About

TONI ARMSTRONG JR.

Toni Armstrong Jr. – lesbian-feminist cultural organizer and lifelong educator – began her activism as a teen at Eisenhower High School in Blue Island, Illinois. She took on her first LGBT leadership role in 1974 when she became co-president of the then-new Gay People’s Alliance at Illinois State University. Discovering women’s music in 1975 at the second National Women’s Music Festival, she threw herself into creating and developing nationwide women’s music and culture networks, activities, and publications. Her photos have appeared on album covers, as well as in books, documentary films, and periodicals. She has participated in women’s music as an organizer, musician, events producer, workshop presenter/speaker, magazine publisher, archivist, fundraiser, and more.

Her mottos are “Together we shall go far” and “The world is big enough for all of us. First do no harm.”

Toni Jr. is widely acknowledged as one of the foremost experts on lesbian-feminist women’s music and culture in the United States.

WOMEN’S MUSIC AND CULTURE

Toni Jr.’s involvements in women’s music and culture include being a musician, events producer, photographer, publisher, workshop presenter, archivist, craftswoman (with HOT WIRE), festival worker, and builder of networks. She started attending women’s music festivals in 1975 and hasn’t stopped yet.

Learned banjo from Ginni Clemmens in Chicago (1970s)
Co-publisher/writer/photographer, Paid My Dues: A Journal of Women and Music (Calliope Publishing, 1977-1980)
Founder/publisher/researcher, We Shall Go Forth/Women’s Music Plus: Directory of Resources in Women’s Music (1977-1995)
Played bass on anthology album Gay & Straight Together: first recording of “Surprise (I’m a Lesbian)” with Paula Walowitz (Open Door Records, 1980)
Co-founder/co-coordinator, “Music Industry Conference” and “Women Writers Conference” at National Women’s Music Festival (1980s)
Concert producer, Mountain Moving Coffeehouse for Womyn and Children in Chicago (1980s-2003)
Co-founder/publisher/writer/photographer/managing editor, HOT WIRE: The Journal of Women’s Music and Culture (Empty Closet Enterprises, 1984-1994)
Played bass on album Paula Walowitz: Last Night at School Street (cassette release, 1990)
Founder/publisher, Long-Time Friends newsletter about/for veterans of the lesbian feminist women’s music industry (sporadic, 1990s-present)
  Played bass in several lesbian bands, including Lavender Jane (Kay Gardner and Alix Dobkin), Surrender Dorothy (Paula Walowitz, Laurie Lee Moses, Jane Kreinberg), the Dental Damsels and The Old Cronies (various Chicago women), Starkissed lesbian punk band (Karin Pritikin), and with Chicago’s Artemis Singers Lesbian Feminist Chorus (1979-2006)
Played bass at Carnegie Hall with Lavender Jane (Kay Gardner and Alix Dobkin) as part of the Stonewall 25 festivities (1994), as well as on the night stages at East Coast Lesbians Festival and Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival (1990s)
Coordinator, Chicago weekend recording session of “Together, Proud and Strong” anthem for March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights – participated in group sing of the anthem on the steps of Congress in Washington, D.C. and was on cover of calendar (1993)
Played bass on anthology album High Risk: Chicago Women Sing Out for Lesbian Community Cancer Project, “Solid Ground” with Surrender Dorothy (Outlines, 1999)
Presenter in New York City for the GLAMAs – Gay and Lesbian Music Awards (1999)
Played bass on Mimi (Mosa) Baczewska’s album Turning Tide (Mimosa Records, 2002)
Co-producer, “Women, Womyn, Grrls, and Kings” mini-festival on how lesbian-feminist music changed the course of American history, at Chicago Historical Society (now Chicago History Museum); it was the first time any mainstream historical society had given women’s music the official endorsement (2004)
Played bass as part of Mountain Moving Coffeehouse’s finale-night extravaganza in Chicago, on bill with Deidre McCalla, Kristin Lems, Jorjet Harper, Paula Walowitz, Laurie Benz, Diana Laffey, Trisha Alexander, Laurie Lee Moses, and Kathy Munzer (2005)
Producer, “Legends of Women’s Music” concert, part of Gay Games VII in Chicago, featuring Holly Near, Teresa Trull & Barbara Higbie, Nedra Johnson, Vickie Shaw (2006)
Concert and conference producer, Empty Closet Productions in Palm Beach County, Florida (2009-present)
Initiator of/co-researcher for nationwide drive to encourage lesbian-feminist women’s music industry members to donate their archival materials to safe spaces. Recommendations: Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College (Northampton, Massachusetts); or Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe, Harvard University (Cambridge, Massachusetts); or June Mazer Lesbian Archives (Los Angeles, California); or Michigan State University lesbian feminist collection (East Lansing, Michigan); or Gerber-Hart Library (Chicago)
The Land: Starting in 2016, Toni Jr. was instrumental in launching, promoting, and raising funds for the nonprofit that would become We Want the Land Coalition (WWTLC). The WWTLC motto is “For women. For girls. Forever.” Garnering widespread support from thousands of women, the group purchased the 651 acres of pristine forest and fernland where the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival was held until 2015. She recruited and serves on the original Advisory Board, and has continued to help fundraise for and promote the female-centric gatherings that happen there every summer. She currently serves as team leader for the WWTLC Name a Tree program.
Co-producer, “Welcome Home Week,” the first event to be held on The Land after the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival (2019)
Interviewed, “Edition 98: Women’s Music & Culture in the Wood of Michigan,” Women’s Liberation Radio News podcast (June 6, 2024)
Contributor, Women’s music obituaries to Lesbian Connection magazine (ongoing)
Workshop presenter at festivals and other venues, “Lesbian Vampyres to Watch Out For” and “Name That Tune: 50+ Years of Women’s Music” and “The Land: For Women, For Girls, Forever” and “Let’s Play LEZBO!” (ongoing)
Maintains current list of women’s music industry women who have died – see “Gone But Not Forgotten” section of the HOT WIRE website (ongoing)
Coordinator/researcher, “In Memoriam” annual slideshow at the National Women’s Music Festival (ongoing)

