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

Kim Deacon, Rita Paux, June Dube

Kim Deacon, Rita Paux, June Dube

Providence Public Library

Photograph of Kings & Queens patrons out on a picnic in the Lincoln Woods. This photo shows Kim Deacon, owner of the Kings & Queens, on the left side of the image. She is hugging the former owner of the Kings & Queens, Rita Paux, who is in the center. On the right side of the image, June Dube, owner of Dube's, is present.

Kim Deacon, Denise Ferske, and Louise Belisle at Bowling Alley

Photograph of four members of the Kings & Queens bowling team posing together in front of a bowling lane. From left: Kim Deacon, unknown, Denise Ferske, and Louise Belisle. They are all wearing bowling shoes and the first three from left are wearing matching shirts.

Kim Deacon, Brian Perrico, and Man Holding Hands

Photograph of Kings & Queens bar owner, Kim Deacon (right), holding hands with Brian Perrico (Center) while roller skating together with a third man. The group are roller skating inside a roller rink. They are skating in a straight line.

Kim Deacon with Shaving Cream Pie

Kim Deacon with Shaving Cream Pie

Providence Public Library

Photograph of Kim Deacon holding a shaving cream pie and a stack of U.S. dollar bills. In front of her, a person who had just been pied in the face is bent over wiping her face off. This was an event to raise money for the Royal Court softball team.

Kim Deacon on Ladder

Kim Deacon on Ladder

Providence Public Library

Photograph of Kings & Queens bar owner, Kim Deacon. Kim is climbing a ladder outside of a house. There is a tray and bucket in her hand.

Kim Deacon on Ladder

Kim Deacon on Ladder

Providence Public Library

Photograph of Kings & Queens bar owner, Kim Deacon. Kim is climbing a ladder outside of a house. There is a tray and bucket in her hand.

Kim Deacon on Empire Street

Kim Deacon on Empire Street

Providence Public Library

Photograph of Kim Deacon walking in the Pride Parade behind the Kings & Queens' Pride=Power float. she is smiling and looking at the camera. In front and behind her, people are carrying pink triangles.

Kim Deacon Next to First Float

Kim Deacon Next to First Float

Providence Public Library

Photograph of Kim Deacon during the Providence Pride Parade. This is a candid photo showing Kim in Cathedral Square among the decorated cars and floats. She is wearing sunglasses and is standing at the trunk of the car that was the first Kings & Queens Pride Parade float.

Kim Deacon Kneeling

Kim Deacon Kneeling

Providence Public Library

Photograph of Kings & Queens bar owner and Royal Court softball team member Kim Deacon. This photo shows Kim Kneeling on the grass and smiling at the camera. Behind her, other members of the team are gathered outside, some seated and some standing.

Kim Deacon in White Tuxedo

Kim Deacon in White Tuxedo

Providence Public Library

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.

Kim Deacon in Sunglasses

Kim Deacon in Sunglasses

Providence Public Library

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.

Kim Deacon in Skeleton Costume

Kim Deacon in Skeleton Costume

Providence Public Library

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.

Kim Deacon in Santa Hat

Kim Deacon in Santa Hat

Providence Public Library

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.

Kim Deacon in Costume with Woman

Kim Deacon in Costume with Woman

Providence Public Library

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.

Kim Deacon in Costume

Kim Deacon in Costume

Providence Public Library

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.

Kim Deacon Behind Bar

Kim Deacon Behind Bar

Providence Public Library

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.

Kim Deacon as Vampire

Kim Deacon as Vampire

Providence Public Library

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.

Kim Deacon as A Skeleton with Woman in Bunny Ears

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.

Kim Deacon and Two Women

Kim Deacon and Two Women

Providence Public Library

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.

Kim Deacon and TK Posed for Photo

Kim Deacon and TK Posed for Photo

Providence Public Library

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.

Kim Deacon and Tammy Kaske

Kim Deacon and Tammy Kaske

Providence Public Library

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.

Kim Deacon and Sharon Borek on New Years Eve

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.

Kim Deacon and Pat Jacobs at 50's Night

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.

Kim Deacon and Noel Pincence at the Milk Fund Fundraiser

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.

Kim Deacon and Mark Hewitt

Kim Deacon and Mark Hewitt

Providence Public Library

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.

Kim Deacon and Kim Berry at Providence Pride

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.

Kim Deacon and Friends Behind Truck

Kim Deacon and Friends Behind Truck

Providence Public Library

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.

Kim and Jeanne By Bar

Kim and Jeanne By Bar

Providence Public Library

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.