Davis Page Platt, a longtime New York civil and gay rights activist who died on October 3, 2008 at 85, was celebrated at All Souls Church on November 9 by his biological and gay families. Platt was a mainstay of groups such as SAGE, Identity House, and the LGBT Community Center, as well as being a longtime volunteer for The Samaritans, an international suicide prevention hotline.
At the age of 20, this white child of privilege became a close friend and then lover of Bayard Rustin, the legendary African-American pacifist and civil rights leader who organized the March on Washington in 1963 where Martin Luther King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. He recalled his relationship with Rustin in the documentary "Brother Outsider." Bennett Singer, the maker of that film, spoke about how Walter Naegle, Rustin's surviving partner, interviewed Platt for the documentary. "It was as good as any interview we did ourselves," Singer said. Naegle said he owed Platt "a debt of gratitude" for making it "easier for me" when he partnered with Rustin.
In a 2001 essay, Platt wrote, "I enjoy being old and the compensations and perspective that age brings."
_______________________________________
Remembering Davis Platt
Andy Humm wrote a short piece in the Gay City News on my old friend Davis Platt:
"Davis Page Platt, a longtime New York civil and gay rights activist who died on October 3 at 85, was celebrated at All Souls Church on November 9 by his biological and gay families. Platt was a mainstay of groups such as SAGE, Identity House, and the LGBT Community Center, as well as being a longtime volunteer for The Samaritans, an international suicide prevention hotline.
"At the age of 20, this white child of privilege became a close friend and then lover of Bayard Rustin, the legendary African-American pacifist and civil rights leader who organized the March on Washington in 1963 where Martin Luther King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. He recalled his relationship with Rustin in the documentary "Brother Outsider." Bennett Singer, the maker of that film, spoke about how Walter Naegle, Rustin's surviving partner, interviewed Platt for the documentary. "It was as good as any interview we did ourselves," Singer said. Naegle said he owed Platt "a debt of gratitude" for making it "easier for me" when he partnered with Rustin.
"In a 2001 essay, Platt wrote, "I enjoy being old and the compensations and perspective that age brings."
I knew Davis from Identity House where I worked as a volunteer peer counselor and Board member for a few years.
Very first time I met him, he was way up on a very tall ladder changing a ceiling flourescent light tube. Damn, he was already around 80 then, but nothing could keep him from doing his best to volunteer for the gay community...
We stayed in touch for many years...
There was a play that was produced in NY that dealt with the life of Bayard Rustin. A San-Franciscan playwright as I recall. Davis was so proud that he was represented in the play! I remember being at the opening night party with him.
I can do a damned good impression of Davis' distinctive voice and character that always brought a warm chuckle to his colleagues and friends in Supervision groups at I-House.
He was a character...
Ciao, Davis...
by Todd HellsKitchen 12/09/2008
At the age of 20, this white child of privilege became a close friend and then lover of Bayard Rustin, the legendary African-American pacifist and civil rights leader who organized the March on Washington in 1963 where Martin Luther King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. He recalled his relationship with Rustin in the documentary "Brother Outsider." Bennett Singer, the maker of that film, spoke about how Walter Naegle, Rustin's surviving partner, interviewed Platt for the documentary. "It was as good as any interview we did ourselves," Singer said. Naegle said he owed Platt "a debt of gratitude" for making it "easier for me" when he partnered with Rustin.
In a 2001 essay, Platt wrote, "I enjoy being old and the compensations and perspective that age brings."
_______________________________________
Remembering Davis Platt
Andy Humm wrote a short piece in the Gay City News on my old friend Davis Platt:
"Davis Page Platt, a longtime New York civil and gay rights activist who died on October 3 at 85, was celebrated at All Souls Church on November 9 by his biological and gay families. Platt was a mainstay of groups such as SAGE, Identity House, and the LGBT Community Center, as well as being a longtime volunteer for The Samaritans, an international suicide prevention hotline.
"At the age of 20, this white child of privilege became a close friend and then lover of Bayard Rustin, the legendary African-American pacifist and civil rights leader who organized the March on Washington in 1963 where Martin Luther King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. He recalled his relationship with Rustin in the documentary "Brother Outsider." Bennett Singer, the maker of that film, spoke about how Walter Naegle, Rustin's surviving partner, interviewed Platt for the documentary. "It was as good as any interview we did ourselves," Singer said. Naegle said he owed Platt "a debt of gratitude" for making it "easier for me" when he partnered with Rustin.
"In a 2001 essay, Platt wrote, "I enjoy being old and the compensations and perspective that age brings."
I knew Davis from Identity House where I worked as a volunteer peer counselor and Board member for a few years.
Very first time I met him, he was way up on a very tall ladder changing a ceiling flourescent light tube. Damn, he was already around 80 then, but nothing could keep him from doing his best to volunteer for the gay community...
We stayed in touch for many years...
There was a play that was produced in NY that dealt with the life of Bayard Rustin. A San-Franciscan playwright as I recall. Davis was so proud that he was represented in the play! I remember being at the opening night party with him.
I can do a damned good impression of Davis' distinctive voice and character that always brought a warm chuckle to his colleagues and friends in Supervision groups at I-House.
He was a character...
