Oral history interview with Sam Ciccone, 1992

Biographical Note

Police Officer, Playwright

Scope and Contents

b. 1994; childhood: Bergen County, NJ and Brooklyn, NY, Italian immigrant family, struggle to assimilate; left home 1960, luncheonette job; New York Police Department (NYPD), 1965-1979: attraction to power, resistance to NYPD corruption, first homosexual experience; Hope College, Holland, Michigan, 1966: first homosexual affair; return to NYPD: shame, secrecy, paranoia, memory of Stonewall, NYPD violence and corruption; GOAL: 1982 formation, NYPD negative reactions, un-closeting of board, incorporation of women and minorities, 1983 march in Gay Pride parade, Policemen's Benevolent Association attempts to exclude gays from NYPD, attempts to exclude GOAL from police umbrella groups, expansion, accomplishments: education, solidarity between races, sexes, sexual orientations, sensitivity training

Subjects

• Albarelli, Gerry, interviewer.
• Ciccone, Sam, 1944-2015--Interviews.
• Discrimination in law enforcement--United States.
• Gay Officers Action League.
• Gay police officers--New York (State)--New York--Interviews.
• Gay rights--New York (State)--New York.
• Interviews.
• New York (N.Y.). Police Department.
• Oral histories (literary works)
• Police--New York (State)--New York--Interviews.

Access Conditions

Copyright by the Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, 1992