PHOTOGRAPHY

More than 500 of Toni Jr.’s photos have been published since the early 1970s, on album covers as well as in films, magazines, and books.

Dwight D. Eisenhower yearbook (1972)
Official photographer for several women’s festivals (1980s-2000s)
Honey on My Lips (Pam Hall album cover, Fabulous Records, 1992)
Lesbian Culture: An Anthology (Julia Penelope & Susan Wolfe book, The Crossing Press, 1993)
Backstage Pass: Interviews with Women in Music (Laura Post book, New Victoria Publishers, 1997)
Dance the Spiral Dance (Ubaka Hill album cover, Ladyslipper, 1998)
Testify (Nedra Johnson album cover, Big Mouth Girl, 1998)
Eden Built by Eves: The Culture of Women’s Music Festivals (Dr. Bonnie Morris book, Alyson Books, 1999)
Radical Harmonies (Dee Mosbacher documentary film about women’s music, Woman Vision, 2002)
Revenge of the Women’s Studies Professor (Dr. Bonnie Morris book cover, Indiana University Press, 2009)
Lesbian Connection (“Happy 86-Year-Old Lesbian, Toni Armstrong Sr.” magazine cover, Elsie Publications, 2012)
Women’s music retrospective photo exhibit and auction at National Women’s Music Festival (2016)
Holly Near: Singing for Our Lives (documentary film, Jim Brown Productions/ American Masters Pictures, 2018)
An Army of Lovers: Women’s Music of the ‘70s and ‘80s (Jamie Anderson book, Bella Books, 2019)
No Walls and the Recurring Dream (Ani DiFranco book, Penguin Random House, 2019)
Lesbian Connection (Nedra Johnson magazine cover, Elsie Publications, 2020)
Untouchable Girls: The Topp Twins Story (Jools and Lynda Topp book, A&U New Zealand, 2023)
We Can Live Like This: A Memoir of a Culture (Lisa Vogel book, BillieBooks, 2024)
Olivia Records – title TBD (upcoming documentary film)
Photographer for HOT WIRE, Paid My Dues, Windy City Times, Outlines, Blacklines, and other lesbian, feminist, and LGBT publications (1970s-present)
Photos have appeared in WWTLC calendars (2020s)

PRODUCTION

Toni Jr. has produced hundreds of music and theater events (including large-venue concerts, church-basement shows, and house concerts) in Chicago with Mountain Moving Coffeehouse, and since 2009 with her own Empty Closet Enterprises in Palm Beach County, Florida. She also has organized several large networking gatherings, conferences, and community parties.

