Due to his involvement with SDS in the late 1960's and the Gay Rights movement in the early 70's, the Greg Kamm papers are a highly valuable resource for scholars and citizens interested in the history of student activism in Michigan. The papers are especially important for understanding the evolution of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender rights in the state because Kamm, as cofounder of Kalamazoo Gay Liberation and an officer of the Gay Liberation Movement at MSU, was intimately involved with the movement in the years immediately succeeding the Stonewall riots. At the same time, materials related to Kamm's experiences abroad as a traveler and ESL teacher offer a Michigander's view of the world and his 31 years' worth of journals provide a fascinating insight into Kamm's transitions from activism to eastern philosophy and, ultimately, to the consolation of his early Catholicism. The Greg Kamm papers are divided into four series: Biographical Materials, Student Activism, Visual Materials, and Journals.
Gregory Curtis Kamm, the only child of Jack and Maxine Kamm, was born October 15, 1950 in Muskegon, MI. He attended Muskegon Catholic Central High School and there began a life-long attachment to Catholicism that was interrupted by deep spiritual doubts and questions during undergraduate and graduate studies. Michigan State University declined to accept Kamm upon his high school graduation and he instead entered Western Michigan University where he soon became involved with the New Left movement. He attended SDS meetings, contributed to the Western Activist (a publication produced by the group Students for Social Involvement (SSI)), and helped organize a large takeover of the WMU student center.
After being detained and referred to school authorities for his role in the student center events, Kamm's activism became focused on his involvement with the burgeoning Gay Rights movement. He helped co-found Kalamazoo Gay Liberation, the first known Gay Rights group in the city, and was an officer in Michigan State University's Gay Liberation Movement (GLM) after being admitted to graduate school. During his tenure at MSU, GLM solidified its place in history by helping to pass a progressive anti-discrimination ordinance in East Lansing.
After spending the summer of 1973 in New York City, Kamm grew disillusioned with elements in the Gay Rights movement and gradually cut off his affiliation with the Gay Liberation Movement and related organizations. He taught English as a Second Language (ESL) through the 1970's and early 80's and traveled widely; these two activities would remain constants for the remainder of his life. In 1985, Kamm began a stint with the Peace Corps and then worked as an ESL instructor in Thailand, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia. In between positions, he toured Southeast Asia, India, and Africa; served as a formal observer in free elections in Mozambique, South Africa, and Cambodia; and worked for UNESCO in Laos.
Greg Kamm died on June 3, 2008 in Saudi Arabia (where he was working at the time) after being hospitalized for several months due to complications from Hepatitis A contracted while he was on vacation in India in December 2007.
