Summary
Paul Graham Popham (October 6, 1941 – May 7, 1987) was an American gay rights activist who was a founder of the Gay Men's Health Crisis and served as its president from 1981 until 1985. He also helped found and was chairman of the AIDS Action Council, a lobbying organization in Washington.[3][4] He was the basis for the character of Bruce Niles in Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart, which was one of the first plays to address the HIV/AIDS crisis.[5]
Paul Graham Popham | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 6, 1941 |
| Died | May 7, 1987 (aged 45)[1][2] New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Complications arising from AIDS |
| Alma mater | Portland State University |
| Known for | AIDS activist, Vietnam War veteran |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |  United States Army |
| Years of service | ?–1969 |
| Rank |  Major |
| Unit |
|
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards |  Bronze Star Medal |
Life and career edit
Popham was born in Emmett, Idaho, and graduated from Portland State College, Oregon.[1]
He was a Vietnam War veteran who was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for valor in 1966, serving as a first lieutenant in the Fifth Air Cavalry. He retired in 1969 as a Special Forces major in the United States Army Reserve.[1]
After his time in the army, Popham worked as a banker on Wall Street for the Irving Trust Company, leaving as a vice president in 1980. Thereafter, he joined McGraw-Hill Inc. as a general manager.[2][5]
Popham became politically active in 1981 after learning about the AIDS epidemic through a newspaper article titled 'Rare Cancer Seen in 41 Homosexuals,' published in The New York Times on July 3, 1981.[6][7]
Paul Popham's commitment to addressing the AIDS crisis and his collaborative efforts with organizations worldwide exemplified his dedication to public health. When Gordon Price, a co-founder of AIDS Vancouver, reached out, Popham promptly traveled across the country to the west coast of Canada to lend his expertise. This partnership led to the establishment of the inaugural AIDS Information Forum on March 12, 1983. Popham's insights during this event were captured on film, marking a significant milestone in early efforts to address the epidemic.[8][9]
Richard D. Dunne, president of the Gay Men's Health Crisis at the time of Popham's death said: "His history had been quite the opposite from a gay activist. It was only an issue like AIDS that galvanized people like Paul."[1] Popham was diagnosed with AIDS in February 1985 and remained active with GMHC until his illness became too severe.[3][5]
Paul Popham's family includes his mother, brother, two sisters, and his longtime partner, Richard DuLong.[1]
The Normal Heart edit
Larry Kramer, who later left GMHC to found ACT UP, frequently fought with Popham. Kramer wrote in Reports from the Holocaust that, as a result, when writing the roman à clef play The Normal Heart, Kramer made the protagonist Ned Weeks (the cypher for himself) be obnoxious and Bruce Niles (the cypher for Popham) be a clearly sympathetic leader, by way of contrition.[5]
Bruce Niles was portrayed by David Allen Brooks (The Public Theatre, 1985), Andrzej Szczytko (Polish Theatre in Poznań, 1987; Polish Television Theatre, 1989), Lee Pace (Golden Theatre, 2011) and Taylor Kitsch (HBO television film, 2014).[10][11][12]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e Rosentham, Andrew (May 8, 1987). "Paul Popham, 45, a founder of AIDS organization, dies". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
- ^ a b "Paul Popham, AIDS activist". Los Angeles Times. May 9, 1987. Retrieved April 26, 2011.
- ^ a b "Gay Men's Health Crisis records". New York Public Library. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
- ^ Graham, Jeff (January–February 2006). "25 years of AIDS and HIV: A look back — 1981–1986: In the Beginning..." The Body. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
- ^ a b c d "The Normal Heart study guide" (PDF). TimeLine Theatre. 2013. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
- ^ "Rare Cancer Seen in 41 Homosexuals". The New York Times By Lawrence K. Altman, M.D. 3 July 1981. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ "Archived: Rare Cancer Seen in 41 Homosexuals". The New York Times By Lawrence K. Altman, M.D. 3 July 1981. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ Don Durrell; Barry Spillman (12 March 1983). "A Special on AIDS: Paul Popham speaking at the AIDS Forum in Vancouver, 1983" (Community Television). 4. Episode GV32. Vancouver: GaybleVision. Event occurs at 15m13s. West End Cable 10. Retrieved 1 March 2024 – via VIVO.
"Facing the epidemic was the 'ultimate test of our strength'." – Paul Popham
- ^ "Paul Popham speaking at the AIDS Forum in Vancouver, 1983" (YouTube). 30 30 AIDS Vancouver. 12 March 1983. Event occurs at 2m42s. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
Facing the epidemic was the 'ultimate test of our strength'. – Paul Popham
- ^ "The Normal Heart Begins Beating on Broadway April 19 - Playbill.com". 2012-04-01. Archived from the original on 2012-04-01. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
- ^ "FilmPolski.pl". FilmPolski (in Polish). Retrieved 2019-10-15.
- ^ "Jonathan Groff to play Taylor Kitsch's lover in Ryan Murphy film". EW.com. Retrieved 2019-10-15.