Ciao, Davis...
by Todd HellsKitchen 12/09/2008
Davis Page Platt, a longtime New York civil and gay rights activist who died on October 3, 2008 at 85, was celebrated at All Souls Church on November 9 by his biological and gay families. Platt was a mainstay of groups such as SAGE, Identity House, and the LGBT Community Center, as well as being a longtime volunteer for The Samaritans, an international suicide prevention hotline.
At the age of 20, this white child of privilege became a close friend and then lover of Bayard Rustin, the legendary African-American pacifist and civil rights leader who organized the March on Washington in 1963 where Martin Luther King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. He recalled his relationship with Rustin in the documentary "Brother Outsider." Bennett Singer, the maker of that film, spoke about how Walter Naegle, Rustin's surviving partner, interviewed Platt for the documentary. "It was as good as any interview we did ourselves," Singer said. Naegle said he owed Platt "a debt of gratitude" for making it "easier for me" when he partnered with Rustin.
In a 2001 essay, Platt wrote, "I enjoy being old and the compensations and perspective that age brings."
_______________________________________
Remembering Davis Platt
Andy Humm wrote a short piece in the Gay City News on my old friend Davis Platt:
"Davis Page Platt, a longtime New York civil and gay rights activist who died on October 3 at 85, was celebrated at All Souls Church on November 9 by his biological and gay families. Platt was a mainstay of groups such as SAGE, Identity House, and the LGBT Community Center, as well as being a longtime volunteer for The Samaritans, an international suicide prevention hotline.
"At the age of 20, this white child of privilege became a close friend and then lover of Bayard Rustin, the legendary African-American pacifist and civil rights leader who organized the March on Washington in 1963 where Martin Luther King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. He recalled his relationship with Rustin in the documentary "Brother Outsider." Bennett Singer, the maker of that film, spoke about how Walter Naegle, Rustin's surviving partner, interviewed Platt for the documentary. "It was as good as any interview we did ourselves," Singer said. Naegle said he owed Platt "a debt of gratitude" for making it "easier for me" when he partnered with Rustin.
"In a 2001 essay, Platt wrote, "I enjoy being old and the compensations and perspective that age brings."
I knew Davis from Identity House where I worked as a volunteer peer counselor and Board member for a few years.
Very first time I met him, he was way up on a very tall ladder changing a ceiling flourescent light tube. Damn, he was already around 80 then, but nothing could keep him from doing his best to volunteer for the gay community...
We stayed in touch for many years...
There was a play that was produced in NY that dealt with the life of Bayard Rustin. A San-Franciscan playwright as I recall. Davis was so proud that he was represented in the play! I remember being at the opening night party with him.
I can do a damned good impression of Davis' distinctive voice and character that always brought a warm chuckle to his colleagues and friends in Supervision groups at I-House.
He was a character...
Ciao, Davis...
by Todd HellsKitchen 12/09/2008
At the age of 20, this white child of privilege became a close friend and then lover of Bayard Rustin, the legendary African-American pacifist and civil rights leader who organized the March on Washington in 1963 where Martin Luther King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. He recalled his relationship with Rustin in the documentary "Brother Outsider." Bennett Singer, the maker of that film, spoke about how Walter Naegle, Rustin's surviving partner, interviewed Platt for the documentary. "It was as good as any interview we did ourselves," Singer said. Naegle said he owed Platt "a debt of gratitude" for making it "easier for me" when he partnered with Rustin.
In a 2001 essay, Platt wrote, "I enjoy being old and the compensations and perspective that age brings."
_______________________________________
Remembering Davis Platt
Andy Humm wrote a short piece in the Gay City News on my old friend Davis Platt:
"Davis Page Platt, a longtime New York civil and gay rights activist who died on October 3 at 85, was celebrated at All Souls Church on November 9 by his biological and gay families. Platt was a mainstay of groups such as SAGE, Identity House, and the LGBT Community Center, as well as being a longtime volunteer for The Samaritans, an international suicide prevention hotline.
"At the age of 20, this white child of privilege became a close friend and then lover of Bayard Rustin, the legendary African-American pacifist and civil rights leader who organized the March on Washington in 1963 where Martin Luther King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. He recalled his relationship with Rustin in the documentary "Brother Outsider." Bennett Singer, the maker of that film, spoke about how Walter Naegle, Rustin's surviving partner, interviewed Platt for the documentary. "It was as good as any interview we did ourselves," Singer said. Naegle said he owed Platt "a debt of gratitude" for making it "easier for me" when he partnered with Rustin.
"In a 2001 essay, Platt wrote, "I enjoy being old and the compensations and perspective that age brings."
I knew Davis from Identity House where I worked as a volunteer peer counselor and Board member for a few years.
Very first time I met him, he was way up on a very tall ladder changing a ceiling flourescent light tube. Damn, he was already around 80 then, but nothing could keep him from doing his best to volunteer for the gay community...
We stayed in touch for many years...
There was a play that was produced in NY that dealt with the life of Bayard Rustin. A San-Franciscan playwright as I recall. Davis was so proud that he was represented in the play! I remember being at the opening night party with him.
I can do a damned good impression of Davis' distinctive voice and character that always brought a warm chuckle to his colleagues and friends in Supervision groups at I-House.
He was a character...
Ciao, Davis...
by Todd HellsKitchen 12/09/2008
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