Valerie Solanas: The Defiant Life of the Woman Who Wrote SCUM

by Breanne Fahs

  76. Bud Vasconcellos, interview by Breanne Fahs, Phone, October 12, 2012. All Vasconcellos quotes are from this interview.

  77. The Ninth Street address was listed on Valerie’s Social Security documents. This building is now a western wear clothing shop. Records show that the Social Security Administration terminated her disability (SSI) payments at her Phoenix address in 1986 and she received these payments in San Francisco after that.

  78. Evarels, “Spooky Times at the Bristol Hotel.”

  79. Harron and Minahan, introduction to I Shot Andy Warhol, xxx.

  80. Boone, “‘Look on My Works.’”

  81. Smith, “The History of Zines”; Harron and Minahan, introduction to I Shot Andy Warhol, xxxi.

  82. Fustero, interview by Fahs, September 20, 2008.

  83. Boone, “‘Look on My Works.”

  84. Ultra Violet, interview by Fahs, April 17, 2012.

  85. Ultra Violet, Famous for 15 Minutes, 187–88.

  86. Ultra Violet, interview by Fahs, April 17, 2012.

  87. Ultra Violet, letter to Library of Congress Copyright Office, November 1, 1991, Ultra Violet personal collection, New York.

  88. Ultra Violet, recorded phone call with Valerie Solanas, November 1987, Breanne Fahs personal collection, Phoenix, AZ. In Ultra’s memory of this call, Valerie called herself Onz Loh, but the name was, in fact, Zno Hol, according to the tape recording.

  89. Ultra Violet, Famous for 15 Minutes, 188.

  90. Ultra Violet, interview by Fahs, April 17, 2012.

  91. Coroner’s Report, Valerie Solanas, San Francisco, April 25, 1988.

  92. Heinz Hoffman, “Police Report for the Death of Valerie Solanas,” File 388383170, San Francisco Police Department, April 25, 1988.

  93. Letter from Chief Medical Examiner Boyd G. Stephens to Ultra Violet, August 26, 1988, Ultra Violet personal collection, New York, confirms that Valerie did not die of AIDS. Also, according to mortician Christopher Brown, police should identify the date of death as an estimate of the actual date of death, not the date the victim was discovered. Given the weather conditions, presence of maggots, foul odor, likelihood of current drug use (which speeds up decomposition), and the fact that the window was closed, Valerie likely died on April 23, 1988 (see Christopher Brown, interview by Breanne Fahs, Phone, October 31, 2011). Taylor Mead, one of Warhol’s associates, in a style typical of the Warhol crowd, threw a “party-wake” at the Café Bizarre following news of Valerie’s death; see Guiles, Loner at the Ball, 309.

  94. Death Certificate, filed November 19, 1991, signed May 9, 1988. Valerie’s grave is located at St. Mary of Sorrows Catholic Church Cemetery, 5612 Ox Road, Fairfax Station, Virginia (number 14927731). For more information about this church, see “About the Church.”

  95. Coburn, “Valerie’s Gang,” 16.

  96. Solanas, SCUM Manifesto (Self-Published, 1977), 4.

  REFERENCES

  ARCHIVES AND PERSONAL COLLECTIONS

  Ti-Grace Atkinson personal collection, Cambridge, MA (TGA)

  Dobkin Collection, New York (D)

  Sallie Bingham Center for Women’s History and Culture, Duke University Archives, Durham, NC (DUA)

  Stephen Edelson Collection, Chicago

  Breanne Fahs personal collection, Phoenix, AZ (BF)

  Robert Fustero personal collection, Silver Spring, MD

  Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation Archive, New York (GV)

  Mary Harron personal collection, Brooklyn, NY (MH)

  Redstockings’ Organizational Collection, Redstockings Women’s Liberation Archives for Action, Gainesville, FL

  Ultra Violet personal collection, New York (UV)

  University of Missouri–St. Louis Archives, St. Louis, MO

  Andy Warhol Museum Archive, Pittsburgh, PA (AWMA)

  LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, MAJORITY REPORT, BY VALERIE SOLANAS

  Vol. 5, November 27–December 10, 1976.

  Vol. 6, January 8–21, 1977.

  Vol. 6, February 15–18, 1977.

  Vol. 6, February 19–March 4, 1977.

  Vol. 6, March 19– April 1, 1977.

  Vol. 6, April 2–15, 1977.

  Vol. 6, April 30–May 13, 1977.

  Vol. 7, May 28–June 10, 1977.

  Vol. 7, June 11–24, 1977.

  Vol. 7, June 23–August 5, 1977.

  Vol. 7, June 25–July 8, 1977.

  Vol. 7, August 16–29, 1977.