Co-founder/co-coordinator, “Music Industry Conference” and “Women Writers Conference” at National Women’s Music Festival (1980s)
Concert producer, Mountain Moving Coffeehouse for Womyn and Children, and her own Empty Closet Enterprises, in Chicago (1980s-2000s)
Co-producer, “Club Vampire” lesbian party events with Pam Keesey, at WisCon feminist science fiction conventions (1990s)
Co-producer, “GLSEN Midwest Conference on Ending Homophobia in the K-12 Schools.” Presenters/participants included educators, students, activists, administrators, and politicians; entertainers included Dr. Bonnie Morris (Revenge of the Women’s Studies Professor), Dos Fallopia (Lisa Koch/Peggy Platt), and Seraiah Carol (1996)
Producer, “Ubaka Hill Drumsong Orchestra” weekends (Chicago, 1990s-2000s)
Co-founder/co-producer, “Lesbian Capricorn Parties” (legendary) with Tracy Baim, in Chicago and then in Palm Beach County starting 2006 (1980s-present)
Co-producer, day-long symposium event for Chicagoland students on how to deal with people who use religion as an anti-gay weapon. Presenters included Jewish rabbi, Catholic nun, Mennonite peacemaker, Muslim gay man, Hindu student, various Christians (2000)
Co-producer, “Women, Womyn, Grrls, and Kings” mini-festival on how lesbian-feminist music changed the course of American history, Chicago Historical Society (now Chicago History Museum); it was the first time any mainstream historical society had given women’s music the official endorsement. Performers/presenters included Toni Armstrong Jr., Dr. Bonnie Morris, Ubaka Hill/Drumsong Orchestra, Lin Daniels, Dr. Kristin Lems, Jackie Anderson, Artemis Singers, Surrender Dorothy, Mia Park/Kim, Chicago Kings, Pat McCombs, Paula Gee (2004)
Producer, “Legends of Women’s Music” concert, part of Gay Games VII in Chicago, featuring Holly Near, Teresa Trull & Barbara Higbie, Nedra Johnson, Vickie Shaw (2006)
Concert producer (house concerts, conferences, and community venues), Empty Closet Productions in Palm Beach County, Florida (2009-present)
Producer, “Women’s Music Industry 40-Year Reunion,” National Women’s Music Festival (2015)
Co-founder/co-producer, “Black Women Rise” national conferences in Palm Beach County, Florida. Presenters/performers included Dr. Angela Davis, Judge Helen Whitener, Jewelle Gomez, Tananarive Due, Jewelle Gomez, Karen Williams, C.C. Carter, Nedra Johnson, Ubaka Hill, Danielle Allen, Nadine Smith, Dr. Delores Walters, May Reign, Dr. Yvonne Welbon, Laura Irene Wayne, Chanice Lee, Vera Palmer, Bonnie Glover, and many more (2017 and 2018)
Co-producer, “Welcome Home Week,” the first event to be held on The Land with WWTLC after the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival (2019)
Producer, “Women’s Music Industry 50-Year Reunion,” National Women’s Music Festival (2026)

PUBLICATIONS & EDITING

Toni Jr. has published magazines, created women’s music industry trade directories, and written for, edited, and/or indexed several books and publications. She has also been featured, mentioned, quoted, or referenced in several books and countless magazine articles.

