Alberta Lucille Hart/Alan L. Hart: Timeline, October 4, 1890 - present

A chronology of the life, work, and comment on Alberta Lucille Hart/Allan Hart

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See also:

J. Allen Gilbert: "Homosexuality and Its Treatment," October 1920

1890, October 4

Alberta Lucille Hart born in Hall’s Summit, Kansas, the only child of Albert and Edna Bamford Hart.

1892

Albert Hart dies following a typhoid fever epidemic. Edna Hart and Alberta move to Linn County, Oregon, where Edna's family had lived since 1861. They first live on the farm of Edna's parents, the Bamfords.

1894

"First public appearance at 4 years, no fear at all."

1895

Edna Bamford Hart marries Bill Barton and after a brief period the family moves back to live on the Bamford's farm.

1896

Alberta Lucile is very close to her grandfather Bamford and later writes that "my grandfather, who was an ardent Single Taxer, read a loud to me from his books on economics and politics, and I began to take some interest in his subjects about about the age of six [1896]. He was an active worker of a farm and irregularly attended an ungraded school until age 12."<source?>

1902

The family moves to Albany, Oregon, and Alberta Lucille enters the seventh grade.

1908

Alberta Lucille attends Albany High School and is active in debating, student government, and writing for the school paper.

1908-1910

Alberta attends Albany College (now Lewis & Clark College) and is active in debate, writing, tennis, photography, and other activiaties.

1911

The Takenah, the Albany College yearbook (Albany, Ore.: Albany College, 1911), includes three photographs and several written references to Lucille Hart. A brief description of Hart and two photos, one as a member of the junior class, the other a baby picture, are on p. 18-19 of The Takenah. A description of the junior class (p. 20) says that it had dwindled from seventeen "Freshmen" to three "Juniors," all women: "[Lucille] Hart, [Eva] Cushman, [Katherine] Stuart." These women include "the most graceful dancer, the most expert mandolinist, and the finest soprano soloist in the college." Hart is said to preside over all the class meetings. "They have also decided--as a part of their duty to the world and the rising generation--to discard all rats and artificial puffs, and to adopt the dress-reform style of clothing. They have not yet worn their new costumes in public, though they contemplate doing so soon." Page 51 presents a photograph of the "Editorial Staff" of The Takenah, including Lucille Hart and Eva Cushman. Dr. Gilbert's report mentions that "H" was active at Albany College as an oratorical debator, a manager of the "College Annual," and as a leader of the Women's Mandolin Club. Dr. Gilbert's report describes "H's" sexual-affectional liaison at Albany College with a young woman "classmate" whose initials are given as "E.C." This is no doubt the Eva Cushman whose pictures and description appear in The Takenah (pages, 18-19, 20, 51).

1911-1912

Hart transfers to Stanford University as a Junior. Eva Cushman, moves with her from Albany College. Hart receives high marks in pre-med coursework. Active on campus and maintains a guarded love affair with her roommate, Eva Cushman.

Hart was in attendance at Stanford University during the first and second semesters of the academic year 1911-12. The Leland Stanford Junior University: Twenty-first Annual Register; 1911-12 ([Stanfold], Calif.: Published by the University, ?? , p. 26) lists Alberta Lucille Hart, from Albany, Ore., as registered for Physiology 66, and living at 2 Roble (a dormitory) .

1912

Moves back to Albany, Oregon, and graduates from Albany College.

1913

Enters University of Oregon Medical College, then located in North West 23rd and Lovejoy Streets in Portland. Is the only woman in her class. During medical school Alberta lives in an apartment buildings at NW 21 Street

1917-1918

"Summer School Students, 1916," Stanford University. Department of Medicine. Annual Announcements for 1917-18, p. 98 lists "Hart, A. Lucille, Actinography, Clinical Medicine, Portland, Ore."

1918, August

Dr. Gilbert says of "H": "In August [1918] she [Hart] underwent a complete physical examination, with subsequent laparotomy in which the uterus was removed. After the operation she assumed male attire." The excision of the uterus is now generally referred to as a hysterectomy.

1920, October

Dr. J. Allen Gilbert, a medical doctor and physiology professor in Portland, Oregon, publishes an account of a patient identified as "H".

For the original article see Gilbert, J. Allan. "Homo-Sexuality and Its Treatment." Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 2:4 (Oct. 1920), 297-332.

On Gilbert also see: Oregon Historical Society. "Guide to the J. Allen Gilbert Papers 1888-1990."

