Home >
Attack on Dick Button & others in Central Park...
Attack on Dick Button & others in Central Park...
Item # 724928
July 17, 1978
THE VILLAGE VOICE (weekly), Greenwich Village, New York, July 17, 1978
* Dick Button & others attacked by thugs
* "The Ramble" section of Central Park
* Anti-gay LGBTQ violence
The front page has a heading: "Hunting Gays in Central Park" with lead-in: "EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE VICTIMS", subhead and related photo. This editorial continues on multiple inside pages with a few more related photos. (see images)
background: The July 17, 1978, cover story in The Village Voice served as a harrowing exposé on the systemic "safari" of violence directed at gay men within the Ramble of Central Park, most notably highlighting a brutal ambush on July 5 that left several men hospitalized. The article, which featured an exclusive interview with the victims, brought national attention to the fact that high-profile figures—including Olympic skating champion Dick Button, who suffered a fractured skull—were being hunted by gangs of youths armed with bats and chains. This reporting was culturally pivotal because it laid bare a cruel paradox of the era: while the NYPD frequently deployed undercover "decoy" officers to entrap gay men for victimless solicitation crimes, they provided almost no protection against the literal "hunting parties" terrorizing the park. By documenting the attackers' chilling confidence that their victims would remain silent to avoid public outing, the Voice galvanized the LGBTQ+ community to demand increased police accountability and helped shift the public narrative from viewing gay men as predators to recognizing them as targets of organized hate.
I suspect this to be an extremely rare item because there was really no reason to save it at the time.
The Village Voice was an American counterculture newspaper known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. It introduced free-form, high-spirited, and passionate journalism into the public discourse - a tradition it maintained throughout its 60+ year history. It is quite common to find great political cartoons, satirical cartoons and articles, thought-provoking editorials, and ads and reviews for both concerts and theater productions - both on and off Broadway. Many iconic writers and musicians credit their appearance in The Village Voice for at least a portion of their success.
Complete in 102 pages, tabloid-size, folded at the center, nice condition.
Provenance note: This issue comes from The Village Voice's own archives, part of their in-house collection used to create their digital archive. Rare as such.
Alert: Many issues of The Village Voice contain articles and/or photos which some consider offensive, and are certainly inappropriate for children. Please purchase with discretion.
Category: The 20th Century
Available Now
$52.00
