Jeffrey Montgomery
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Montgomery is an American
lesbian
, gay
, bisexual and transgender
(LGBT
) activist. Montgomery was the founding Executive Director of Triangle Foundation since the organization was founded in 1991 until September 2007.
A frequent guest and commentator on television and radio programs, appearing in several newspapers, and as a presenter at national conferences. He is an advocate for civil rights and recognition of LGBT bias crimes.
Montgomery serves as a resource on LGBT-related homicide and "homosexual (gay) panic" defenses and his analysis has informed national media, such as the New York Times, Court TV
and USA Today
on those topics. He has observed and been a commentator at more than two-dozen glbt-specific murder trials, including the trials of Jonathan Schmitz (the so-called "Jenny Jones" murder) and Aaron McKinney, in the Wyoming murder of Matthew Shepard
. In 2001, Montgomery was a featured participant in an A&E Network
documentary about the Matthew Shepard case. The presentation was part of the American Justice series and aired nationally and to great critical acclaim.
In 1994, Montgomery led a delegation of gay community leaders in a meeting with then-Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer
, the first time in history that a sitting Detroit Mayor met officially with members of the gay community. Montgomery serves on the Chief's Crime Prevention Advisory Committee, Detroit Police Department
, and he was a member of the Bias Crime Response Task Force of the Michigan Commission on Civil Rights.
Montgomery was the co-chair of the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs
(NCAVP), for which he was also a national spokesperson, and was a member of the Steering Committee of the Michigan Alliance Against Hate Crime.
Montgomery was among a group of LGBT grassroots anti-violence activists, representing NCAVP, invited to Washington, D.C.
, from 1997 to 2000, for meetings with senior policy officials at the White House
, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Department of Justice
. Those meetings opened a dialog with Federal officials about aggressive policies and actions to address anti-LGBT violence at the highest level of government. He is certified by the U.S. Justice Department as a faculty trainer in the Department’s National Hate Crime Curricula.
In 2002, Montgomery was invited, with about a dozen other LGBT leaders from across the country, to meet with and inform United States Senators about the issues and challenges facing the LGBT community. Montgomery’s testimony about anti-LGBT violence helped secure a commitment from the Senate to advance legislation that would recognize the problem and address it through a Federal government response.
Montgomery is as a speaker at conferences, as keynoter, and on college campuses throughout the country. In 1999 he was invited to Brown University
in Providence, Rhode Island
to deliver the inaugural Matthew Shepard Memorial Lecture. That address, "America...You Kill Me," won national recognition and was published in the prestigious journal, Vital Speeches of the Day
.
In 2000, Montgomery was also selected by the Gill Foundation
as one of 20 LGBT national leaders to participate in a groundbreaking program designed by the Center for Creative Leadership in Colorado Springs. In selecting the participants, Gill cited each person’s "vision, courage and integrity…optimism, passion, commitment and longevity," as the key criteria for selection.
The Detroit City Council
has recognized Montgomery’s activism; in 1993 he was recipient of the first of three "Spirit of Detroit" awards and a City Council Testimonial Resolution for being "a strong leader in a difficult position for those who have been ignored in their fight for civil rights..." In 1994 he received the first "Unsung Hero" award from the Detroit Human Rights Commission, and the Political Action Award from the lesbian and gay community of Michigan. In addition that year, Hardee’s Restaurants
and WKBD-TV also named him a "Hometown Hero".
In 1997 Montgomery was recognized with two prestigious awards. He received a "Golden Apple" Award from the Roeper School, as a role model for students and for reflecting the Roeper philosophy of "diversity and respect…and that everyone has the right to the possibilities of their own identity." The Oakland County branch of the ACLU honored Montgomery for "exemplary achievement and courage in the arena of human rights."