Editor, Senior yearbook, Eisenhower H.S., Blue Island, Illinois (1972)
Co-publisher/writer, Paid My Dues: A Journal of Women and Music (Calliope Publishing, 1977-1980)
Founder/publisher, We Shall Go Forth/Women’s Music Plus: Directory of Resources in Women’s Music (1977-1995)
Co-founder/publisher/writer/managing editor, HOT WIRE: The Journal of Women’s Music and Culture (Empty Closet Enterprises, 1984-1994)
Founding staff member of both Windy City Times and Outlines newspapers in Chicago (1980s-1990s)
Typesetter/copy editor, GayLife and Outlines newspapers (1980s-1990s)
Writer, “Lesbian Music Hotmix” column (Windy City Times, 1990s)
Featured in Gay and Lesbian Library Service (Cal Gough and Ellen Greenblatt book, McFarland, 1990)
Founder/publisher, Long-Time Friends newsletter for veterans of the lesbian feminist women’s music industry (1990s-present, sporadic)
Featured in Lesbian Culture: An Anthology (Julia Penelope & Susan Wolfe book, The Crossing Press, 1993)
Featured in The Woman-Centered Economy: Ideals, Reality, and the Space In Between (Loraine Edwalds & Midge Stocker book, Third Side Press, 1995)
Editor, first draft, Sounding the Inner Landscape: Music as Medicine (Kay Gardner book, Element Books, 1997)
Featured in Eden Built by Eves: The Culture of Women’s Music Festivals (Dr. Bonnie Morris book, Alyson Books, 1999)
Surveys editor and indexer for the Chicago Gay History Project (2008-2014)
Featured in Out and Proud in Chicago (Tracy Baim book, Agate Surrey, 2008)
Featured in Songs in Black and Lavender: Race, Politics, and Women’s Music (Eileen M. Hayes book, University of Illinois Press, 2010)
Featured in MOM: A Tribute to Mothers of LGBTs (Tracy Baim book, CreateSpace, 2012)
Featured in Gay Press, Gay Power: The Growth of LGBT Community Newspapers in America (Tracy Baim book, Prairie Avenue Productions/Windy City Media, 2012)
Featured in Barbara Gittings: Gay Pioneer (Tracy Baim & Kay Lahusen book, Prairie Avenue Productions/Windy City Media, 2015)
Featured in The Disappearing L: Erasure of Lesbian Spaces and Culture (Dr. Bonnie Morris book, SUNY Press, 2016)
Featured in Game Changers: Twenty Lesbians You Should Know About (Robin Lowey book, Epochalips Books, 2017)
Featured in Rubymusic: A Popular History of Women’s Music and Culture (Connie Kuhns book, Caitlin Press, 2023)
Featured in Something About the Women: Five Decades of Seeing – (Irene Young book, Irene Young Books, 2024)

FILMS & VIDEOS

Toni Jr. has been involved in donating photos, funding, co-producing, working on crews, promoting, and/or providing other support for several independent film ventures.

Living With Pride: Ruth Ellis @ 100 (Dr. Yvonne Welbon documentary, Our Film Works, 1999)
Radical Harmonies (Dee Mosbacher documentary about women’s music, Woman Vision, 2002)
Hannah Free (Sharon Gless feature-length film, Ripe Fruit Films, 2009)
Mighty Times: The Legacy of Rosa Parks (documentary, Tell the Truth Pictures, 2009)
Bullied (documentary about anti-gay school violence, Bill Brummel Productions, 2010)
Out of Service (short film about ROTC discrimination against lesbians, 2011)
Keeper of the Beat: A Woman’s Journey into the Heart of Drumming (documentary about Barbara Borden, Pulse of Peace Pictures, 2012)
Holly Near: Singing for Our Lives (documentary film, Jim Brown Productions/American Masters Pictures, 2018)
At Last (short film, lesbian theme, Jack Morgan Films/Lights Out Productions, 2020)
Jamie & Jessie Are Not Together (Wendy Jo Carlton feature-length film, Juicy Planet Pictures, 2011)
Olivia Records (title TBD; upcoming documentary)

ORGANIZATIONS

Toni Jr. has been involved with a wide variety of organizations, including those focused on lesbian/gay rights, civil rights, anti-racism, and pushing the boundaries for lesbian visibility, as well as creating fun. Most of her life’s work has gleefully been “by, for, and about women.”

Illinois State University, Gay Peoples Alliance (co-president, 1973-1976) and lesbian support group (co-organizer, 1974-1976)
Color Triangle LGBT anti-racism leadership coalition, Chicago (steering committee member, 1990s-2000s)
GLSTN/GLSEN Chicago (steering committee member, conference/event organizer, youth leadership development director, 1995-2003)
Leaping Lesbians Skydiving Club (founder/director, Chicago and Palm Beach County, Florida)
WACT – Women of All Colors/Cultures Together (member and host, Chicago and Palm Beach County, Florida)
Amazon Lesbian Red Hat Sisterhood, the first openly lesbian Red Hat Society chapter in the U.S., active in Chicago (founder, 2004)
BLAST (Bi, Lesbian and Straight Together) Women of the Palm Beaches (founder/managing director, 2008)
O.U.T. LGBT coalition, later renamed Florida Together (helped launch in 2006-2010)
We Want the Land Coalition/WWTLC (helped launch in 2016, Advisory Board member, team leader of Name a Tree program)

GLSEN/GLSTN – VISIBILITY & EQUALITY IN THE K-12 SCHOOLS

From 1995-2003, Toni Jr. was involved in the movement to advance LGBT visibility and equality in the K-12 schools, especially in Chicago and throughout the Midwest, via the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). The original name was Gay, Lesbian and Straight Teachers Network (GLSTN); it changed to GLSEN in 1997.

