no longer working. The same content appears to be available on the FBI Vault website under different URLs that have not yet been added to this page, replacing the earlier ones.

Art Work

Katz, Jonathan Ned. Art work based on Federal Bureau of Investigation surveillance of The Mattachine Society, May 21, 1953

Alphabetical Subject List

F.B.I. Surveillance of Alleged Homosexuals, Homosexual Groups, and Anti-Homosexual Groups and Persons

ABSCAM. Part 10 of 10 refers to "homosexuality". Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Adams, Jane.

American Nazi Party. Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Part 1 of 2 refers to ???.

Part 1 of 2 refers to "homosexuals".

Part 2 of 2 refers to "homosexuals".

Amerithrax. Part 10 of 30 refers to "homosexuality". Part 05 refers to "lesbian".

Amerithrax, short for American anthrax attacks, was a multi-agency investigation led by the FBI. It was launched in October 2001. Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Atlanta Child Murders. Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Babcock, Ed. (Young Republican aid to Joseph McCarthy.). Cited in J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets By Curt Gentry. Page 379.

Bankhead, Talulah, 11 pages. See: http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/foiaindex_b.htm

Bernstein, Leonard.

Black Dahlia (Elizabeth Short). Part 3 of 4 refers to "lesbian". Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

In 1947, Elizabeth Ann Short (1924-1947) was brutally mutilated and murdered in Los Angeles. The FBI was heavily involved the investigation.

Beekman, Gustave. (Proprietor of homosexual brothel in Brooklyn, NY, in 1940s.) Cited in J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets By Curt Gentry. Page 287.

Bentley, Elizabeth. Mary Price said that Bentley had made homosexual advances to her, which may or may not be true. Source:" Clever Girl, pages 315-316.

Bernstein, Leonard -- 720 pages. See: http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/foiaindex_b.htm

Blitzstein, Marc: See: http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/foiaindex_r.htm

Blunt, Anthony -- See: http://vault.fbi.gov/Anthony%20Blunt%20/Anthony%20Blunt%20Part%201%20of%201/view Accessed October 9, 2011.

An earlier URL listing 37 pages was: http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/foiaindex_b.htm

Buck, Pearl.

Part 3 of 4 refers to term ?????. Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Pearl Buck Part 3 of 4 refers to "homosexuals".

Burgess, Guy (see Philby, Kim)

Calomiris, Angela "Angie": August 1, 1916 - January 30, 1995

Cambridge Five Spy Ring, Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Parts 2, 3, 28, 33, 36, 39 of 42 refer to "homosexual".

Part 3 of 42 refers to "homosexuals".

Part 20 of 42 refers to "homosexuals".

Part 29 of 42 refers to "homosexuals".

Part 14 of 42 refers to "homosexuals".

Part 25 of 42 refers to "homosexuals".

Part 38 of 42 refers to "homosexuals".

Part 4 of 42 refers to "homosexuals".

Part 15 of 42 refers to "homosexuals".

Caldwell, Taylor.

Capote, Truman.

Chambers, Whittaker.

Cited in J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets By Curt Gentry. Page 363.

Chancellor, John. FBI Vault accessed October 9, 2011.

Part 3 of 4 refers to "homosexuals".

Part 4 of 4 refers to "homosexuals".

Part 2 of 4 refers to "homosexuals".

Cohn, Roy. Cited in J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets By Curt Gentry. Page 412.

Cohn, Yetta. Communist police woman. See: Angela "Angie" Calomiris: August 1, 1916 - January 30, 1995

Columbine High School. Part 3 of 4 refers to "homosexuals".

Covenant The Sword The Arm of the Lord, The. Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Part 2 refers to "homosexual".

Part 1 of 2 refers to "homosexuals"

Dandridge, Dorothy. (African American film actress.) Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Part 1 of 1 refers to ???.

Davis, Charles. (Advisor to Joseph McCarthy, alleged to have been dismissed from U.S. Navy for homosexual acts.) Cited in J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets By Curt Gentry. Page 379

Dietrich, Marlene.

Donovan, William J.

Ehrlichman, John. Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault. Part 1 of 5 refers to "homosexuals".

FBI agents (unnamed, thought to be homosexual). Cited in J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets By Curt Gentry. Page 755.

FBI informants (unnamed, thought to be homosexual). Cited in J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets By Curt Gentry. Page 412

Gay Activists Alliance -- 534 pages

See: http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/foiaindex_g.htm

Gay Activists Alliance: 135 pages.

From the F.B.I. website: "This Civil Rights organization originated [sic] at Ohio State University in the 1970's and had several other Chapters throughout the United States, which were concerned with equal rights for gays and lesbians." URL: http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/gayalli.htm

Part 01

Part 02

Gay Liberation Front -- 1,113 pages

http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/foiaindex_g.htm

Gold, Harry. Part 29 of 108 refers to "homosexuality". Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Hay, Harry. (Communist Party member; founder of Mattachine Society, Los Angeles.)

Other Mattachine Society founders had CP affiliations.

Hells Angels. Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Helms, Jesse. Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Parts 03, 04 of 07 refer to "lesbian".

Part 04 of 07 refers to "homosexuals".

Part 03 of 07 refers to "homosexuals".

Hickok, Lorena

See also: Eleanor Roosevelt

Hitler, Adolph.

See: http://vault.fbi.gov/adolf-hitler Accessed October 9, 2011. (Users of OutHistory would like to know if this file contains any allegations of homosexuality.)