The Michigan Legislature
has twice commended Montgomery with Special Tributes. First, in 1997, recognizing "his efforts in the struggle for gay and lesbian rights," and again in 2000, citing his "relentless" advocacy for an end to bias crimes and assaults on the glbt community from the radical right
.
In August 1999, Montgomery was named one of the "Best and Brightest" national LGBT activists by The Advocate magazine
. The Human Rights Campaign
, in 2000, recognized him with an Equality Award for Community Advocacy.
In May 2003, Montgomery was named, along with twelve other prominent leaders, a "Michiganian of the Year" by the Detroit News for contributions to the state and community and as an individual who makes a difference.
He graduated from Michigan State University
in 1976.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, bisexual and transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
(LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
) activist. Montgomery was the founding Executive Director of Triangle Foundation since the organization was founded in 1991 until September 2007.
Political Activism
Montgomery provides commentary and witness on evolving gay culture and the myriad issues that are unfolding today, from the perspective of a voice that is rarely heard. His is an alternative to the coastal urban gay experience. Montgomery reflects a mid-America, industrial heartland activism, sharpened by the challenges of being out-of-the-closet in Detroit, a conservative environment that encourages suppression of gay identity.A frequent guest and commentator on television and radio programs, appearing in several newspapers, and as a presenter at national conferences. He is an advocate for civil rights and recognition of LGBT bias crimes.
Montgomery serves as a resource on LGBT-related homicide and "homosexual (gay) panic" defenses and his analysis has informed national media, such as the New York Times, Court TV
Court TV
truTV is an American cable television network owned by Turner Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Time Warner. The network launched as Court TV in 1991, changing to truTV in 2008...
and USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
on those topics. He has observed and been a commentator at more than two-dozen glbt-specific murder trials, including the trials of Jonathan Schmitz (the so-called "Jenny Jones" murder) and Aaron McKinney, in the Wyoming murder of Matthew Shepard
Matthew Shepard
Matthew Wayne Shepard was a student at the University of Wyoming who was tortured and murdered near Laramie, Wyoming, in October 1998...
. In 2001, Montgomery was a featured participant in an A&E Network
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
documentary about the Matthew Shepard case. The presentation was part of the American Justice series and aired nationally and to great critical acclaim.
In 1994, Montgomery led a delegation of gay community leaders in a meeting with then-Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer
Dennis Archer
Dennis Wayne Archer is an American lawyer and politician from Michigan. A Democrat, Archer served on the Michigan Supreme Court and as mayor of Detroit...
, the first time in history that a sitting Detroit Mayor met officially with members of the gay community. Montgomery serves on the Chief's Crime Prevention Advisory Committee, Detroit Police Department
Detroit Police Department
The Detroit Police Department , established in 1865, is responsible for the city of Detroit, Michigan.-History:The Detroit Police Department was established in 1865 to serve the city's growing population and covers the city with 5 districts and two precincts. The Detroit Police Department was also...
, and he was a member of the Bias Crime Response Task Force of the Michigan Commission on Civil Rights.
Montgomery was the co-chair of the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs
National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs
The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, or NCAVP, is a national organization dedicated to reducing violence and its impacts on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals in the U.S.A...
(NCAVP), for which he was also a national spokesperson, and was a member of the Steering Committee of the Michigan Alliance Against Hate Crime.
Montgomery was among a group of LGBT grassroots anti-violence activists, representing NCAVP, invited to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, from 1997 to 2000, for meetings with senior policy officials at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
. Those meetings opened a dialog with Federal officials about aggressive policies and actions to address anti-LGBT violence at the highest level of government. He is certified by the U.S. Justice Department as a faculty trainer in the Department’s National Hate Crime Curricula.
In 2002, Montgomery was invited, with about a dozen other LGBT leaders from across the country, to meet with and inform United States Senators about the issues and challenges facing the LGBT community. Montgomery’s testimony about anti-LGBT violence helped secure a commitment from the Senate to advance legislation that would recognize the problem and address it through a Federal government response.
