Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project

210 Items View all

Work provided by University of Oregon

Oral History Interview with Kate Thompson: Transcript, Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project

In Copyright

Interviewee

Thompson, Kate (Artist)¹

Interviewer

Date

2018-09-07

Description

The Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project collection consists of interviews of 83 people for the Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project, conducted by Professor Judith Raiskin and Curator Linda Long at the University of Oregon starting in the summer of 2018.

Abstract

Kate was born in 1953 in Los Angeles and grew up mostly in Altadena, California. Altadena was a racially integrated community. Kate and her siblings were raised by her mother, who was ill for much of Kate’s childhood. She describes turbulent times when the schools were beginning racial integration policies. Around the same time, there was a major earthquake in Los Angeles in 1971. These events disrupted Kate’s education, so she dropped out and hitchhiked with a friend to Springfield, Oregon. She worked odd jobs in Springfield and Eugene. She met a printer, Sean O’Reilly, with whom Kate printed lots of anti-draft and anti-war leaflets. Kate describes Jackrabbit Press and where it was located. Kate describes becoming a lesbian and the dynamics of the lesbian community. Kate discusses the women with whom she was involved. She describes the gay bar, the Riviera Room and the older generation of lesbians who predated the lesbian migration of younger women. Kate describes the operation and focus of Jackrabbit Press. In 1976, Kate moved to Seattle and began printing there. She did anti-racist and Native rights work. She then started working in graphic design, rather than printing. She worked as an art director at the Village Voice and Entertainment Weekly in New York, and for the Seattle Weekly. She was an early digital designer at Paul Allen's Starwave in the 1990s. Later, she became the founding Creative Director at ABCNews online. Kate retired in 2012, but kept a few clients. She now lives on Vashon Island and works as an artist. A recent show of her work featured paintings of older lesbians. Kate concludes her interview by discussing lesbians and aging, evolutionary plant engineering, and why the lesbian community became her true home.

Subject

Keyword

Mother Kali’s Books
O’Reilly, Sean
Reddick, Shelley
Springfield Creamery
Feminist bookstores
Riviera Room
Starflower Natural Foods & Botanicals
Social conditions

Location

University of Oregon >> Lane County >> Oregon >> United States ¹³

Rights Holder

University of Oregon Libraries

Identifier

Coll520_do058

Repository

University of Oregon. Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives ¹⁴

Local Collection Name

Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project ¹⁵

Local Collection ID

Coll 520

Finding Aid

https://scua.uoregon.edu/repositories/2/resources/8789

Related URL

https://outliersoutlaws.uoregon.edu

Institution

University of Oregon ¹⁶

Submission Date

07/02/2024

Modified

07/22/2024

Collections

Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project (open)

APA

Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project, University of Oregon. (22 Dec 2024). Oral History Interview with Kate Thompson: Transcript, Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project Retrieved from https://oregondigital.org/concern/documents/df73c340x

MLA

Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project, University of Oregon. "Oral History Interview with Kate Thompson: Transcript, Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project" Oregon Digital. 22 Dec 2024. https://oregondigital.org/concern/documents/df73c340x

Chicago

Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project, University of Oregon. "Oral History Interview with Kate Thompson: Transcript, Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project" Oregon Digital. Accessed 2024-12-22. https://oregondigital.org/concern/documents/df73c340x

Wiki

{{cite web | url= https://oregondigital.org/concern/documents/df73c340x | title= Oral History Interview with Kate Thompson: Transcript, Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project |author= |accessdate= 2024-12-22 |publisher= }}

Data Sources
Footer Number	Term	External URI
1	Thompson, Kate (Artist)	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2013109111
2	Raiskin, Judith L.	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n95069466
3	Long, Linda, 1956-	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2001035121
4	Bars (Drinking establishments)	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh93000452
5	Eugene (Or.)	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n79084636
6	Lesbians	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85076160
7	Australia	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n79021326
8	Communities	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85029195
9	Coming out (Sexual orientation)	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh90005890
10	Homophobia	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh88006552
11	Oregon NOW (Organization)	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2017052112
12	Lesbianism	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85076157
13	University of Oregon >> Lane County >> Oregon >> United States	https://sws.geonames.org/5758196/
14	University of Oregon. Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2003116678
15	Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project	http://opaquenamespace.org/ns/localCollectionName/EugeneLesbianOralHistoryProject
16	University of Oregon	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n80126183

Please use the contact form to submit inquiries about this system; to report a problem you are experiencing with the system; to request assistance using the system; or to provide general feedback. See the Help page for additional information about this system.

Oregon Digital is a joint collaboration between the University of Oregon Libraries and Oregon State University Libraries & Press. Oregon Digital hosts materials from both institutions, as well as collaborating partners.

Please use the following form to send us feedback:

Contact Form

Is Part Of