Kim Deacon Collection

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.
This collection is part of Providence Public Library Digital Collections, hosted by Providence Public Library.

This collection is part of:

Items in this collection

Man Playing Pool

Man Playing Pool

Providence Public Library

Photograph of a man standing behind a pool table, holding a pool cue while smiling at the camera. He has both hands on the pool cue. Behind him, a chalkboard is present. Under the chalkboard, a handmade poster hangs on the wall and reads "Open Pool Tournament Saturdays 7:30."

Man Laughing

Man Laughing

Providence Public Library

Photograph of a man seated on a stool inside the King & Queens laughing and looking off camera. He has his hand on the back of a stool next to him. Behind him, there are handmade signs on the wall. The sign on the top reads "Makin Happy" in silver glitter. Under that sign, a "1992" is present.

Man Inside the Kings & Queens

Man Inside the Kings & Queens

Providence Public Library

Photograph of a man inside of the Kings & Queens. He is in the center of the photo. His head is turned over his shoulder as he smiles at the camera. Purple reflective streamers are present hanging from the ceiling. A man in a pink bow tie is present on the right side of the image, looking towards the man in the center of the photo. The photograph has some damage: red spots.

Man in Wizard Costume

Man in Wizard Costume

Providence Public Library

Photograph of a man dressed as a wizard inside the Kings & Queens. He is standing in front of the door. The man is seen from the waist up. He is wearing a hat and a shirt with stars on it.

Man In Tophat by Bar

Man In Tophat by Bar

Providence Public Library

Photograph of the 1983 New Years Eve party inside the Kings & Queens. There are silver and red balloons and streamers decorating the ceiling and walls of the party. A man in a tophat is seated at the end of the bar. He is turned over his left shoulder and smiling at the camera.

Man in Toga

Man in Toga

Providence Public Library

Photograph of a man inside the Kings & Queens. He is in a Halloween costume and shown from the waist up. The Halloween costume is a toga and a laurel headband. He is smiling at the camera as he smokes a cigarette. Behind him, paper jack-o-lantern decorations are hanging on the wall.

Man in Sunglasses

Man in Sunglasses

Providence Public Library

Photograph of a man in sunglasses on the street in Providence during Pride. The man is looking directly at the camera in this photograph. There is a pink triangle on his T-shirt

Man in Silver Tuxedo

Man in Silver Tuxedo

Providence Public Library

Photograph of a man in a silver tuxedo looking at the camera inside the Kings & Queens during a New Years Eve party. This is a candid photograph. There is a popped balloon present in the foreground and a smiling woman to the left of the man.

Man in Indigenous Costume

Man in Indigenous Costume

Providence Public Library

Photograph of a man wearing an Indigenous Halloween costume. The man is entering the bar and waving at the camera. On the right side of the image, two women are at the bar, looking away from the camera. The man and the woman in the foreground are both smoking cigarettes.

Man in Black and White Costume

Man in Black and White Costume

Providence Public Library

Photograph of a Kings & Queens bar patrons standing inside wearing a black and white Halloween costume. The patron is wearing sunglasses: one side is black and one is white. He is also wearing a black and white jumpsuit with the top being black on the right side and white on the left: the pants of the jumpsuit are inverted. Behind him, other patrons in costume are also seen.

Man Dressed as Pirate

Man Dressed as Pirate

Providence Public Library

Photograph of a man inside the Kings & Queens dressed as a pirate for Halloween. The photograph is shot from the shoulders up. The man is smiling at the camera. He has a pirate hat on and an eyepatch over his right eye.

Man Decorating Kings & Queens Float

Man Decorating Kings & Queens Float

Providence Public Library

Photograph of a man adding decorations to the first Pride Parade Float made by the Kings & Queens. This candid photo is taken from the back of the float and shows the back of two women's heads in front of the man who is turned around adjusting a balloon on the float.

Man and Woman Skating

Man and Woman Skating

Providence Public Library

Photograph of a man roller skating with a woman inside a roller rink. The two are engaged in conversation as they're skating.

Man and Woman posing in parking lot

Man and Woman posing in parking lot

Providence Public Library

Photograph of Kings & Queens patron and drag night coordinator, Brian Perrico, with an unidentified woman. The two are posing for the camera and smiling. Brian is lifting the woman and they both have their arm outstretched.

Man and Woman Hugging behind Bar

Man and Woman Hugging behind Bar

Providence Public Library

Photograph of a man and a woman hugging behind the bar inside the Kings & Queens. This photo was taken during the 1997 New Years Eve Party. The two are smiling and looking to the left of the camera.

