Seven books for World AIDS Day

December 1st is World AIDS Day, an international day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection and mourning those who have died of the disease.

In 2020 Laura Sackton tagged seven titles to help you brush up on your World AIDS Day history, books that are "full of inspiring stories about the bravery and determination of ordinary citizens in the face of a terrifying crisis," including:

Stand by Me by Jim Downs

The AIDS crisis in America came at a time when the burgeoning LGBTQIA rights moment was just starting to get mainstream media attention. Even now, there's a common belief that gay liberation began at the Stonewall Inn, and that the 1970s were solely about sexual freedom. In Stand by Me, historian Jim Downs revisits the 1970s, drawing a more nuanced picture of gay life. Drawing on documents and records from LGBTQ community centers in major cities, he tells the stories of gay people all over the country who came together to build communities. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of gay liberation before, during, and after the AIDS crisis.

Read about the other entries on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue