Photograph of Bobby Brule in a white jacket with the color popped. Brule is smiling and looking towards the camera for the photograph. This photo is from a folder called "Some of our family who died of AIDS." Brule passed away circa 1988.

Photograph of drag queen, Bobbi K.C., posing for the picture with another drag queen inside the Kings & Queens. Bobbi is seated on the right side of the images and is smiling at the camera. Standing next to her on the left, another drag queen is present, also smiling at the camera.

Photograph of drag queen, Bobbi K.C., posing for a picture inside the Kings & Queens. She is standing on the left side of the image posing with a man in a leather NYPD costume on the right. They are both looking at the camera. Behind them, fall decorations are attached to the wall and other bar patrons are seen.

Photograph of drag queen, Bobbi K.C., inside the Kings & Queens. Bobbi is seated at a table and is smiling at the camera. Behind her, decorative streamers and string lights decorate the walls. A disco ball and a picnic basket are also seen behind her.

Photograph of drag queen, Bobbi K.C., seated at the bar inside the Kings & Queens. She is turned away from the bar with her arm resting on the back of her chair as she smiles at the camera. Behind her, string lights decorate the walls. Other patrons are seen in the background.

Photograph of drag queen, Bobbi K.C., inside the Kings & Queens. Bobbi (L) is posing with an unidentified woman next to the bar. The two have their arms around each others' waists as they smile at the camera. Behind them, silver reflective stars decorate the walls.

Photograph of drag queen, Bobbi K.C., performing inside the Kings & Queens. Bobbi is mid-performance and is turned towards the right side of the image. She is looking upwards and has her right hand raised near her head. Behind her, a handmade banner is present.

Photograph of drag queen, Bobbi K.C., performing inside the Kings & Queens. Bobbi is mid-performance and has her arms outstretched. She is oriented facing the right side of image. Behind her, reflective streamers hang from the wall. The photograph is taken from the front side of the audience.

Photograph of drag queen, Bobbi K.C., performing inside the Kings & Queens. The photograph is taken from the perspective of an audience member seated at a table in the front row. Behind Bobbi, streamers, fake trees, fake parrots, and decorative string lights decorate the wall. Bobbi is mid performance and has her arms raised and her mouth open.

Photograph of drag queen, Bobbi K.C., performing inside the Kings & Queens. She is seen from the shoulders up in the center of the image. She is mid performance and is gritting her teeth. Behind her, a handmade banner is on present.

Photograph of Kings & Queens bartender, Bob Dworacek, tending bar in a suit and bow tie. Behind him, blue balloons are present. Bob is smiling as he faces the camera.

Photograph of two boats docked on a river on either side of a yellow awning. The river is surrounded by trees. In the background on the right side of the image, a yellow roller coaster is seen.

Photograph of a boat on a river at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA. The boat is on the left side of the image. On the right side of the image, red roller coaster tracks are present.

Interview with Billy Mencer Ackerly by Joe Saperstein. Topics of discussion include homophobic violence, gay bars, Metropolitan Community Church, police harassment, religious intolerance, and the Providence Gay Pride Parade.

Interview with Billy Mencer Ackerly by Madeline Montgomery. Mencer Ackerly is one of the group that organized and participated in the first R.I. Pride parade in 1976. He is a white gay man; a retired mental health worker and gay rights activist. Topics in order of discussion include: relationship with biological father; difficult childhood; coming out as a teenager in the 1960s; getting arrested; bullying; dropping out of high school and leaving home; gay nightclubs and bars in Boston and Providence; domestic abuse from first boyfriend; Metropolitan Community Church of Providence and Reverend Joseph Gilbert; harassment; communal living; organizing the first Gay Pride march in Rhode Island as part of the Bicentennial celebration and the legal case that ensured the march could occur; support from his mother during Pride March; description of subsequent Pride parades and events; coming out while working at the Bulova Watch Company; getting married and attending high school reunion. This interview was created as part of the Queering Oral History course - an oral history course at Brown University in Spring 2020 and taught by Dr. Virginia Thomas. Students were trained in oral history practices and interviewed members of the Rhode Island LGBTQIA community.

Photograph of Beth Connel, a blonde woman smiling at the camera. She has sunglasses tucked into her shirt. Behind her, a painting of a lion is present.

Photograph of Beth Connel, a blonde woman lying in a bed with a close up on her face. She is smiling at the camera with her chin rested on her wrist. Behind her, a golden bed frame is present. On the wall, a blue crescent moon is present along with blue curtains.

Photograph of Beth Connel, a blonde woman wearing a headband making a kissing face towards the camera. She is standing inside a hallway in a home while preparing to attend at Kings & Queens softball game.

Photograph of a Royal Court softball game. This photo shows a batter at the plate with her bat raised in the air. In the background, spectators are watching.

Photograph of a Royal Court softball game. This photo shows a batter at the plate with her bat ready over her shoulder. In the background, spectators are watching.

Photograph of two women in costume inside the Kings & Queens. The two women are posing for the camera and have their arms around each other as they smile. The woman on the left side of the image is dressed as a Ninja Turtle and is holding a drink. The woman on the right side of the image is dressed as Batman and has her hand on her chest.

Photograph of Kings & Queens bartender, Steve, with his partner, Kevin. The two men are standing inside the Kings & Queens in front of a buffet table and holding drinks. In the background, a speaker, box fan, and disco ball are present. The two men are both wearing plaid vests.

Photograph of Kings & Queens bartender, Ann Lynch, with Kim Deacon behind the bar. Kim is embracing Ann and kissing her on the cheek. Ann looks at the camera as she smiles. Behind them, a wreath and balloons hang on the wall.

Photograph of bar patrons inside the Kings & Queens. This is a candid photograph showing patrons seated at tables in the foreground. In the background, patrons are seen standing. In the foreground on the right, a man with a moustache is seen sitting alone at a table. The table has beer, cigarettes, and jack-o-lanterns on it. There is a sign that reads "Happy Halloween" hanging from the ceiling.

Photograph of Kings & Queens bar patrons dancing inside the bar. In the center of the photograph a man and a woman are dancing and looking towards the direction of the camera. Behind them, other pairs are slow dancing and holding each other. In the foreground, a group is seated at a table.

Photograph of patrons standing at the bar inside the Kings & Queens. In the foreground, two people with their backs to the camera are present. In the center behind them, a woman is standing at the bar looking up and away from the camera. Behind her, various bar patrons crowd the bar.

Photograph of the decorations inside the Kings & Queens for the 1997 New Years Eve Party. The decorations are silver and blue balloons and streamers on the ceilings and walls. In the foreground, there are two women eating food at a table. In the background, a man i9s standing next to the DJ booth.

Photograph of decorations inside the Kings & Queens. These decorations are for the 1996 New Years Eve party. This photograph is of the bar. The bar is decorated with silver balloons hanging in front of it, a wreath on the mirror behind it, and green reflective ribbon.

Photograph of decorations inside the Kings & Queens. These decorations are for the 1996 New Years Eve party. The bar is filled with silver and green balloons that hang from the ceiling as well as silver and emerald tinsel.

Photograph of a New Year's Eve party inside the Kings & Queens. This photo shows helium filled balloons in plastic bags on the left side of the image. On the right side of the image, a man in glasses and a party hat holds a drink and smiles at other patrons.