Gregg Brafford oral history interview 1, 2023 April 6

Description

Gregg Brafford, who managed and owned several LGBTQ+ bars in Charlotte, North Carolina, including Oleens, the New Brass Rail, Central Station, and the Woodshed, discusses his formative years in Mint Hill, his college experiences at UNC Charlotte, LGBT people, places and spaces in Charlotte during the 1970s and 1980s, and drag queen culture at that time. [All times are approximate] [00:00] Mr. Brafford describes his family life growing up on a farm in Mint Hill, North Carolina, the Brafford family roots dating back to the Civil War in Mecklenburg County, and his grade school experiences. He discusses how he worked in various Charlotte restaurants from his teenage years, and his family involvement in Arlington Baptist Church. [09:30] He describes his experiences as a business major at UNC Charlotte between 1977 and 1979. Although not an active member, he describes his involvement with what he believed to be the first gay organization at the University and how he acted as a 'bodyguard' to protect vulnerable members of the group on campus. He discusses the impact that the organization had in raising awareness of gay and lesbian concerns. [14:00] He describes his early career as a salesman and his self-discovery as a young gay man in Charlotte. He relates the significant role of Charlotte's gay bars as places to meet other LGBT people in the late 1970s, in particular the Brass Rail and Oleens. He talks candidly about sexual freedom and experimentation with drugs in the 1970s. [21:00] Mr. Brafford describes Oleens bar and the mixed crowd that gathered there including lesbians, gay men, motorbike riders, sex workers, drag queens and others. [23:00] He discusses Don Robinson, the owner of Oleens and many other venues that catered to LGBT people in Charlotte from the 1960s to the 1980s. [29:00] He describes Oleen Love, Don Robinson's mistress, and the property on Lake Wylie where Don and Oleen entertained. [33:00] He gives a detailed account of the drag queens who worked at Oleens, many of whom were transgender women who lived in the Dilworth neighborhood close to the bar. [35:00] He describes notable drag performers in detail, beginning with Boom Boom Latour, and Randy Alexander. He reflects on the culture of local drag performance and how it became more professional over time. [44:46] He continues to describe other notable local drag queens including Toni Lenoir, Grand Prix, Casey King, Veronica Lee, Brittany Gwen, Tiffany Storm, and Kerrie Nichols, who won Miss Gay America. He shares his outlook on how and why drag is different in the Southern USA to other places. [50:49] Mr. Brafford reflects on the 1982 Miss Gay America competition, which was held at Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte. He describes his interaction with protesters at the event and the event's success. [53:11] He reflects on the difficulties experienced by drag queens in the 1970s in Charlotte. [54:40] He describes the evolution of Scorpios bar, and the owners Marion and Oakey Tyson. He describes how he came to manage Oleens, the challenges of the job, and the many lesbian customers who came to the bar. He outlines a typical day managing Oleens bar and how the area around the bar gentrified over time. [1:06:10] He describes the apartment where he lived in Dilworth at 331 East Blvd. on the corner of East Blvd. and Euclid Ave., and his neighbor activist Don King who ran the Friends Of Dorothy Bookstore from his living room. [1:08:37] Mr. Brafford notes that there were many gay and lesbian people who were also witches in Charlotte and that they ran a bar at Eastway and the Plaza called The Warlock. There was also a witches convention that was held at Oleens. [1:1140] He gives details of The Friends of Dorothy bookstore, Don King and his activism. [1:14:18] Mr. Brafford's partner Karl briefly joins the conversation and they talk about living together in the Club South bathhouse that was located on South Blvd. close to the junction with East Blvd. They describe the baths and how it provided a refuge for gay men who were without a home. [1:21:00] Mr. Brafford describes other locations in DIlworth that were popular with the LGBT community, including Josh's Restaurant on East Blvd., which was run by Robert J. Freese [Jake]. Jake and his brother John also owned and ran Mr. McGregor's garden center on East Blvd, in addition to R.J. Publishing that published the Charlotte Free Press [or Free Press] during the 1970s.