Photograph of Kim Deacon making a drink behind the bar at the Kings & Queens. This photo was taken during a 1981 New Year's Eve party. Kim Deacon is wearing a white tuxedo with a red bow tie and cumberbund. Above her, reflective ribbons and garland decorate the ceiling.
Photograph of Kings & Queens bar owner and Royal Court softball team member Kim Deacon. This photo shows Kim seated on the ground wearing sunglasses and looking at the camera. She is seated in front of a chain link fence.
Photograph of Kim Deacon in Skeleton makeup standing behind the bar at the Kings & Queens. She is seen from the hips up and is looking at the camera. Behind her, liquor bottles are present. There are Halloween decorations of paper spiders taped to the mirrors behind her along with fake cobwebs.
Photograph of Kim Deacon wearing a Santa hat inside the Kings & Queens. She is looking at the camera. Behind her, Christmas lights hanging on the walls are seen.
Photograph of Kim Deacon and a woman inside the Kings & Queens. The pair are posing for the camera and have their arms around each other. The two are in Halloween costumes. Kim Deacon, standing on the left, is in a suit, top hat, and has her face painted white. The woman she's with is dressed as a pirate.
Photograph of Kings & Queens owner, Kim Deacon, behind the bar in costume. This is a candid photo where Kim is making a drink. She is dressed up in a suit with a top hat and a white face. There are lit candles and a pumpkin on the bar. Behind her, Paper Halloween decorations of owls and reapers are present.
FINDING AID Scope & Contents This collection documents the Kings & Queen Bar in Woonsocket, R.I. as well as the LGBT community in Rhode Island from the 1970s-early 2000s. The bulk of the collection includes photographs and videos, but additional clippings, event calendars and ephemera are included. Materials represent the bar as a gay social space and include events such as holiday parties, drag shows and fundraisers as well as events for the LGBT community sponsored by the bar including bi-annual picnics, roller skating nights and leagues for softball, bowling, flag football and darts. Historical Note Kings & Queens was a gay bar at 285 Front Street in Woonsocket in operation from 1977-2002. It was opened by Rita Paux (1922-2015) and operated by Kim Deacon (1951- ) from that time until it closed in 2002. Kings & Queens included a bar and small dance floor. During her time operating the bar, Kim increasingly added annual events and holiday parties, fundraisers, and drag shows as well as regularly scheduled evenings for live entertainment, karaoke, darts, card games, and movie nights. In addition, she created social opportunities for LGBTQ+ people including bowling, softball and flag football leagues, bi-annual picnics at Lincoln Woods and seasonal roller skating nights at a local rink.
Photograph of Kings & Queens bar owner, Kim Deacon, standing behind the bar inside the Kings & Queens. Kim is in a Halloween costume. Her costume is made up of white face paint, a suit, and a top hat. She is looking at the camera with her hands on the bar.
Photograph of Kings & Queens bar owner, Kim Deacon, dressed as a vampire. Kim is shown from the shoulders up. She is on the right side of the image looking at the camera. Her face paint is coming off. She is standing in front of a wall with Halloween decorations on it. The decorations are paper jack-o-lanterns and a ghost.
Photograph of Kings & Queens bar owner, Kim Deacon, behind the bar with skeleton face paint on. Next to her on the right side of the image, there is a woman dressed as a Playboy Bunny. The two are smiling; Kim is looking at the camera and the other woman is looking off to the left of the image. Kim has her arm around the woman dressed as a Playboy Bunny. Behind them, alcohol bottles and Halloween decorations are present.
Photograph of Kim Deacon (left) posed with two women. The group are all looking at the camera and smiling. Behind them, there is a crowded room with people wearing crowns and jewels.
Photograph of Kim Deacon (left) and TK (right) standing inside a roller rink against a wall with lights. The two appear to be posing for the camera.
