Stephen Donaldson
Stephen Donaldson CC '70 was born Robert Anthony Martin, Jr. (July 27, 1946 – July 18, 1996). He was the founder of the Student Homophile League, the precursor to Columbia Queer Alliance. At the time of its founding, it was the first collegiate LGBT organization in the world. He also helped found the Student Governing Board as a junior in 1968 [1]. As a graduate student in religion, Donaldson was elected chair of the Student Governing Board in 1974. He also served as Assistant Director of Earl Hall.
Contents
Early History
Donaldson was born in a naval hospital in Norfolk, VA, the eldest of four brothers. His father was a naval pilot.
Columbia Undergraduate Years
Donaldson began at Columbia living in a suite in Carman Hall with four other male students. When his suitemates found out he was gay, they marched to the dean's office and complained. The dean ended up assigning him a single in Livingston Hall (now Wallach) (Room 322) where he stayed for the rest of his undergraduate days [2]. His course of study was political science and international affairs, and he intended to become a journalist.
In October 1966, he began hatching his idea of a Student Homophile League, with the support of University Chaplain John Dyson Cannon. The Committee of Student Organizations demanded a list of members, but Donaldson and Cannon got around this by listing major student leaders in the membership who were straight. On April 1967, the Spectator reported that the CSO had approved the organization, which included straight and gay students from Columbia, and one from Barnard. It's official headquarters were the offices of Chaplain Cannon [3].
Columbia Graduate Years
In 1974, Stephen Donaldson (who was then using the name Robert Martin), became chair of the Student Governing Board, as well as Assistant Director of Earl Hall. He was a doctoral student and a teaching assistant in the religion department, and was also a student at UTS.
In December 1976, Martin was arrested in Jacksonville, North Carolina for "felonious possession of marijuana." [4] The charges were dismissed in February 1977. [5].
Death
Donaldson died of AIDS-related complications a week before his 50th birthday on July 19, 1996 [6].
Lounge & Memorial
On Friday, November 15, 1996, the Student Gay Lounge in the basement of Furnald Hall was renanamed the Stephen Donaldson Lounge in Donaldson's memory. Hunter College professor Wayne Dynes gave remarks formally installed the plaque. Another speaker was Dean Peter Awn. President George Rupp, Provost Jonathan Cole, University Chaplain Jewelnel Davis, and Assoc. Dean Kathryn Yatrakis attended the ceremony [7].
Donaldson left his library and assorted LGBT memorabilia to the LGBT student groups at Columbia.
- ↑ http://spectatorarchive.library.columbia.edu/cgi-bin/columbia?a=d&d=cs19770131-01.2.11&srpos=26&e=-------en-20--21-byDA-txt-IN-martin+governing+board----
- ↑ http://www.williamapercy.com/wiki/images/Stephen_donalson.pdf
- ↑ http://spectatorarchive.library.columbia.edu/cgi-bin/columbia?a=d&d=cs19670427-01.2.6&srpos=1&e=------196-en-20--1-byDA-txt-IN-%22student+homophile+league%22----1967
- ↑ http://spectatorarchive.library.columbia.edu/cgi-bin/columbia?a=d&d=cs19770201-01.2.8&srpos=27&e=-------en-20--21-byDA-txt-IN-martin+governing+board----
- ↑ http://spectatorarchive.library.columbia.edu/cgi-bin/columbia?a=d&d=cs19770223-01.2.3&srpos=29&e=-------en-20--21-byDA-txt-IN-martin+governing+board----
- ↑ http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gables/hiv/mem/donaldson.html
- ↑ http://www.columbia.edu/cu/gables/comnews/5.4-1996-12/bits1.html
