The Diana Foundation is honored to announce the addition of a remarkable piece of Houston LGBTQ+ history to our archival collection housed at the University of Houston Libraries Special Collections.
Recently gifted to The Diana Foundation Historical Archive is a video recording of the 11th Annual Follyball, which took place on September 17, 1977, and was edited in 1978. This rare footage comes as a generous gift from the estates of Jay Hollenburger, Arthur Slaughter, and Gary Grether, whose dedication to preserving Houston's LGBTQ+ history will continue to benefit future generations.
For many longtime Houstonians, Follyball was one of the community's most anticipated annual social events. Combining entertainment, creativity, and fellowship, the event brought together members of Houston's LGBTQ+ community during a time when opportunities to gather openly and celebrate authentically were far more limited than they are today. Through elaborate themes, costumes, performances, and hospitality, Follyball became a cherished tradition and a reflection of the vibrant spirit of Houston's gay community in the 1960s through the early 2000s.
While Follyball was not an official event of The Diana Foundation, the histories of the two organizations are closely connected. Many Diana members throughout the decades served as event hosts, sponsors, organizers, performers, and supporters of Follyball. Their participation helped make the event a memorable part of Houston's LGBTQ+ social landscape and demonstrates the interconnected nature of the organizations, individuals, and traditions that shaped our community's history.
The newly acquired footage offers a rare glimpse into an important era of LGBTQ+ life in Houston. Beyond the fashions, personalities, and celebrations captured on film, the video serves as a valuable historical record of a community that built spaces for connection, friendship, and joy during a pivotal period in our history. Materials such as these help researchers, students, historians, and community members better understand the experiences and contributions of LGBTQ+ Houstonians who helped pave the way for future generations.
Image courtesy of J.D. Doyle: https://www.houstonlgbthistory.org/misc-follyball.htmlThe Diana Foundation remains committed to preserving and sharing our community's history through our partnership with the University of Houston Libraries Special Collections. We extend our sincere gratitude to the estates of Jay Hollenburger, Arthur Slaughter, and Gary Grether for entrusting this important historical artifact to our care.
As America's oldest continuously active LGBTQ+ organization enters its 74th year, we recognize that preserving our past is one of the most meaningful ways we can shape our future. Every photograph, program, newsletter, film, and personal story helps ensure that the legacy of Houston's LGBTQ+ community is not forgotten.
If you have historical memorabilia, photographs, videos, programs, correspondence, or other materials that you would like to donate, we encourage you to consider contributing them to the archive. Whether the items relate directly to The Diana Foundation or document Houston's broader LGBTQ+ history, they may help preserve an important chapter of our community's story for future generations. To learn more about donating historical materials, please contact us at president@thedianafoundation.gay or thedianafoundation@gmail.com.