A Guide to the Lollie Johnson Papers, 1940-2002
Descriptive Summary | ||
| Creator: | Johnson, Lollie. | |
| Title: | Lollie Johnson Papers | |
| Dates: | 1940, 1955, 1972-2002 | |
| Creator Abstract: | Lollie Johnson was a successful bartender and nightclub owner in San Antonio. The success of her nightclub businesses was credited to her total commitment to the San Antonio Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered community, which made up the majority of her customer base. Lollie was also active in local community groups. | |
| Content Abstract: | The Lollie Johnson Papers include newspaper clippings, correspondence, printed materials, photographs, negatives, a small notebook, a wooden plaque for the Hypothesis Club, menus, programs, t-shirts, shoes, caps, a stained glass window from the Noo Zoo Company, Teleservice Resources records, Lollie’s résumé and her obituary. | |
| Identification: | MS 117 | |
| Extent: | 2 linear feet (approximately 1,500 items) | |
| Language: | Materials are in English. | |
| Repository: | University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections | |
Biographical Note
Laura Lollie Johnson (1939-2001) was born in Beaumont, Texas, but moved to San Antonio in her youth and graduated from Brackenridge High School in 1956. A divorced mother of three, she worked for almost 10 years as a bartender before opening the Kali Club in 1971 (it closed in 1973). Many other bars followed, including the Hypothesis Club (1972-1976), The Zoo Club (1974-1979), Faces (1979-1983), and her longest running establishment, the Noo Zoo Company (1983-1993). During the 1980s, she also owned several smaller clubs with shorter life spans: LZ’s (opened 1982 closing date unknown), Broadway Cabaret (ca. early 1980s, exact dates unknown), and L.J.’s Place (1982-unknown).
The success of her nightclub businesses was credited to her total commitment to the San Antonio Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered community, which made up the majority of her customer base. Lollie was also active in the local community groups, including Alamo Human Rights Committee (co-chair in 1984), Lavender Alcade (1976), and 1st Gay Conference in San Antonio. Additionally, she served as secretary on the Board of Directors of the San Antonio AIDS foundation (1988-1992) and was treasurer (1989-1992) and vice president (1986-1989) of the San Antonio Tavern Guild. She was included in the first edition of Notable Women of Texas (1982).
In 1994, having ended her nightclub ventures, Lollie became a Customer Service Representative for Teleservice Resources. In October 1995, she was promoted to supervisor and Resolution Agent for Teleservice Resources.
Scope and Contents
The Lollie Johnson Papers include newspaper clippings, correspondence, printed materials, photographs, negatives, a small notebook, a wooden plaque for the Hypothesis Club, menus, programs, t-shirts, shoes, caps, a stained glass window from the Noo Zoo Company, Teleservice Resources records, Lollie’s résumé and her obituary. Photographs comprise the largest portion of the collection, recording Lollie’s family and friends, homes, clubs and vacations throughout her lifetime.
The photographs taken at her clubs show events such as Halloween parties, open-mic nights, New Year’s Eve parties, and female impersonator shows. Employees and bar patrons are well documented, as are her many house parties. Her t-shirt collection includes designs for special club events or work wear and for several of the local organizations in which she was active.
The collection also includes a book of poems written and assembled by her daughter, Cindy Milina, and photographs of her children Cindy Milina, Marleen Shaw, and Robin Johnson (Robin is the best documented of the three).
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
This collection is housed at UTSA's Main Campus and must be accessed via the John Peace Library Special Collections reading room. To request access, please use the Collections Request Form.
Usage Restrictions
Permission to publish from the Lollie Johnson Papers must be obtained from University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.
Index Terms | ||
| Persons | ||
| Johnson, Lollie. | ||
| Topics | ||
| Businesswomen--Texas--San Antonio. | ||
| Gay and Lesbian Community--Texas--San Antonio. | ||
| Lesbians--Texas--San Antonio. | ||
| Nightclubs--Texas--San Antonio. | ||
| Locations | ||
| San Antonio (Tex.)--Social life and customs. | ||
| Genres/formats | ||
| Clippings. | ||
| Correspondence. | ||
| Photographs. | ||
| T-shirts. | ||
| Local Subjects | ||
| Business | ||
| Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Resources | ||
| San Antonio History | ||
| Women | ||
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Lollie Johnson Papers, MS 117, University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.
Acquisition Information
Materials in this collection were donated by Cindy Milina, daughter of Lollie Johnson, in March of 2002 (Acc. 2002-012 and 2002-017).
Processing Information
Processed by Traci JoLeigh Drummond, February 2004.
Detailed Description of the Collection