Dr. Frank Kameny's Home In DC becomes a National Landmark

Dr.Frank Kameny is one of the American Gay Rights Movement's most significant people. Kameny, now 83, was dismissed from the Army Map Service due to his being homosexual in 1957. This lead him to begin in the 1960's what has become the militant gay movement. In 1961 he co-founded the "Mattachine Society of Washington" with Jack Nichols. This is a gay and lesbians civil rights organization. On April 17, 1965, he and Nichols lead a picket line at the White House. Later, the Society picketed the Pentagon, the U.S. Civil Service Commission, and Philadelphia's Independence Hall for gay rights. He led the fight against the American Psychiatric Association to remove homosexuality from its list of mental disorders, in 1963. In 1971, Dr Kameny became the first openly gay member of the US Congress representing the District of Columbia. He was the first openly gay member of the Human Rights Commission in the 1970's. He is a US Veteran of World War II and served over 20 years on the Selective Service Board. In 2007, his pickets became part of the Smithsonian Institute, His papers documenting his leadership became part of the US Library of Congress in 2006. Kameny’s home in Washington was designated as a D.C. Historic Landmark by the District of Columbia’s Historic Preservation Review Board in February 2009. He truly is ... "A Great American."