Interviewer
Will Fesperman
Files
Description
Mary Jane “MJ” Williams describes building a life as a musician, creating an informal lesbian community with her friends in Basin, and co-founding the Montana Artists Refuge. She recounts her childhood in Helena in the 1940s and 50s. She describes meeting her friend Nan Parsons in 7th grade, how they made art together, and how they both came to understand they were lesbian. She describes moving to New York City and the informal cultural education she received there. She talks about following Parsons to San Francisco in 1967, doing odd jobs to make money, and living in houses with other lesbians. She discusses the politics and culture of San Francisco in the late 60s and early 70s. She describes moving back to Montana in 1972, buying land in Basin with her friends, and renovating their houses. She talks about their relationships with other people in Basin, both positive and negative. She talks about how she co-founded the Montana Artists Refuge in the early 1990s. She reflects on its legacy, her future, and how being lesbian influenced her life.
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Document Type
Oral History
Original Date
4-11-2019
Time Period
Twentieth century; Twenty-first century
Geographic Coverage
Montana
Language
eng
Original Collection
LGBTQ in Montana Oral History Interviews, OH-493, Archives & Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, University of Montana
Digital Publisher
University of Montana--Missoula. Mansfield Library
Rights
Copyright to this collection is held by the interview participants and by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula. Permission may be required for use. For further information please contact Archives and Special Collections: (406) 243-2053 / library.archives@umontana.edu
Oral History Number
OH 493-003
Media Type
Sound; Text
Original Format
audio/mp3; application/pdf
Digital Format
audio/mp3; application/pdf
Run Time
01:22:29 minutes
Local Filename
OH_493_003_audio_use.mp3; OH_493_003_transcript.pdf
Citation
Williams, Mary Jane, "MJ Williams Interview, April 11, 2019" (2019). LGBTQ in Montana Oral History Interviews. 3.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/lgbtqmontana_oralhistory/3