  UNPUBLISHED CORRESPONDENCE BY VALERIE SOLANAS

  “Valerie Solanas to Andy Warhol.” Letter. December 21, 1968. AWMA.

  “Valerie Solanas to ‘The Mob’.” Letter. August 1, 1971. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to ‘The Mob’.” Letter. March 3, 1973. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to ‘The Mob’.” Letter. September 2, 1977. UV.

  “Valerie Solanas to ‘The Mob’.” Letter. September 22, 1977. UV.

  “Valerie Solanas to Andy Warhol.” Letter. August 1, 1967. Andy Warhol Museum.

  “Valerie Solanas to Andy Warhol.” Letter. February 1, 1968. AWMA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Andy Warhol.” Letter. February 10, 1968. AWMA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Andy Warhol.” Letter. February 11, 1968. AWMA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Andy Warhol.” Letter. February 7, 1968. AWMA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Andy Warhol.” Letter. January 25, 1968. AWMA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Andy Warhol.” Letter. June 5, 1969. AWMA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Andy Warhol.” Letter. May 7, 1969. AWMA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Andy Warhol.” Letter. October 25, 1968. Andy Warhol Museum Archive.

  “Valerie Solanas to Andy Warhol.” Letter. September 24, 1968. AWMA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Andy Warhol.” Letter. undated. AWMA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Andy Warhol.” Letter. February 9, 1966. AWMA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Andy Warhol.” Letter. September 20, 1968. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Barney Rosset and Fred Jordan (‘the Mob’).” Letter. March 5, 1973. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Barney Rosset and Fred Jordan (‘the Mob’).” Letter. March 6, 1973. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Barney Rosset and Fred Jordan (‘the Mob’).” Letter. April 17, 1973. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Barney Rosset.” Letter. January 15, 1973. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Barney Rosset and Fred Jordan.” Letter. March 27, 1973. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Fred Jordan and Barney Rosset (‘the Mob’) at Grove Press.” Letter. March 23, 1973. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Fred Jordan and Barney Rosset (‘the Mob’) at Grove Press.” Letter. April 17, 1973. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Howard Smith.” Letter. July 29, 1977. D.

  “Valerie Solanas to Howard Smith.” Letter. September 27, 1968. D.

  “Valerie Solanas to Louis Solanas.” Letter. May 23, 1970. BF.

  “Valerie Solanas to Louis Solanas.” Postcard. June 29, 1967. Silver Spring, MD. Robert Fustero personal collection.

  “Valerie Solanas to Louis Solanas.” Postcard. June 14, 1967. Phoenix, AZ. BF.

  “Valerie Solanas to Mark Zussman.” Letter. July 9, 1977. UV.

  “Valerie Solanas to Mark Zussman (‘The Mob’).” Letter. August 1, 1977. D.

  “Valerie Solanas to Mark Zussman (‘The Mob’).” Postcard. August 1, 1977. D.

  “Valerie Solanas to Mark Zussman.” Postcard. August 9, 1977. Stephen Edelson Collection.

  “Valerie Solanas to Mark Zussman (‘The Mob’).” Letter. September 5, 1977. D.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Illegible date. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. April 15, 1969. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. April 26, 1969. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. April 4, 1969. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. August 12, 1968. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. A
ugust 25, 1968. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter 1. December 24, 1968. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter 2. December 24, 1968. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. February 7, 1968. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. February 18, 1968. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. January 29, 1968. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. January 5, 1969. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. January 2, 1970. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. January 5, 1970. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. January 17, 1970. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. July 18, 1968. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. July 20, 1968. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. July 29, 1968. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. July 9, 1968. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. June 29, 1968. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. June 7, 1968. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. March 2, 1969. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. October 11, 1968. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. September 27, 1968. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. June 28, 1968. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. September 27, 1969. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. Undated (circa July 1968). MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. Undated. AWMA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Robin Morgan.” Letter. October 10, 1970. DUA.

  “Valerie Solanas to ‘Mr. Ryan.’” Letter. August 4, 1977. D.

  “Valerie Solanas to Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz.” Letter. September 13, 1968. TGA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Ti-Grace Atkinson.” Letter. July 5, 1968. TGA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Ti-Grace Atkinson.” Letter. June 16, 1968. TGA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Ti-Grace Atkinson.” Letter. August 5, 1968. TGA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Ti-Grace Atkinson.” Letter. August 27, 1968. TGA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Ti-Grace Atkinson.” Letter. February 27, 1969. TGA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Ti-Grace Atkinson.” Letter. June 11, 1968. TGA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Ti-Grace Atkinson.” Letter. June 16, 1968. TGA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Ti-Grace Atkinson.” Letter. June 26, 1968. TGA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Ti-Grace Atkinson.” Letter. September 27, 1968. TGA.