Maddie, Kim, and Other Bar Patrons

Maddie, Kim, and Other Bar Patrons

Providence Public Library

Photograph of bar patrons seated at a table inside of the Kings & Queens. Two of the bar patrons in the group are named Maddie and Kim though they are unidentified. At the end of the table, a woman looks directly at the camera. Next to her, another woman is present with her arm around the woman looking at the camera. There are three people seated next to the second woman, their faces are obstructed from view.

Louise Belsile in Armchair

Louise Belsile in Armchair

Providence Public Library

Photograph of Kings & Queens patron, Louise Belsile, seated in a brown armchair inside a living room. She is looking away from the camera towards the left side of the image. On the left, poinsettia are present on the mantle.

Louise and Colleen

Louise and Colleen

Providence Public Library

Photograph of two women, Louise (left) and Colleen (right), with their arms around each other inside the Kings & Queens during a New Years Eve party. Colleen is holding a beer bottle.

Lori Montanari in Patent Leather

Lori Montanari in Patent Leather

Providence Public Library

Photograph of Lori Montanari inside the Kings & Queens wearing a patent leather outfit. She is looking at the camera as she stands in front of a wall decorated with lights. There are also snowflakes decorating the wall.

Lisa, David and Johnnie Rollerskating

Lisa, David and Johnnie Rollerskating

Providence Public Library

Photograph of Lisa, David and Johnnie roller skating together during a Kings & Queens event. The three are holding each others' hips as they're skating. This is a candid photo and all of them are smiling.

Lisa Hevey in Christmas Sweater

Lisa Hevey in Christmas Sweater

Providence Public Library

Photograph of Lisa Hevey seated in a yellow armchair inside of a living room. She is looking at the camera and is wearing a christmas sweater. The sweater has two pandas wearing Santa hats on it.

Lisa Hevey Behind Bar

Lisa Hevey Behind Bar

Providence Public Library

Photograph of Lisa Hevey bartending inside the Kings & Queens. This is a candid photo and Lisa has her eyes closed. There are silver and red balloons and streamers decorating the ceiling and walls of the party.

Lisa Herey and Ruth Maroon

Lisa Herey and Ruth Maroon

Providence Public Library

Photograph of Kings & Queens patrons, Lisa Herey and Ruth Maroon. The two women are seated at a table side by side smiling at the camera. Another unidentified woman is present at the table. Behind them, other bar patrons are seated at a table.

Lisa Denton Performing as Dolly Parton

Photograph of Royal Court softball team member, Lisa Denton, lip syncing the song "Islands in the Stream" as Dolly Parton. This is a lip sync fundraising event for the Royal Court softball team. The photograph is taken from behind the audience.

Linda Trexler Performing as Madonna

Linda Trexler Performing as Madonna

Providence Public Library

Photograph of Royal Court softball team member, Linda Trexler, performing the song "Borderline" as Madonna during a lip synch competition at the Kings & Queens. The competition was to raise money for the softball team. This is a candid photo taken during the performance while Linda Trexler is taking her jacket off.

Limey

Limey

Providence Public Library

Photograph of Kings & Queens patron, Limey smoking a cigarette. The photograph is candid as she is turned slightly towards the camera looking towards the right side of the image.

Lee Daniels Performing with B.B. Hayes, Vicki Williams, and David Collins

Photograph of three drag queens in the middle of a lip sync performance at the Kings & Queens. This photograph is taken from the audience and shows the performers from the waist up. From left to right the drag queens are: B.B. Hayes, performed by Brian Laquerre; Lee Daniels, performed by Brian Perrico; Vicki Williams and David Collins. Behind the performers, the wall is decorated with a tropical sunset motif.

Lee Daniels Performing with B.B. Hayes and David Collins

Photograph of three drag queens in the middle of a lip sync performance at the Kings & Queens. This photograph is taken from the audience and shows the performers from the shoulders up. From left to right the drag queens are: B.B. Hayes, performed by Brian Laquerre; Lee Daniels, performed by Brian Perrico, and David Collins. Behind the performers, the wall is decorated with a tropical sunset motif.

Lee Daniels Performing Inside Kings & Queens

Photograph of drag queen, Lee Daniels, performed by Brian Perrico. Lee Daniels is performing inside the Kings & Queens. Lee is oriented facing towards the left side of the image with her head turned towards the center. She is mid performance and has her left hand on her face and is holding something with her right. Behind her, there are silver reflective streamers over a red and white background. The photograph is taken from the audience.

Lee Daniels Performing at Kings & Queens

Photograph of Lee Daniels, performed by Brian Perrico. This photo is taken mid-performance at the Kings & Queens. Lee Daniels is holding the microphone and is seated on the lap of an unidentified person. Lee has her arm around the head of the unidentified person and is facing the camera. Behind them, the wall is decorated as a fake Christmas Gift.