Remembering New Orleans LGBTQ+ Historian, Frank Perez
The Faerie Playhouse is mourning the loss of Frank Perez, Executive Director of the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana and author of the book Political Animal: The Life and Times of Stewart Butler. Frank dedicated himself to researching, documenting, and sharing LGBTQ+ history in New Orleans through his work as a writer, tour guide, and teacher.
The Faerie Playhouse is immensely grateful for Frank’s work and legacy. Among his countless contributions, he documented the life history of Stewart Butler. In 2013, Stewart, Frank, and friends co-founded the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana at Stewart’s home, The Faerie Playhouse.
Frank said, “Because Stewart called this meeting with a bunch of people, it was probably 30 people at that initial meeting. And he said ‘we need to preserve this history, what can we do?’, and we had a follow up meeting at his home with fewer people…and we met every month, once a month, at Stewart’s house on Esplanade Avenue to just kind of brainstorm and figure out what we could do.”
Frank and the Archives Project later supported the growth of The Faerie Playhouse into its own 501c3 organization. The organizations share two board members to ensure collaboration as we strive toward similar missions of preserving queer history in New Orleans.
Frank at The Faerie Playhouse at the book launch of Political Animal
The Archives Project shared, “Our hearts, now broken, are also filled with gratitude, as we know Frank's legacy will live on through the organization he helped start. We will honor him and the incredible life he lived by continuing our work and fulfilling our mission.”
Under Frank’s leadership, the Archives Project opened a New Orleans queer history exhibit space in the French Quarter earlier this year. You can visit them at 311 Burgundy Street.
Frank at the opening of the LGBT+ Archives Project exhibit space
Frank told The Gambit, “Visibility is more important than ever,…That is one of the things we feel very strongly about with the Archives Project is the governor is trying to erase us and make us invisible and it’s like f*ck you, we’re going to be more visible and open an exhibit space."
The Faerie Playhouse extends our deepest condolences to Frank’s partner Chris Trentacoste, his parents Louise McCann and Frank Perez, and to all who knew and loved this New Orleans giant.
Read more about Frank here.
From our board president, Eileen Tomczuk:
Frank Perez was an inspiration to me, as he was to so many. He welcomed me to the board of the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana and encouraged me to get involved with The Faerie Playhouse. Whether I was working alongside Frank, listening to his presentations, or just sitting next to him at the bar, I was sure to learn something new (history or gossip), laugh out loud, and fall even more deeply in love with New Orleans. I have always been passionate about queer history, but Frank helped show me that it is essential and urgent work that strengthens our communities and makes better futures possible. He also showed me that the work is even better when we take breaks, with a cocktail in hand, to chat with old and new friends.
I’m grateful I knew Frank. I will miss him. But even if I had never met him, his work would have had an impact on me. Frank’s innumerable accomplishments helped create a strong foundation on which current and future LGBTQ+ historians in New Orleans can build. As I grieve his passing, I look forward to the ways that his legacy—through the organizations he led, the books he published, the students he taught, and the friends he inspired—will continue to uplift and educate us.
