Jack Nichols (activist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jack Nichols
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Jack Nichols in CBS Reports: The Homosexuals (1967)
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| Born |
John Richard Nichols
March 16, 1938 Washington, D.C., US
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| Died | May 2, 2005 (aged 67) |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Warren Adkins |
| Occupation | Journalist LGBT rights activist |
| Known for | Mattachine Society |
John Richard "Jack" Nichols Jr. (March 16, 1938 – May 2, 2005) was an American activist who worked for equal rights for all people. He helped start the Washington, D.C., branch of the Mattachine Society in 1961 with Franklin E. Kameny. He appeared on a TV show in 1967 called CBS Reports: The Homosexuals. For this show, he used the name Warren Adkins to protect his family.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jack Nichols was born on March 16, 1938, in Washington, D.C. His father worked for the FBI. Jack grew up in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
He left school when he was 12 years old. When he was 15, he found inspiration in the poems of Walt Whitman and the writings of Robert Burns. He also shared a book called The Homosexual in America by Donald Webster Cory with his friends. This shows he was interested in these topics from a young age.
Working for Equal Rights
Jack Nichols helped start the Mattachine Society of Washington in 1961 with Frank Kameny. He also helped create the Mattachine Society of Florida in 1965. The Mattachine Society of Washington worked on its own, separate from the national group.
Starting in 1963, he led a committee that worked to connect the LGBT rights movement with religious groups. This was an important step in bringing different communities together.
Nichols led the first march for equal rights at the White House in April 1965. He also took part in peaceful protests called the Annual Reminder pickets. These were held every July 4th from 1965 to 1969 at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. He and other activists also worked to convince the American Psychiatric Association to change its old definition of homosexuality.
In 1967, Jack Nichols was one of the first Americans to speak openly about being homosexual on national television. He appeared in a CBS News TV show called CBS Reports: The Homosexuals. He used the name "Warren Adkins" during the broadcast. He did this to protect his father, who was an FBI agent and worried about his job. After the show aired, Nichols lost his job at the International Inn in Washington, D.C..
Writing and Journalism
With his partner, Lige Clarke, Jack Nichols started writing a newspaper column in 1968. It was called "The Homosexual Citizen" and appeared in Screw magazine. This was the first time a column about LGBT topics was published in a magazine not specifically for LGBT people. Because of this column, Nichols and Clarke became well-known.
In 1969, Nichols and Clarke moved to New York City. There, they started GAY, which was the first weekly newspaper for gay people sold at newsstands in the United States. The newspaper continued until Clarke's death. Later, in 1981, Nichols became the news editor for the San Francisco Sentinel.
From 1997, Nichols worked as a Senior Editor at GayToday.com, which was an online newsmagazine. After his death, his friend Stephanie Donald started LGBT-Today.com in 2010. This new website honored Nichols and the Gay Rights Movement. Many of the original staff from GayToday.com joined, including Frank Kameny.
Later Life and Death
Jack Nichols passed away on May 2, 2005. He died from problems related to cancer of the saliva gland.
Works
- Jack Nichols (1976). Welcome to Fire Island. St. Martin's Press
Images for kids
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Jack Nichols in CBS Reports: The Homosexuals (1967)
See also
In Spanish: Jack Nichols (activista) para niños
