The True Origin of National David Wojnarowicz Day
2,766 views · Published 27 November 2010 · 10:55 · Indexed 29 September 2026
Channel: John Thornton · 2010 · Education
How did National David Wojnarowicz Day come to be? Could a middle aged artist turned filmmaker have been inspired by the heroic struggles of a gay activist artist who died in 1992 to speak truth to power in 2010? The answer is a definitive YES! I love the students in this class. They are so open to art. We talked about David Wojnarowicz and looked at his work. I told them about David's difficult life, his abusive childhood, life on the streets as a prostitute, and then his becoming one of the most important artists of his generation. How he clashed with the US government over gay rights and how he tragically died of AIDS before effective treatments were developed. I read them the words of this artwork which is one of the most moving documents for human rights that I have ever seen. In the early days of my teaching here I had a gifted graphic design student named Anthony Milano. Shortly after he graduated from our school, Anthony was abducted by two men at a bar and brutally murdered. These men killed him for being gay. If you are watching this on Youtube, pause this and take the time to read David's words and maybe, like me, you'll think that Americans should pay tribute every year, the day before Thanksgiving to this great artist and human rights advocate. I propose National David Wojnarowicz Day.
