Digital Transgender Archive

Reflecting a Revolutionary Time: ‘Zines by Queer Street Youth in the 1960s

Vanguard ‘zines, published in San Francisco's Tenderloin district and featuring the work of young LGBTQ writers and artists from the area in the 1960s, was one our most interesting collections to process. The first volume describes the purpose of Vanguard as working to change discriminatory conditions through organization and action. The publications feature art, poetry, and news updates that reflect the social movements of the time.

“Vanguard Revisited”, from February 2011, is a fascinating retrospective edition that re-published content alongside retrospectives by the original authors, as well as new contributions from current San Francisco youth. This 2011 publication “resuscitates the history of the 1960s queer youth organization Vanguard and explores the ways in which its history is embodied in the present.”