  “Valerie Solanas to Village Voice Editors.” Letter. April 5, 1969. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Fred Jordan.” Letter. March 3, 1973. MH.

  “Valerie Solanas to Barney Rosset.” Letter. March 3, 1973. MH.

  OTHER UNPUBLISHED CORRESPONDENCE

  Atkinson, Ti-Grace. “Ti-Grace Atkinson to Guy Gravesen at Rampart Magazine.” Letter. July 28, 1968. TGA.

  —. “Ti-Grace Atkinson to Jo Benson.” Letter. July 14, 1968. TGA.

  —. “Ti-Grace Atkinson to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. June 27, 1968. TGA.

  —. “Ti-Grace Atkinson to Valerie Solanas.” Letter. June 27, 1968. TGA.

  —. “Ti-Grace Atkinson to Valerie Solanas.” Letter. July 9, 1968. TGA.

  —. “Ti-Grace Atkinson to Valerie Solanas.” Letter. November 10, 1968. TGA.

  Berman, Andrew. “Andrew Berman to Robert Tierney.” Letter. July 16, 2012. GV.

  Blackwell, David. “David Blackwell to Mary Harron.” Letter. June 5, 1996. MH.

  Brown, Judith, and Carol Giardina. “Judith Brown and Carol Giardina to Kathie Amatniek.” Letter. October 6, 1968. Microfilm. Part 2, series 7A. Redstockings’ Organizational Collection, Redstockings Women’s Liberation Archives for Action.

  Brust, Judge Joseph A. “Judge Joseph A. Brust to W. C. Johnston, M.D.” Letter. December 9, 1968. MH.

  Burke, Daniel. “Daniel Burke to Diane Tucker.” Letter. September 9, 1993. MH.

  Church of Solanas. “Men’s Auxiliary of SCUM to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. May 19, 1973. MH.

  Dell Publishing. “Dell Publishing to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. June 6, 1968. MH. Everheart, Jane. “Jane Everheart to Cosmopolitan Magazine.” Letter. October 9, 1969. DUA.

  Girodias, Maurice. “Maurice Girodias to Shriver and Brook.” Letter. October 30, 1968. MH.

  —. “Maurice Girodias to Valerie Solanas.” Letter. Brooklyn, August 29, 1967. MH.

  —. “Maurice Girodias to Valerie Solanas.” Letter. July 26, 1968. MH.

  —. “Maurice Girodias to Valerie Solanas.” Letter. April 28, 1969. MH.

  —. “Maurice Girodias to Valerie Solanas.” Letter. August 29, 1967. MH.

  —. “Maurice Girodias to Valerie Solanas.” Letter. August 2, 1968. MH.

  —. “Maurice Girodias to Valerie Solanas.” Letter. January 7, 1969. MH.

  —. “Maurice Girodias to Valerie Solanas.” Letter. July 6, 1968. MH.

  —. “Maurice Girodias to Valerie Solanas.” Letter. July 7, 1968. MH.

  —. “Maurice Girodias to Valerie Solanas.” Letter. June 14, 1968. MH.

  —. “Maurice Girodias to Valerie Solanas.” Letter. June 27, 1968. MH.

  —. “Maurice Girodias to Valerie Solanas.” Telegram. June 6, 1968. MH.

  —. “Maurice Girodias to Valerie Solanas.” Letter. July 9, 1968. MH.

  —. “Maurice Girodias to Valerie Solanas.” Letter. circa April/May 1968. MH.

  —. “Maurice Girodias to Woodrow A. Shriver.” Letter. October 25, 1968. MH.

  Harron, Mary. “Mary Harron to British Broadcasting Company.” Letter. September 26, 1992. MH.

  —. “Mary Harron to John Wyver at BBC NY, Pitch About Valerie Solanas Documentary.” Letter. September 26, 1992. MH.

  Johnston, W. C. “W. C. Johnston to Judge Joseph A. Brust.” Letter. December 9, 1968. MH.

  —. “W. C. Johnston, Matteawan Hospital to District Attorney Frank S. Hogan.” Letter. December 6, 1968. MH.

  Kennedy, Florynce. “Florynce Kennedy to Valerie Solanas.” Letter. September 29, 1968. TGA.

  Kuhn, Wilma. “Wilma Kuhn to Ultra Violet.” Letter. December 2, 1987. UV.

  LeGear, Geoffrey. “Geoffrey LeGear to Andy Warhol.” Letter. December 3, 1968. AWMA.

  —. “Geoffrey LeGear to Maurice Girodias.” Letter. December 1, 1968. AWMA.