Spearheaded the successful years-long campaign to establish Gay-Straight Alliance high school clubs in the Chicagoland area
Co-coordinator, monthly support group for teachers and other school workers
Creator (with Miguel Ayala and GLSEN), first national networking alliance of GSAs in the U.S.
Founder/co-coordinator, twice-yearly GLSEN Chicago Youth Leadership Summits
Founder/co-producer, “GLSEN Midwest Conference on Ending Homophobia in the K-12 Schools” (1996)
Founder/co-coordinator, GLSEN Chicago Youth Scholarships annual program, networking with several LGBT organizations to provide the funds and event
Producer, day-long symposium event for Chicagoland students on how to deal with people who use religion as an anti-gay weapon (2000)
Liaison with Metro History Fair, coordinator of awards for lesbian/gay projects by students
Liaison with PFLAG – Parents Friends and Family of Lesbians and Gays
Chaperone, LGBT youth dances in Chicago sponsored by Fuel Youth and later Synergy/Howard Brown
Coordinator, Out of the Past film premiere in Chicago, featuring live appearances by film stars Barbara Gittings and Kelli Peterson (2002)
Radio appearances on behalf of GLSEN included WBEZ Public Radio, Windy City Radio/Windy City Queercast, and LesBiGay Radio
The GLSEN Chicago Pathfinder Award was named after Toni Jr. (2003)

BLAST WOMEN OF THE PALM BEACHES

In 2008, Toni Jr. created a community-building organization called BLAST (Bi, Lesbian, and Straight Together) Women of the Palm Beaches via the meetup.com platform. Since its inception, BLAST has attracted more than 5,000 members.

BLAST sponsors more than 200 events/gatherings per year specifically “by, for, and about women in Palm Beach County.”
BLAST events include, but are not limited to, house concerts, anti-racism workshops, game nights (including LEZBO), pagan rituals, cigar lounge lizards, snorkeling/beach parties, book clubs, movie screenings, Queens Rule Poker Club, BLAST Travel Club, HOWLs (Hanging Out With Lesbians), dances, happy hours, discussion groups, watch parties (elections, Super Bowl, Oscars), kayaking, nature walks, holiday celebrations, Mothers Day memorial brunches, community service, lectures, parties, supporting the creative endeavors of our members (art, music, theater), and much more.
BLAST annual tournaments include, but are not limited to, axe throwing, cards (Texas Hold’em, Swish, Hearts), Left Right Center, pool, craps, bowling, Mexican Train dominoes, archery, Sudoku, Oscar predictions, an annual spelling bee, and others as members decide to organize.
BLAST networks with several women’s groups in Palm Beach County, including Democratic Women’s Club, Mothers Against Murderers Association (MAMA), Palm Beach County NOW, South Florida Lesbians Loving Life, Compass LGBT Center, Dance Party 3X, St. Andrews Episcopal Church Arts Program, Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC), and local universities/colleges that present lesbian or feminist programming.

HONORS

1980s-present – Received various awards from several women’s festivals over many years, including the prestigious National Women’s Music Festival Jane Schliessman Award for Outstanding Contributions to Women’s Music (2015)
Inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame (1996)
GLSEN Chicago Pathfinder Award named after her (2003)
Named as one of the Gay Games 100 Champions (2006)
Awarded the Feminist Veterans of America Medal of Honor (2009)
Selected as one of South Florida Gay News’s first “OUT 50” (2014)
Honored by Compass and Dramaworks Theatre as part of The Legacy Project, Palm Beach County (2019)

EDUCATION & TEACHING CAREER

Dwight D. Eisenhower H.S., Blue Island (1972)
Illinois State University (Normal, Illinois), BS, Special Education (1976)
Northeastern Illinois University (Chicago), MA, Special Education (1984)
Special Education professional: Orland Park Junior High (teacher, 1976-1978); Maine East H.S. in Park Ridge, Illinois (teacher, program facilitator, LD diagnostician, 1978-2006)
Maine East H.S. Sign Language Club (founder and advisor)
Maine East H.S. Special Education Student Council (founder and advisor)
Maine East H.S. Gay Straight Alliance (founder and co-advisor)

CONTACT

Email: toniajr@icloud.com