1962, July 4

Hart dies.

1975, December 3

A letter to Jonathan Ned Katz from the Stanford University registrar's office dated Dec. 3, 1975, verifies that Alberta Lucille Hart was born on Oct. 4, but not in 1892, the year given in Gilbert's article. She was in attendance at Stanford University during the first and second semesters of the academic year 1911-12.

1976, December 1

Thomas Y. Crowell Company publishes Jonathan [Ned] Katz's Gay American History: Lesbians and Gay Men in the U.S. A., with a section discussing J. Allen Gilbert: "Homosexuality and Its Treatment," October 1920. Katz's research revealed that the subject of Gilbert's article, called "H", was Alberta Lucille Hart. Katz's interpretation of Hart's life tries to claim her as a "lesbian", an interpretation he lated rejected in favor of understanding Hart as Hart understood her/himself at different times in her/his life.

1978, October

Avon Books republishes Katz's Gay American History in a mass market paperback edition.

1983, July

Jonathan Ned Katz, Gay/Lesbian Almanac (NY: Harper & Row, 1983). Includes a section on Hart publishing books as Alan Hart. Katz again claims Hart as "lesbian".

1990, October 6

Bair, Henry. "Lucille Hart Story" and Brian Booth "Alan Hart: A Literary Footnote", in Right to Privacy Ninth Annual Lucille Hart Dinner Booklet (October 6, 1990).

1993, September

Lauderdale, Thomas M. and Tom Cook. "The Incredible Life and Loves of the Legendary Lucille Hart." [Portland, Ore.] Alternative Connection 2:12 (Sep. 1993).

1994, July-October

In 1994, the story of Alberta Lucille Hart and Eva Cushman's attendance at Stanford University, along with a brief description of their subsequent lives, was included in the historical exhibition "Coming to Terms: Passionate Friendship to Gay Liberation on the Farm" at Cecil H. Green Library at Stanford. The exhibition was curated by independent scholar Gerard Koskovich; it ran from July through October 1994 and was the subject of a feature article in the Stanford Daily. Note that "the farm" in the exhibition title is a nickname for the Stanford campus.

1995, January 1

Plume republishes Katz's Gay American History" in a revised (new introduction) paperback edition.

1996, July 14

Bates, Tom. "Decades Ago, An Oregon Doctor Tried to Redefine Gender." Oregonian. July 14, 1996.

1999

Booth, Brian. "Introduction, Bibliography, and Chronology" copyright 1999 by Brian Booth, published in The Life and Career of Alberta Lucille/Dr. Alan L. Hart with Collected Early Writings. Portland, Ore.: Lewis & Clark College, February 2003. Online as a pdf

2000

Brian Booth, text. "Alberta Lucille Hart / Dr. Alan L. Hart: An Oregon 'Pioneer'". Presentation by Brian Booth and Thomas Lauderdale. to the Oregon Cultural Heritage Commission, for its Discovering Oregon Originals '99 series.

2002

Exhibit on Hart at Lewis and Clark University (formerly Albany College). <add more detail and cite>

2003, February

Booth, Brian. "Introduction, Bibliography, and Chronology". Copyright 1999 by Brian Booth. Published in The Life and Career of Alberta Lucille/Dr. Alan L. Hart with Collected Early Writings. Portland, Ore.: Lewis & Clark College, February 2003. Online as a pdf

2004, April-May

Hart and Cushman's story was featured in a second historical exhibition at Stanford University: "Creating Queer Space at Stanford: Pages From a Student Scrapbook," which was on display in April and May 2004 in the second floor lobby of Tresidder Memorial Union on the Stanford campus. The exhibition was curated by independent scholar Gerard Koskovich, with Stanford undergraduate Hunter Hargraves serving as associate curator.

2009-2012

Morgen Alix Young. "Alan Hart (1890-1962)". Oregon Encyclopedia - Oregon History and Culture. Portland State University.

2008, October 29

Petra H begins Wikipedia entry on Alan L. Hart. A note on Wikipedia says that this was "Re-written from the notes and essays on Hart collected by Petra H. over several years. Where now available on-line sources have been sought as references."

2009, December 3

Koskovich, Gerard. "Gay at Stanford: Past, Present and Future" (panel discussion sponsored by the Stanford Historical Society at Stanford University, Dec. 3, 2009). Koskovich was one of three presenters; his talk mentions Hart as a forbear of the transgender rights movement. A podcast of the panel is available on the Stanford Historical Society website.