Montgomery is as a speaker at conferences, as keynoter, and on college campuses throughout the country. In 1999 he was invited to Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
to deliver the inaugural Matthew Shepard Memorial Lecture. That address, "America...You Kill Me," won national recognition and was published in the prestigious journal, Vital Speeches of the Day
Vital Speeches of the Day
Vital Speeches of the Day is a monthly magazine that presents speeches and addresses in full.-Overview:Vital Speeches was established in New York in 1934 by Thomas Daly — whose grandson Thomas Daly III moved publication to South Carolina in 1986 — and is published by McMurry, Inc...
.
In 2000, Montgomery was also selected by the Gill Foundation
Gill Foundation
The Gill Foundation is one of the largest private funders of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equal rights work in the United States...
as one of 20 LGBT national leaders to participate in a groundbreaking program designed by the Center for Creative Leadership in Colorado Springs. In selecting the participants, Gill cited each person’s "vision, courage and integrity…optimism, passion, commitment and longevity," as the key criteria for selection.
Honors
In May 2003, Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm honored Jeffrey Montgomery’s work with a special tribute, calling him a “hero and living legend.” The Governor also noted that “he is among the most visible and accomplished advocates for safety and equality of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in Michigan history.”The Detroit City Council
Detroit City Council
The Detroit City Council is the legislative body of Detroit, Michigan, United States. The City Council consists of nine members elected for a four-year term in a single election conducted on an at-large and non-partisan basis...
has recognized Montgomery’s activism; in 1993 he was recipient of the first of three "Spirit of Detroit" awards and a City Council Testimonial Resolution for being "a strong leader in a difficult position for those who have been ignored in their fight for civil rights..." In 1994 he received the first "Unsung Hero" award from the Detroit Human Rights Commission, and the Political Action Award from the lesbian and gay community of Michigan. In addition that year, Hardee’s Restaurants
Hardee's
Hardee's is a restaurant chain, located mostly in the Southeast and Midwestern regions of the United States. It has evolved through several corporate ownerships since its establishment in 1960. It is currently owned and operated by CKE Restaurants. Along with its sibling restaurant chain, Carl's...
and WKBD-TV also named him a "Hometown Hero".
In 1997 Montgomery was recognized with two prestigious awards. He received a "Golden Apple" Award from the Roeper School, as a role model for students and for reflecting the Roeper philosophy of "diversity and respect…and that everyone has the right to the possibilities of their own identity." The Oakland County branch of the ACLU honored Montgomery for "exemplary achievement and courage in the arena of human rights."
The Michigan Legislature
Michigan Legislature
The Michigan Legislature is the legislative assembly of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body consisting of the Senate, the upper house, and the House of Representatives, the lower house. Article IV of the state's Constitution, adopted in 1963, defines the role of the...
has twice commended Montgomery with Special Tributes. First, in 1997, recognizing "his efforts in the struggle for gay and lesbian rights," and again in 2000, citing his "relentless" advocacy for an end to bias crimes and assaults on the glbt community from the radical right
Radical Right
Radical Right is a generally pejorative term used to describe various political movements on the right that are conspiracist, attuned to anti-American or anti-Christian agents of foreign powers, and "politically radical." The term was first used by social scientists in the 1950s regarding small...
.
In August 1999, Montgomery was named one of the "Best and Brightest" national LGBT activists by The Advocate magazine
The Advocate
The Advocate is an American LGBT-interest magazine, printed monthly and available by subscription. The Advocate brand also includes a web site. Both magazine and web site have an editorial focus on news, politics, opinion, and arts and entertainment of interest to LGBT people...
. The Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...
, in 2000, recognized him with an Equality Award for Community Advocacy.
In May 2003, Montgomery was named, along with twelve other prominent leaders, a "Michiganian of the Year" by the Detroit News for contributions to the state and community and as an individual who makes a difference.
He graduated from Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
in 1976.