  Morgan, Robin. “Robin Morgan to Valerie Solanas.” Letter. June 9, 1969. DUA.

  Newton, Jeremiah. “Jeremiah Newton to Mary Harron.” Letter. July 19, 1994. MH.

  —. “Jeremiah Newton to Mary Harron.” Letter. June 25, 1993. MH.

  —. “Jeremiah Newton to Mary Harron.” Letter. Undated. MH.

  Pickshaus, Peter Moritz. “Peter Moritz Pickshaus to Mary Harron.” Letter. June 8, 1993. MH.

  Pinkertons Agency. “Pinkertons Agency to Fred Jordan and Barney Rosset.” Memo. February 23, 1973. MH.

  —. “Peter Moritz Pickshaus to Mary Harron.” Letter. September 29, 1993. MH.

  —. “Peter Moritz Pickshaus to Mary Harron.” Letter. March 12, 1993. MH.

  Polier, Shad, “Shad Polier to Barney Rosset and Fred Jordan.” Letter. January 24, 1972. MH.

  —. “Shad Polier to District Attorney Milton Glass.” Letter. January 6, 1972. MH.

  —. “Shad Polier to Edward Allen.” Letter. January 19, 1973. MH.

  —. “Shad Polier to Fred Jordan and Barney Rosset.” Letter. January 6, 1972. MH.

  —. “Shad Polier to Naomi Goldstein and the Criminal Court Clinic of New York City.” Letter. November 9, 1971. MH.

  Stephens, Boyd G. “Chief Medical Examiner Boyd G. Stephens to Ultra Violet.” Letter. August 26, 1988. UV.

  Sternberg, Arthur. “Letter from Arthur Sternber
g M.D. to Mannuccio Mannucci M.D. regarding Valerie Solanas, Elmhurst Hospital.” Letter. June 12, 1968. MH.

  —. “Letter from Arthur Sternberg M.D. to Mannuccio Mannucci M.D. regarding Valerie Solanas, Elmhurst Hospital.” Letter. June 26, 1968. MH.

  Ultra Violet. “Ultra Violet to Library of Congress Copyright Office.” Letter. November 1, 1991. UV.

  Ultra Violet. “Ultra Violet Calls Valerie Solanas.” Recorded Phone Call. Transcript. November 1987. BF.

  Warhol, Andy. “Andy Warhol to Valerie Solanas.” Letter. September 20, 1968. MH.

  “Wilda Holt to Ti-Grace Atkinson. ” Letter. Undated. TGA.

  Zussman, Mark. “Mark Zussman to Howard Smith.” Letter. August 4, 1977. D.

  —. “Mark Zussman to Ultra Violet.” Letter. November 24, 1987. UV.

  —. “Mark Zussman to Ultra Violet.” Letter. November 24, 1987. UV.

  OTHER SOURCES

  Advertisement for SCUM Manifesto. Majority Report 7 (May 28–June 10, 1977). Redstockings’ Organizational Collection, Redstockings Women’s Liberation Archives for Action, Gainesville, FL.

  Cooper, Ruth. “Psychological Report of Valerie Solanas by Ruth Cooper PhD, Elmhurst City Hospital.” Report, June 13, 1968. MH.

  Coroner’s Report. “Valerie Solanas.” San Francisco, April 25, 1988.

  Eastwood, Mary. “Open Memo from Mary Eastwood to Betty Friedan.” Open memo, June 29, 1968. TGA.

  Federal Bureau of Investigation. “The Andy Warhol FBI Files.”

  Girodias, Maurice. Contract with Valerie Solanas. Contract, August 29, 1967. MH.

  Harron, Mary. “Interview Notes from Jeremiah Newton.” Notes, circa 1992. MH.

  —. Research notes for introduction to I Shot Andy Warhol. MH.

  Hoffman, Heinz. “Police Report for Death of Valerie Solanas.” File 388383170, San Francisco Police Department, April 25, 1988.

  Indictment Paperwork. “Valerie Solanas.” New York City Police Department, June 3, 1968.

  Jordan, Fred. “Fred Jordan to Barney Rosset.” Memo, August 4, 1971. MH.

  Jordan, Fred. “Fred Jordan to Barney Rosset.” Memo, November 2, 1971. MH.

  —. “Fred Jordan to Barney Rosset.” Memo, November 3, 1971. MH.

  —. “Fred Jordan to Grove Press.” Memo, November 2, 1971. MH.

  —. “Fred Jordan to Grove Press.” Memo, November 3, 1971. MH.

  Kennedy, Florynce. “Florynce Kennedy to NOW.” Memo, November 18, 1968. DUA.