(DRAG QUEEN CULTURE)
A selection of 17 movie stills from "The Queen." Silver copy prints, the images measuring approximately 178x229 mm; 7x9 inches, the sheets 203x254 mm; 8x10 inches, each with the printed title, release date, and production members on recto; accompanied by an original newspaper advertisement for the film. 1968.This 1968 documentary directed by Frank Simon and featuring Flawless Sabrina depicted the experiences of the drag queens organizing and participating in the 1967 Miss All-America Camp Beauty Contest at New York City's Town Hall. The film was America's first look at the subculture of drag, predating Paris is Burning and setting the stage for the drag queen culture of the 1970s and beyond. "The Queen" also featured Crystal LaBeija, who makes it the final round of the competition, and accuses the Flawless Sabrina of favoring the white contestants. Prior to the competition, LaBeija was one only a few African American drag queens to be awarded a "Queen of the Ball" title at a drag ball, and, deciding not to continue participating in a disciminatory system, she worked with another Black drag queen, Lottie LaBeija, to host a ball for Black queens. Their first event was the first to be hosted by a House, for which the term was coined. Cyrstal LaBeija would become the founder of the House of LaBeija and had a foundational role in the formation of "Houses" and underground ball culture.