Lilli Vincenz and Charles Francis with a crate of her historic films

From 16mm tins “bicycled” around the country for $30 rental fees to today’s Library of Congress digital global platform, Lilli Vincenz’ documentaries on the earliest gay rights demonstrations are now part of the “mainstream” American history.  The two films, “2nd Largest Minority” (1968) and “Gay and Proud” (1971) were posted yesterday on the Library’s “Now See Hear!” blog of the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center.  We look forward to seeing how schools and libraries across the country incorporate these films into their programs and teaching plans.    Lilli was the first lesbian member of The Mattachine Society of Washington, D.C. and had the brilliance to shoot these two documentaries with a borrowed Bealieu and a vision of gay and lesbian history.