Madeline Davis is a long time gay activist and leader among gay and lesbian people in Western New York. She was a founding member of the Mattachine Society of the Niagara Frontier, 1970, the first gay rights organization in Western NY.

Davis marched and spoke at the first gay rights rally at the State Capitol in Albany, NY in 1971 and participated in the first NY state legislative lobbying effort. In 1972 she became the first openly lesbian elected delegate to a major political convention - 1972 Democratic National Convention, Miami, McGovern, and she addressed the convention on behalf of inclusion of a gay rights plank in the Democratic Platform.

In 1993, Madeline along with co-author Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, wrote "Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold: The History of a Lesbian Community". The book that resulted from the pairs collection of oral histories of local lesbians whose life experience dated back to the 1930's in Buffalo and Western New York. The book was well received and was a 1993 Lambda Literary Award winner.

Music, literature, theater. protest and organizing are a few of forms that Madeline Davis had used to further her causes, points of view and passions. Currently Madeline is the founder and archivist for the The Madeline Davis Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Archives of Western New York. The Archives collects the letters, notes, publications, photography and other relics and ephemera that glbt people have produced and gathered in Buffalo and Western New York.

Emmy award winning documentary film maker, Dave Marshal has made a movie about the establishment and work of the archives and the people involved. The film, Swimming With Lesbians, will hopefully be shown in Buffalo in July of this year.

In 1995, Davis and her wife Wendy Smiley were married at Temple Beth Zion in the first same-sex marriage performed in the Buffalo Jewish Community. the couple have since obtained legal marriage license out of New York State. For more information regarding 2009 events being organized by Pride Buffalo you may visit their web site at Pride-Buffalo.org —staff