Online talk with historian Eric Cervini set Oct. 8
Author Eric Cervini will join a live online discussion at 5 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 8, of his book, “The Deviant’s War: The Homosexual vs. the United States of America,” presented by the History Book Festival.
This is the inspiring story of Frank Kameny, an astronomer working for the U.S. Defense Department in Hawaii, who was dismissed from his job in 1957 because he was homosexual. Unlike many who faced the same fate, Kameny fought back, founding the Mattachine Society of Washington, the first organization to protest the systematic persecution of gay federal employees. This story of America at a cultural and sexual crossroads is based on firsthand accounts, recently declassified FBI records and 40,000 personal documents.
Cervini, a historian of LGBTQ culture and politics, is a summa cum laude graduate of Harvard who received his doctorate in history from the University of Cambridge, where he was a Gates Scholar.
Paul M. Smith will interview Cervini during the event. Smith is an attorney who appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court 21 times. He represented the plaintiffs in the 2003 case of Lawrence vs. Texas, in which the court ruled that laws prohibiting private homosexual activity between consenting adults are unconstitutional, and he has also litigated cases on marriage equality and transgender rights.
This Zoom event is free but registration is required; go to historybookfestival.org and click on 2020 Events.
The 2020 Virtual History Book Festival is presented in cooperation with the Lewes Public Library and sponsored by Delaware Humanities and the Lee Ann Wilkinson Group.
Copies of “The Deviant’s War” with signed archival bookplates are available from the festival’s official bookseller, Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach. Biblion in Lewes also has copies. The festival encourages readers to support local independent bookstores. Copies also may be borrowed from the Lewes Public Library.
To arrange for curbside pickup, call 302-645-2733 or email lewes.library@gmail.com.
