Jim Andris, Facebook

Cea Hearth/Glenda Dilley/Adrienne Rae

A life as activist songwriter, healer, educator, and shamana

This three ring binder contains a record of some of the activities as gay and lesbian activist of Cea Hearth. Cea is also a person of many dimensions. She is a songwriter, healer/shamana, and an educator. Cea has had other names, principally Glenda Dilley (her birth name) and Adrienne Rae (her name as a gay activist in the late 1970’s early 1980’s. Cea says that she started the Magnolia Committee, which further historical research may validate.

In 1977 Cea (then Glenda Dilley) was a student at the University of Missouri Columbia. Some years before 1977, Lawrence A. Eggleston, a member of the group designated as “Gay Lib,” and an employee of UM Columbia had filed in lower court a suit demanding that the University recognize their student group. This case had made its way through the courts, and on Feb. 17, 1977 was filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit. On June 8, 1977, the Eighth Circuit Court rendered its decision that the First Amendment required the University of Missouri Columbia to recognize the gay and lesbian student organization. (558 F. 2d 848) The University of Missouri appealed this decision to the U. S. Supreme Court, which refused to hear the appeal on Feb. 21, 1978.

On Aug. 6, 2010, I sat down with Cea Hearth and interviewed her for about half an hour, asking several question about her life in the 1970’s and 1980’s as a gay activist, singer/song writer, and healer.

Cea says she was the president of this organization (Gay Lib, although she gives a different name for it in the interview) when the decision was handed down, and led the group, along with about 20 others, in a walk from the Episcopal Center, a few blocks from UM, to the University. On September 29, 1978, Gay Pride Week was held at the University of Missouri Columbia. I base that date on information found on p. 18 of the undated Issue Number 1 of Gaylife, which issue also contains photographs and interviews from that meeting. I have included in this folder articles from that first issue of Gaylife supporting this claim.

Cea then came to St. Louis in 1979 to begin work in her chosen profession, and felt that she had to “go back into the closet.” She adopted the name “Adrienne Rae” for this purpose. She says that the first meeting of the Magnolia Committee was held at her apartment on Magnolia Street in October of 1979. She was heavily involved in the structuring and formation of the Magnolia Committee, and especially contributed the ideas of gaining the support of other marginalized groups and of making the pride celebration on April 20, 1980 into a “walk for charity,” to symbolize both peaceful and helpful intent.

On Dec. 14, 1980, Cea (Glenda) gave a concert of 17 of her songs on topics ranging from feminism and gay activism through the struggles of living to pagan goddesses, altogether a fascinating and well-presented concert. It was held in the home of Frank Sprayberry at his apartment on Arsenal St. in St. Louis.
In order that Cea Hearth receive the recognition as an activist and songwriter that I think she deserves, I have pulled together a number of resources in this three ring binder, that may allow the user to explore this vital time period some thirty years ago.
Table of Contents
CD: An Interview of Cea Hearth
An interview conducted by Jim Andris on Aug. 6, 2010 of Cea Hearth
plus an original song by Jim Andris, “Glenda.”

CD: The Evolution of Adrienne Rae
A concert given by Glenda Dilley on Dec. 14, 1980.
A copy of the 3 page, legal-sized handout that accompanied the Dec. 14, 1980 concert containing the lyrics of songs and original drawings.
A copy of parts of the undated GAYLIFE, Issue Number 1, which I believe to have been published in 1978. 

• Included are the cover, the table of contents page, and documents related to the Gay Pride Weekend held at University of Missouri, Columbia Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, 1978, in the wake of the U. S. Supreme Court upholding of the suit between Gay Lib, the gay student organization at UM Columbia and the University.
• Robinson, Sue, “Celebration, through a woman’s eye”
• Centerfold spread of people involved in the Gay Pride Celebration, including Cea Hearth (then Glenda Dilley). She is the woman in the second picture from the top on the left side of the spread.
• Moon, Galen, “Celebration, through a man’s eye”

A copy of the Schedule of Events for the first St. Louis Celebration of Lesbian and Gay Pride.

A copy of my eyewitness report of the Walk for Charity held in St. Louis, Missouri on April 20, 1980.  It was written the day of the walk. Of note here is page 4 of the article, which describes the performance of Cea Hearth (then Adrienne Rae) at the Walk for Charity.

While I have assembled these materials solely for historical purposes, any financial gain from their use should be with my permission or the permission of Cea Hearth. Cea can be found on facebook or through me. (jandris@mac.com)