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.
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.
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.
Photograph of the drag queen, B.B. Hayes, performed by Brian Laquerre atht the Kings & Queens. This photograph is taken from the audience and shows B.B. Hayes in the middle of the stage with people in banana costumes on her left and right. She is mid performance and has her arm outstretched and slightly raised with her hand in a fist. Behind her, the wall is decorated with a tropical sunset motif.
Photograph of drag queen, B.B. Hayes, performed by Brian Laquerre at the Kings & Queens. This is a candid photo taken while B.B. Hayes is talking to a person who's back is to the camera. B.B. Hayes is smiling, glancing over the shoulder of the person she's talking to and looking at the camera.
Photograph of drag queen, B.B. Hayes, performed by Brian Laquerre. She is performing with Kim Deacon inside the King & Queens. This is B.B. Hayes' first drag performance. B.B. Hayes is wearing a burlesque outfit while Kim Deacon wears a yellow raincoat and matching hat. Kim Deacon is seated in a backwards facing chair and B.B. Hayes is behind her. The photograph is taken from the perspective of the audience.
Photograph of drag queen, B.B. Hayes, performed by Brian Laquerre performing with Kim Deacon inside the King & Queens. This is B.B. Hayes' first drag performance. B.B. Hayes is wearing a burlesque outfit while Kim Deacon wears a yellow raincoat and matching hat. The photograph is taken from the perspective of the audience.
Photograph of drag queen, B.B. Hayes, performed by Brian Laquerre performing with Kim Deacon inside the King & Queens. This is B.B. Hayes' first drag performance. B.B. Hayes is wearing a burlesque outfit while Kim Deacon wears a yellow raincoat and matching hat. B.B. is standing in front of Kim with her hand behind her back. Kim is standing behind B.B. looking at her back. The photograph is taken from the perspective of the audience.
Photograph of drag queen, B.B. Hayes, performed by Brian Laquerre performing with Kim Deacon inside the King & Queens. This is B.B. Hayes' first drag performance. B.B. Hayes is wearing a burlesque outfit while Kim Deacon wears a yellow raincoat and matching hat. B.B. is in front of Kim looking over to the left side of the image. From behind, Kim is looking down at B.B. with her left hand on her hip. The photograph is taken from the perspective of the audience.
Photograph of drag queen, B.B. Hayes, performed by Brian Laquerre performing with Kim Deacon inside the King & Queens. This is B.B. Hayes' first drag performance. B.B. Hayes is wearing a burlesque outfit while Kim Deacon wears a yellow raincoat and matching hat. B.B. is seated in front of Kim with her head over Kim's shoulder. Kim is holding B.B.'s arm as she stands behind her. The photograph is taken from the perspective of the audience.
Photograph of drag queen, B.B. Hayes, performed by Brian Laquerre performing with Kim Deacon inside the King & Queens. This is B.B. Hayes' first drag performance. B.B. Hayes is wearing a burlesque outfit while Kim Deacon wears a yellow raincoat and matching hat. The photograph is taken from the perspective of the audience.
Photograph of drag queen, B.B. Hayes, performed by Brian Laquerre. She is performing with Kim Deacon inside the King & Queens. This is B.B. Hayes' first drag performance. B.B. Hayes is wearing a burlesque outfit while Kim Deacon wears a yellow raincoat and matching hat. This is a close up shot of Kim Deacon looking over B.B. Hayes' shoulder as B.B. Hayes leans her head back on Kim's shoulder.
Photograph of the drag queen, B.B. Hayes, performed by Brian Laquerre at the Kings & Queens. This photograph is taken from the audience and shows B.B. Hayes in the middle of the stage with a person in banana costume on her left. She is mid performance and has her right arm raised and left hand on her shoulder. On the left of the image, there are fake fruits made out of colored balloons. Behind her, the wall is decorated with a tropical sunset motif.