Ruth Ellis (activist)

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Ruth Ellis
Ellis in 1951
Born
Ruth Charlotte Ellis

(1899-07-23)July 23, 1899
Springfield, Illinois, U.S.
DiedOctober 5, 2000(2000-10-05) (aged 101)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
EducationSpringfield High School
Occupation(s)Printer
LGBT activist
Years active1937–2000

Ruth Charlotte Ellis (July 23, 1899 – October 5, 2000) was an American LGBT rights activist and the one of the oldest surviving open lesbians at the age of 101.[1] Her life is celebrated in Yvonne Welbon's documentary film Living With Pride: Ruth C. Ellis @ 100.[2]

Early life

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Ellis was born in Springfield, Illinois, on July 23, 1899. She was the youngest of four children and the only girl. Ellis' mother, Carrie Farro Ellis, died when she was a teen, while her father, Charles Ellis Sr., was the first African-American mail carrier in Illinois.[3][4]

Ellis became open about her identity as a lesbian around 1915, but claims to never have had to come out, as her family was accepting.[3][5] She graduated from Springfield High School in 1919, at a time when fewer than seven percent of African Americans graduated from secondary school. In the 1920s, she met the only woman she ever lived with, Ceciline "Babe" Franklin. They moved together to Detroit, Michigan, in 1937.[1]

Career

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Ellis worked for a printing company in the 1920s. She learned printing and typesettingwhile working at Black-owned print shop I.E. Foster & Co.[5]

She moved to Detroit in 1937 to babysit a young boy in Highland Park, for $7 a week.[6]

She then got a printing position with Waterfield and Heath, where she worked until opening her own press out of the West Side home she shared with Franklin.[3][7] Her printing business, the Ellis & Franklin Printing Co., was the first woman-owned printing shop in the state of Michigan.[8][9]

Personal life

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Her hobbies included dance, bowling, painting, piano, and photography.[5] Ellis and Franklin's house was also known in the African-American community as the "gay spot,"[10][11] a central location for gay and lesbian parties, particularly as a refuge for African-American gays and lesbians.[12] She often supported those who needed books, food, or assistance with college tuition.[3]

Ellis and Franklin were together for over 30 years before separating in 1975, around the same time Ellis suffered a heart attack on her way to work.[7]

Death

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Ellis was hospitalized in 2000 for two weeks with heart problems, but wanted to spend her last days at home. She died in her sleep in the early morning of October 5, 2000.[13] Her ashes were spread in the following Michigan Womyn's Music Festival and in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Ghana.[3]

Recognition

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Ellis became a staple at the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival soon after it began.[14] On her 100th birthday, she was sung "Happy Birthday" by the San Francisco Dyke March of 1999, which she led.[3]

Ellis has been recognized in major LGBT publications across the country.[3][6][14][10] A documentary movie about her was made called Living With Pride: Ruth Ellis @ 100.[11] The film won several awards at film festivals.[15] In 2009, Ellis was inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame.[4] In 2013, she was inducted into the Legacy Walk, an outdoor public display which celebrates LGBT history and people.[16]

Ellis was the oldest contributor to Piece of My Heart: A Lesbian of Colour Anthology, in which she was interviewed by Terri L. Jewell.[17][18]

Ruth Ellis Center

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Main article: Ruth Ellis Center

The Ruth Ellis Center honors the life and work of Ruth Ellis and is one of only four agencies in the United States dedicated to homeless LGBT youth and young adults. Among their services are a drop-in center, supportive housing programs, and an integrated Health and Wellness Center that provides medical and mental health care.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Huffman, Bryce (2020-02-03). "Hear what activist Ruth Ellis gave Detroit's LGBTQ community". Michigan Public. Retrieved 2025-09-14.
  2. ^ Yvonne Welbon (April 2, 2006). "Sisters in the Life!". Our Film Works. Archived from the original on February 19, 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-09.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Heath, Terrance (2019-02-13). "Over the course of 101 years, the nation's longest-lived lesbian was always out & proud". LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved 2019-07-22.
  4. ^ a b "First African-American mail carrier". The Sangamon County Historical Society. 2019-06-19. Retrieved 2019-07-22.
  5. ^ a b c "Ruth Ellis, lesbian activist". Sangamon County Historical Society. 2019-06-19. Retrieved 2019-07-22.
  6. ^ a b "LGBT History Month — Ruth Ellis: Age knew no bounds". Philadelphia Gay News. 2012-10-11. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
  7. ^ a b Michael, J. A. (October 10, 2009). "Reflecting on Ruth". Between the Lines. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  8. ^ "Meet the Presses: Ruth Ellis, Detroit printer and Black LGBTQ icon". Letterpress Play. 29 July 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  9. ^ Leonard, Lana (2024-03-28). "GLAAD and Equality Michigan Convene Community Advocates on Elevating Black Queer Visibility, Expanding Protections for LGBTQ People". GLAAD. Retrieved 2025-09-14.
  10. ^ a b Kincaid, Rachel (2014-03-21). "The House That Ruth Built". Autostraddle. Archived from the original on 2025-07-19. Retrieved 2025-09-14.
  11. ^ a b Vloet, Katie. "Living with Pride". University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library. Retrieved 2025-09-14.
  12. ^ "Ruth Ellis". Michigan Women Forward. Retrieved 2025-09-14.
  13. ^ Wilkinson, Kathleen (October 9, 2000). "Ruth Ellis". Curve Magazine. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2008-02-09.
  14. ^ a b Lyons, Michael (2017-03-07). "Ruth Ellis created space for gay and lesbian African Americans in the 1940–1960s". Xtra Magazine. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
  15. ^ "Living with Pride: Ruth C. Ellis @ 100". Frameline. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
  16. ^ "Ruth Ellis". Legacy Project Chicago. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
  17. ^ Jewell, Terri L. (1992). "Interview with Miss Ruth". In Silvera, Makeda (ed.). Piece of my heart: a lesbian of colour anthology: anthologized by Makeda Silvera. Sister Vision. pp. 149–154. ISBN 978-0-920813-65-2. OCLC 1154306488.
  18. ^ King, Adrian (2020-08-07). "Happy Birthday Ruth Ellis!". Archives and Black Digital Studies. Retrieved 30 May 2021.[dead link]
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