Billy Jack Gaither Collection

Collection

Identifier: MSS-3618

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Billy Jack Gaither collection

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Scope and Contents

This collection contains material related to and owned by Billy Jack Gaither. The bulk of the materials are articles related to the death of Mr. Gaither, the trial of his murderers, other victims of hate crimes, and media coverage of state and federeal hate crime laws. In addition to these articles are materials related to the National Day of Silence, Mr. Gaither's memorial service, and posters and a banner related to these activities. The Gone with the Wind figurines mentioned in The New York Times article "Murder Reveals Double Life Of Being Gay in Rural South" are also included in this collection.

Dates

Creation: 1999 - 2009

Conditions Governing Access

On-site access is restricted. Please see digital versions of materials here: http://purl.lib.ua.edu/172987. Please note that some digital versions information may be redacted for privacy.

Biographical / Historical

Billy Jack Gaither (1960-1999) lived in Sylacauga, Alabama, with his parents, caring for them, and worked as a computer operator at the Russell Athletics apparel company near the small town. On the night of February 19, 1999, he visited a local bar called The Tavern. He left in his car with two men—Steven Mullins and Charles Monroe Butler. The men beat him with an axe handle, cut his throat, and burned his body on a pile of tires soaked with kerosene. Mullins and Butler confirmed that Gaither’s sexual orientation motivated the murder. Both were sentenced to life in prison without parole in 1999.

A memorial service after Gaither’s death in 1999 at Covenant Metropolitan Community Church in Birmingham, Alabama, drew over five hundred people from numerous religious congregations and local community organizations, according to the church’s pastor, Reverend Marge Ragona. His murder was widely covered in the state and national press, and his story was featured on the PBS news program Frontline in an episode called “Assault on Gay America: The Life and Death of Billy Jack Gaither,” aired near the anniversary of his death in February 2000.

Extent

1.5 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

This collection contains material related to and owned by Billy Jack Gaither (1960-1999), a man from Sylacauga, Alabama, murdered for his sexual orientation.