Mabel Hampton Residence (by Courtney Orr)

 

Mabel Hampton was an African American lesbian from North Carolina who moved to New York City and lived there from 1920 until her death in 1989. Hampton was a singer, dancer, and domestic worker who had a major impact on the LGBTQ community (Mabel Hampton Residence). Hampton met her partner Lillian Foster in 1932, and the two lived together until Foster's death in 1978. The couple lived together at 639 East 169th Street in the Bronx from 1943 until both of their deaths. While living in their house, Hampton and Foster hosted parties for  other lesbians and African Americans, creating a community for those who were like them. Hampton and Foster also donated their personal writings to the Lesbian Herstory Archives in Brooklyn, New York. The LHS was an organization that was created to preserve the heritage of lesbian history in the eyes of those who are truly living in the world, and not viewing it from the outside. The organization was created in 1974 (Lesbian Herstory Archives). Hampton also played a major role in the Gay Pride March in New York City. As Hampton said at a Gay Pride rally in 1984: “I have been a lesbian all my life, for eighty-two years, and I am proud of myself and my people. I would like all my people to be free in this world, my gay people and my black people.” In 1985, Hampton was named the grand marshal of the New York City Gay Pride March (Joshi, Maya). 

639 East 169th Street, Bronx, New York

Hampton and Foster hosted numerous parties in their “world”: their apartment on the fourth floor of 639 East 169th Street in the Bronx. These parties included food, drinks, and being surrounded by those who they felt comfortable with . Foster and Hampton also worked on their personal papers in their residence. These personal papers were included in the Lesbian Herstory Archives, which gives heritage to lesbian groups from the lesbians perspective, instead of an outside eye. The Lesbian Herstory Archives gives a story to be told through the eyes of lesbians, and the parties hosted gave lesbians a place to be themselves. Hampton would spend about a night every week volunteering to go through all that was given to the group. She also donated a big group of 1950’s lesbian paperbacks, which gave a good perspective of real lesbian history (“Our History”). Both had a positive impact during this time. Many lesbians could not go to bars. Hampton herself was arrested and jailed when she went out to a bar. Often, when a woman was seen at a bar alone,the assumption was that she was engaging in sex work . Many women were given jail time for going out without a man. The residence parties, therefore, gave lesbians a place to have fun and be around friends without feeling ashamed of who they were , and without having to worry about being arrested for false accusations of prostitution (Nestle, Joan).  

Historical Events of the Time

During the time Hampton lived in her apartment with Foster, the first Pride demonstration was held in New York City in 1970. Hampton was involved in ride demonstrations as long as she could be. In her later years, she even attended while  in a wheelchair when she was too weak to walk. The marches were something Hampton was passionate about, as she wanted all women, lesbians, and African Americans to have the best, most free life possible. Hampton also played a crucial role in the establishment of the Lesbian Herstory Archives in 1974. Hampton donated her personal papers to the organization as well. The LHA was formed when a group of lesbians started discussing how not much information could be found about the history and culture of lesbians at the time (Lesbian Herstory Archives). Hampton also devoted her time to SAGE, which is one of the largest groups to help seniors in the LGBTQ+ community. SAGE offers help in many ways, including information about health and wellness, and is ongoing today (SAGEnyc.com). 

Mabel Hampton and Lillian Foster lived in their apartment in the Bronx, New York for over 40 years, which was something that may have been looked down upon when they moved in together in 1943. Hampton and Foster hosted parties, and gave a place for members of the LGBTQ community and the black community to feel safe and at home. They lived together until Foster’s death in 1978. Hampton continued to live at their apartment until her death in 1989. Hampton was an incredible African American lesbian activist and worked to help all those who were “her people.” 

Bibliography 

Smith-Cruz, Shawn(ta), Flavia Rando, Rachel Corbman, Deborah Edel, Morgan Gwenwald, Joan Nestle, and Polly Thistlethwaite. “Getting from Then to Now: Sustaining the Lesbian Herstory Archives as a Lesbian Organization.” Journal of Lesbian Studies 20, no. 2 (April 2016): 213–33. doi:10.1080/10894160.2015.1083827. 

Nestle, Joan. 1993. “Excerpts from the Oral History of Mabel Hampton.” Signs: Journal of Women in Culture & Society 18 (4): 925. doi:10.1086/494849. 

Etherington, Cait. “Exploring NYC's Historic Gay Residences beyond Greenwich Village.” 6sqft, 22 June 2018, www.6sqft.com/exploring-nycs-historic-gay-residences-beyond-greenwich-village/.

Joshi, Maya. “BHM: Black Queer Icons Part Two.” Manual RedEye, manualredeye.com/71033/projects/black-history-month/bhm-black-queer-icons-part-two/.

“Lesbian Herstory Archives.” NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project, www.nyclgbtsites.org/site/lesbian-herstory-archives/.

“Mabel Hampton Residence.” NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project, www.nyclgbtsites.org/site/mabel-hampton-residence/.

SAGEnyc.org. “SAGE NYC - About Us - What We Do.” SAGEnyc.org, sagenyc.org/nyc/about/index.cfm. 

“Our History.” Lesbian Herstory Archives, 8 Dec. 2020, lesbianherstoryarchives.org/about/a-brief-history/.