Hoover, John Edgar and Clyde Tolson:

Hoover, J. Edgar. Part 11 of 22 refers to "homosexuality". Part 16 refers to "lesbian", Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Authors who dismiss the rumors about Hoover's homosexuality and his relationship with Tolson r as unlikely. Add bibliographic information.

Wannal, Ray. The Real J. Edgar Hoover: For the Record. Paducah, Ky. : Turner Pub., copyright 2000. 248 p. : ill. ; 24 cm. ISBN: 1563115530. LC Call Number: HV7911.H6 W36 2000. Dewey Number: 363.25/092 21

Authors who claim Hoover and/or Tolson were homosexuals or transvestites. Add bibliographic information.

Rumors about Hoover and Tolson:

Documented. Cited in J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets By Curt Gentry. Page 511.

Hudson, Rock. Part 1 of 1 refers to ???. Accessed October 9, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Hughes, Langston.

Jack the Ripper. Part 1 of 1 refers to "homosexual". Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI vault.

Jenkins, Walter. (Aid to Lyndon Johnson, arrested for homosexual solicitation.) Cited in J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets By Curt Gentry. Page 579-580.

Johnson, Myrtis

Angela "Calomiris also began dating Myrtis Johnson, the sister-in-law of her FBI handler, Ken Bierly, a fact that attracted attention from the media." See: Angela "Angie" Calomiris: August 1, 1916 - January 30, 1995

Kameny, Franklin.

His dossier entered FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover's files for "sexual deviants." Quoted from "FRANKLIN KAMENY" by Michael Huffington, in the Washington Post.

Kaye, Danny.

Kinsey, Alfred. See: http://vault.fbi.gov/Alfred%20Kinsey Accessed October 9, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Parts 3, 4 refer to "homosexual". Other parts also refer to "homosexual",

Part 2 of 4 refers to "homosexuals". Alfred Kinsey Part 4 of 4 refers to "homosexuals".

Part 4 of 4 refers to "lesbian".

Part 3 of 4 refers to "homosexuals".

Lash, Joseph. Accessed October 9, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Liberace. Accessed October 9, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Part 3 of 6 refers to "homosexuals".

MacArthur, General Douglas.

Part 4 of 4 refers to "homosexuals".

Mattachine Society

See: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) release of material from FBI file number 100-HQ-403320 Subject: The Mattachine Society, 1948-1971 - [PDF 43 MB - 28-Jun-2010] at: http://governmentattic.org/

NOTE: Large file: 43 MB

Part 03 of 03 refers to "lesbian". Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Part 03 of 03 refers to "lesbianism". Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Part 03 of 03 refers to "homosexuals". Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

McCarthy, Joseph. (Senator.) Cited in J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets By Curt Gentry. Page 432, 434.

Files accessed October 9, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Part 3 of 56 refers to ?

Part 35 of 56 refers to "homosexuals".

Part 3 of 56 refers to "homosexuals".

Part 5 of 56 refers to "homosexuals".

National Organization for Women (NOW)

Nuestra Familia.

Part 1 of 1 refers to ?. Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Nureyev, Rudolph.

Police (local, said to cover up information about FBI agents arrested for homosexual solicitation). Cited in J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets By Curt Gentry. Page 419.

Profumo, John (Bowtie). (English politician involved in sex scandal.)

Part 8 of 8 refers to "homosexuals".

Roosevelt, Eleanor. (Intimate friend of Lorena Hickock, a confirmed lesbian.)

Savio, Mario. (Leader of free speech movement, Berkley, California, 1960s).

Part 09 of 09 refers to "homosexuality".

Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Spellman, Cardinal. Cited in J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets By Curt Gentry. Page 368.

Stevenson, Adlai. Cited in J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets By Curt Gentry. Page 402-403, 445, 478.

Supreme Court. Part 16 of 34 refers to "homosexuality". Part 24 of 34 refers to "lesbian". Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

Robins, Jerome: See: http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/foiaindex_r.htm

Roosevelt, Eleanor.

See also: Lorena Hickock

Rukeyser, Muriel.

Rustin, Bayard, (Gay, Black civil rights leader).

Tolson, Clyde A.

United States Presidential candidate (unnamed). Cited in J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets By Curt Gentry. Page 51.

United States Senator (unnamed). Cited in J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets By Curt Gentry. Page 35.

United States Supreme Court. See "Supreme Court".

Waco FBI Transcripts Tapes. Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

206 - 207 refer to "homosexuals".

Welles, Summner. (Friend and advisor to Franklin D. Roosevelt.) Cited in J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets By Curt Gentry. Page 307-308.

Winchell, Walter. Part 58 of 58 refers to "homosexual". Accessed October 11, 2011 from FBI Vault.

X, Malcolm Little.

Chronology

1940s: Since at least the 1940s unsubstantiated rumors have circulated that j. Edgar Hoover was homosexual.

Bibliography

FBI Records: Our Freedom of Information/Privacy Act Website: See: http://foia.fbi.gov/

Wikipedia. J. Edgar Hoover: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Edgar_Hoover#cite_note-Cox.2C_John_Stuart_and_Theoharis.2C_Athan_G._1988_pg._108-22

Questions

Whatever their truth or falsity, how can the rumors about J. Edgar Hoover's homosexuality and cross-dressing be studied as evidence in the history of sexuality?