A history of the lambda

Loading details...

You do not have the permission to view Original image

Title A history of the lambda

Creator Michaux & Co. (creator)

Contributor Coll2018-001 ONE Archives LGBTQ Poster Collection (provenance)

Publisher University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Subject Gay culture (subject), Semiotics (subject)

Tags oai:digitallibrary.usc.edu:one,OAI-PMH Harvest

Type images

Format 1 print : lithograph, color (format), image/tiff (imt), posters (aat), sheet 64 x 42 cm (poster format). (format)

Language English

Source ONE Archives: Posters and Graphic Materials (subcollection), ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives (collection), University of Southern California (contributing entity)

Relation References Online Archive of California: https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c89p37jd/ (references)

Repository Email askone@usc.edu

Repository Name ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives

Repository Location 909 West Adams Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, 90007; phone (213) 821-2771

Rights This item is protected by copyright. Copyright holder is unknown, unidentifiable or unlocatable. For more information, see https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-RUU/1.0/?language=en

Access Conditions This online display has been made possible by a generous grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources. For access to the physical items, contact ONE Archives at askone@usc.edu; or...

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/one-c4-46472

Identifier map-case 5.4 (box), P03026 (call number), one-2018001-p03026~01.tif (filename), one-c4-46472 (legacy record id)

IIIF ID [Document.IIIFV3ID]

DM Record ID 46472

Unique identifier UC12336521

Legacy Identifier one-2018001-p03026~01.tif

Type Image

Internet Media Type image/tiff

Resolution 16.3 in × 24.2 in at 300dpi
41.4 cm × 61.7 cm at 300dpi

Transcript (If available)

Content

A History of the Lambda

Lambda, the eleventh lower-case letter of the Greek alphabet, is the forerunner of our letter “L”.

) ) ay) Originally, the letter was a picture symbol for the scales

often seen being carried by the figure of Justice. » With the passage of time,

y Yee. AY; the lambda bore less of a visual resemblance to a scales, and

its meaning became more abstract
4B, 23 the concept or qualities of balance.
The Greeks believed that balance

was a reconciliation between two opposites,

\
and as such /))

\

was not a Stable state

SS

but one needing continuous adjustment.

Finally, due to the influence of Greek philosophy, the lambda emerged as it appears in modern day form; the small hook was added

\
to the base of the letter to indicate on: [1] that some form of action was necessary
SN

to bring about a state of equilibrium, and! [2] that constant action was necessary;to maintain that state once it had been achieved.

The ancient Spartans adopted the lambda as a symbol of their unity. Worn as a logo on their shields,

to be totally free and independent.
They also thought that each individual must be bound to society
f individual choice and desire. But, each Spartan recognized that only in a common bond
ae ee
could rere]! || LM to preserve their existence as a free and equal people.

As Rome rose to conquered the then known world, v)

0
borrowed many things of value from the Greek culture. === Among these was the lambda!
Owing to the fact that the Romans saw the overall! shape 1 of the lambda as suggestive of a flame,
a it was used as the symbol for “lampas”——— —their Latin word for torch.

In our day, scientists seeking a symbol for the wavelength of light ‘o> [to set up an equation]

z and the lambda, because of its connection with the torch, was chosen

The lambda’s most recent historical association ——-—-—with light——-— began to take on an added meaning, one of a social nature.
As a symbol of freedom for gay people,
the lambda has come to represent the

“light of knowledge shed into the darkness of ignorance”

and promises hope of a new future, with dignity, for gay men and women everywhere. Today, the lambda is recognized
© 9 for sexual liberation; for justice and enlightenment;
4 in acceptance of differences

all humanity.

© 1975 Michaux & Co.

Inherited Values

Title ONE Archives: Posters and Graphic Materials

Description ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives is the oldest active Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning (LGBTQ) organization in the United States and the largest repository of LGBTQ materials in the world. Founded in 1952, ONE Archives currently houses over two million archival items including periodicals, books, film, video and audio recordings, photographs, artworks, organizational records and personal papers.

A small subset of this material has been digitized and is available online.

For additional information about the Archives, please see our Website (https://one.usc.edu/).

ONE Archives’ digital collections have been made possible by generous support from the California State Library (https://www.library.ca.gov), the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) (https://www.clir.org/), The GRAMMY Foundation (https://www.grammy.com/grammy-foundation), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) (https://www.neh.gov/), ONE Archives Foundation (https://www.onearchives.org), and a USC Libraries Dean's Challenge Grant.

Linked assets

ONE Archives: Posters and Graphic Materials

Conceptually similar

Similar tones