James Fugaté

James Fugaté (February 13, 1922 – March 28, 1995) was an author and activist in the gay rights movement.[1] Fugaté wrote several works under the pseudonym James Barr.[2] He is well known for his two novels, short stories, a play, and writings in three reputable gay publications.[3]

James Fugaté
Born(1922-02-13)February 13, 1922
Oklahoma or Texas[1]
DiedMarch 28, 1995(1995-03-28) (aged 73)
Claremore, Oklahoma
Pen nameJames Barr
Notable worksQuatrefoil: A Modern Novel, Derricks, Game of Fools, The Occasional Man

The Wichita State University Libraries has a special collection about Fugaté, including letters, photographs, and other artifacts.[4]

Life

Fugaté was born in an oilfield boom town[1] and is believed to have worked as a roustabout on an oilfield.[2] He attended college, likely at the University of Oklahoma.[3] In 1942, he joined the United States Navy.[5] After World War II ended, he worked in advertising until publishing his first novel, Quatrefoil: A Modern Novel, in 1950.[1] This caused him to become known as a celebrity in the gay community,[3] as the book was lauded as a milestone in American gay fiction,[6] breaking the stereotype of other gay novels typical of the time.[7] In 1952, Fugaté voluntarily returned to active duty with the Navy, and was stationed in Alaska.[1] Later that year, his true identity as the author of Quatrefoil was revealed, which led to his being honorably discharged from the Navy.[3] This experience marked an epiphany for Fugaté, who realized that in defending himself, he was also defending the rights of others in the gay community.[8]

Fugaté worked as a contributing writer to ONE, Der Kreis, and Mattachine Review, writing about gay experiences and issues.[1] In ONE, he also commented on organized religion.[9] He later worked in newspapers in Kansas before moving to New York in the early 70s. He finally returned to Oklahoma, where he worked for ten years in a hospital before dying of liver cancer in 1995.[3]

Works

Under the pseudonym James Barr:[1][2]:374

References
  1. Hubert Kennedy (2005). "Barr, James (James Fugaté) (1922–1995)" (PDF). glbtq.com. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  2. James Barr (1982). Quatrefoil. Boston, Massachusetts: Alyson Publications, Inc. ISBN 0932870163.
  3. Hubert Kennedy. "Quatrefoil Broke New Ground". The Harvard Gay & Lesbian Review (Winter, 1996): 22–24. ISSN 1077-6591. Retrieved October 15, 2017. (subscription required)
  4. "James (Barr) Fugate Collection". specialcollections.wichita.edu. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
  5. Stephen O. Murray (March 31, 1995). "Hell is other gay people: Quatrefoil". tangentgroup.org. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  6. Keith, Thomas Andrew (November 1986). "In Print". Body Politic (132). ISSN 0315-3606.
  7. Anthony Slide (2003). Lost Gay Novels. Harrington Park Press. p. 8. ISBN 9781560234142.
  8. William N. Eskridge (2009). Gaylaw: Challenging the Apartheid of the Closet (illustrated, revised ed.). Harvard University Press. p. 92. ISBN 9780674036581. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  9. Heather R. White (2015). Reforming Sodom: Protestants and the Rise of Gay Rights. UNC Press Books. ISBN 9781469624129. Retrieved November 4, 2017. Frequent ONE author James Fugaté (who wrote under the pen name James Barr) insisted that 'organized religion' needed to 'stay out of politics, business, and art.'
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