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| Affiliation | Democratic |
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| Name | Melvin Boozer |
| Address |
, District of Columbia , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | None |
| Born |
June 21, 1945
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| Died | March 06, 1987
(41 years)
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| Contributor | Bob |
| Last Modifed | RBH
Feb 15, 2016 07:25pm |
| Tags |
Black - AIDS - Gay -
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| Info | The late Melvin Boozer was president of GAA (as it was then known) for two terms, from 1979 to 1981. GAA achievements during this period included:
Winning a court battle with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority for the right to place educational posters in Metro buses with the message "Someone in Your Life is Gay";
Establishing the Gay and Lesbian Education Fund as a nonprofit, tax-exempt educational organization;
Winning a fight with the U.S. Army for the right to sponsor the first annual wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery to honor all those who have died in the military service of the United States, including gay men and lesbians;
Successfully pushing for establishment of the Civilian Complaint Review Board to monitor police behavior;
Preparing a slide show on gay issues that became part of the regular training program at the DC police academy;
Winning unanimous passage of the the Sexual Assault Reform Act by the DC Council, which decriminalized sodomy and repeals solicitation laws for consenting adults. Exercising its oversight power for only the second time, Congress overturned the Act under pressure from the Moral Majority;
Convincing the DC Council to broaden the Housing Purchase Assistance Program to include single persons and domestic partners.
Boozer was also active in Black and White Men Together. In September 1981, he opened the Washington office of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. He died of AIDS in 1987.
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