Photograph of Kim Deacon and Tammy Kaske inside the Kings & Queens. Kim is seated at the end of the table. Tammy is standing behind Kim with her arms around her. Kim is holding Tammy's hands. In front of them, beers and cigarettes are present on the table. Two unidentified persons are on the left and right sides of the table. They are cropped out of the image except for their arms.
Photograph of Kim Deacon leaning against the bar and laughing with Sharon Borek during a New Years Eve party inside the Kings & Queens. This is a candid photo that shows an obstructed view of an unidentified woman in the immediate foreground. There are red and silver balloons decorating the bar.
Photograph of Kim Deacon and Rita Paux kissing behind the bar. Rita has her arm around Kim's. There are patrons present at the bar. Behind them, green streamers and balloons are hanging on the wall and ceiling.
Photograph of Kim Deacon (L) and Pat Jacobs (R) behind the bar at the Kings & Queens during 50's Night. The two are smiling. Kim is in profile, holding Pat's hand while facing towards the left side of the image. Pat is standing behind Kim, smiling and facing the camera. Pat is wearing a poodle skirt costume.
Photograph of Kim Deacon and Noel Pincence with their arms around each other at the Starlight Ball, the Milk Fund Fundraiser. The milk fund raised money to give school children free milk. In the photograph, Kim Deacon is standing on the left side of the image and Noel Pincence is on the right. They are both smiling and looking towards the camera.
Photograph of Kim Deacon and Mark Hewitt inside the Kings & Queens. The two are embracing as they smile and look towards the camera. Behind the pair, fall decorations consisting of leaves and gourds are hanging on the walls.
Photograph of Kim Deacon (left) and Kim Berry (right) standing outside during a Providence Pride celebration. The two are standing side by side smiling at the camera. They are both wearing sunglasses and holding small dogs. The dogs are both wearing rainbow handkerchiefs.
Photograph of Kings & Queens patrons out on a picnic in the Lincoln Woods. This photo shows Kim Deacon (far left) with three friends seated on the back bumper of a pickup truck. Kim has her arm around the shoulders of the friend to her right. The group is smiling and looking at the camera.
Photograph of Kim (left) and Jeanne (right) posing for the camera inside the Kings & Queens during the 1983 New Year's Eve party. The two women are standing by the bar. Kim has her arm around Jeanne. There are silver and red balloons and streamers decorating the ceiling and walls of the party.
Photograph of Kings & Queens patron, Kenny Staples, seated inside the Kings & Queens and smiling at the camera. Behind him, Christmas decorations and handmade posters are present.
Interview with Keith Ward by Joe Saperstein. Topics of discussion include Providence redevelopment, coming out, drag queens, Diana Ross, police brutality, gay bars, racism, restaurants, sex work, housing, San Francisco, moving, cruising, and the relationships between gay men and lesbians.
Photograph of Kay Costa, Jackie, and unidentified bar patrons. The four women are seated at a table and there are leaf decorations on the wall behind them. The camera is at the end of the table and the four women facing each other turned their heads to face the camera.
Photograph of bar patrons seated at a table inside of the Kings & Queens. Kay Costa (L) is seated amongst the group at the table. In the center of the image, a woman in black looks directly at the camera.
Photograph of Katie Goodwin and Laura Lynch embraced and holding hands while dancing. Laura is smiling looking towards the camera. Katie is smiling with her face on Laura's.
Photograph of Kings & Queens patron and professional boxer, Kathy Rivers.
Photograph of Kings & Queens patrons from left side of the image to right: Kathy Goodwin, Moira Cardinal, and Marge. They are all standing with their arms around each other smiling at the camera. Moira is holding a drink in her hand.
Photograph of Kings & Queens bar patron, Justene, dressed as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. The photograph is taken from above Justene as she is seated. Justene is looking at the camera and smiling. The photo shows her from the shoulders up.
Photograph of Kings & Queens patrons out on a picnic in the Lincoln Woods. This photo shows June Dube, owner of Dubes in Central Falls, and Rita Paux, former owner of the Kings & Queens. The two are embracing as they smile at the camera.
