Difference between revisions of "First Fandom"

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Confusingly, there are several groups called “'''First Fandom'''”: 1) The historical which encompasses anyone involved in [[sf]]-related activity from the late 1920s through the [[first Worldcon]] in 1939 though [[sercon]] [[fanhistorians]] may stick strictly to the period [[Jack Speer]] defined. 2) A [[club]] made up of a subset of those [[fans]]. And, 3) a descendant club that lets in anybody who’s been active for 30 years. Members of the last especially like to conflate the groups.
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Confusingly, there are several groups called “'''First Fandom'''”:  
 +
#The historical First Fandom, which encompasses anyone involved in [[sf]]-related activity from the late 1920s through the [[first Worldcon]] in 1939 — though [[sercon]] [[fanhistorians]] may stick strictly to the period [[Jack Speer]] defined below.  
 +
#A [[club]] made up of a subset of those [[fans]]. And,  
 +
#A descendant club that lets in anybody who’s been active in the [[sf community]] for 30 years. Members of this last especially like to conflate the groups.
  
 
== (1) The Earliest [[Fans]]==
 
== (1) The Earliest [[Fans]]==
  
In his theory of [[Numerical Fandoms]], [[Jack Speer]] defined '''First Fandom''' as the [[fannish]] era of 1933 through 1936. However, the term has come to encompass [[fandom]] from its earliest days including what Speer called [[Eofan|Eofandom]], the founding of the [[Science Fiction League]] and the [[Scienceers]] in the late 1920s through the late 1930s. Anyone involved in the [[microcosm]], in any form of [[fanac]] up through the first [[Worldcon]] in 1939 is considered to be a member.
+
In his theory of [[Numerical Fandoms]], [[Jack Speer]] defined First Fandom as the [[fannish]] era of 1933 through 1936. However, the term has come to encompass [[fandom]] from its earliest days — including what Speer called [[Eofan|Eofandom]], the founding of the [[Science Fiction League]] and the [[Scienceers]] in the late 1920s — through the late 1930s.  
 +
 
 +
Anyone involved in the [[microcosm]], in any form of [[fanac]], up through the [[first Worldcon]] in 1939 is now considered to be a member (and is so tagged herein).
 +
 
 +
As far as we know, centenarian [[gafiate]] [[Trudy Kuslan]] is the last survivor. [[Bob Madle]], who died in October 2022, was the last who remained active in [[fandom]].
 +
 
 +
See [[:Category:first_fandom|List of First Fandom members]], [[Most Senior Fan]].
  
 
{{fancy1|text=
 
{{fancy1|text=
([[Speer]]) - The period up to 1936. It was marked by interest primarily in science and [[science-fiction]]. [[Fanzine]] material consisted mainly of forecasts of lineups in the [[pros]], interviews with prominent authors, [[fan fiction]] relating to the [[pros]], [[fan fiction|fan science fiction]], novelty fiction by groups of pro writers, new advances in science, discussions of why [[s-f]] is in a rut or sex in [[science-fiction]] or the relative important of plausibility and good style. [[Douglas Webster]] uses the term to indicate the first [[fans]] of Great Britain; [[Carnell]], [[Gillings]], [[Maurice K. Hanson|Hanson]], [[Mayer]], ''et al''. who continued dominant into 1938, and were mainly interested in the aforementioned subjects, and also in sociological questions.  
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([[Jack Speer|Speer]]) - The period up to 1936. It was marked by interest primarily in science and [[science-fiction]]. [[Fanzine]] material consisted mainly of forecasts of lineups in the [[prozine|pros]], interviews with prominent authors, [[fan fiction]] relating to the [[prozine|pros]], [[fan fiction|fan science fiction]], novelty [[fiction]] by groups of pro writers, new advances in science, discussions of why [[s-f]] is in a rut or [[sex]] in [[science-fiction]] or the relative important of plausibility and good style. [[Douglas Webster]] uses the term to indicate the first [[fans]] of [[Great Britain]]; [[Carnell]], [[Gillings]], [[Maurice K. Hanson|Hanson]], [[Douglas W. F. Mayer|Mayer]], ''et al''. who continued dominant into 1938, and were mainly interested in the aforementioned subjects, and also in [[sociological]] questions.  
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
== (2) The Club, First Fandom==
 
== (2) The Club, First Fandom==
A [[club]] for members of the first group. Formed in 1959, the [[club]] was the brain-child of a group of [[Midwestern]] [[fans]] consisting of [[C. L. Barrett, MD]]., [[Don Ford]], [[Lynn Hickman]], [[Bob Madle]], and [[Lou Tabakow]].  
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[[File:FFBadge-old.jpeg|frameless|upright=0.5|left]]
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A [[club]] for members of the first group. Formed in 1959, the [[club]] was the brainchild of a group of [[Midwestern]] [[fans]] consisting of [[C. L. Barrett, MD]]., [[Don Ford]], [[Lynn Hickman]], [[Bob Madle]], and [[Lou Tabakow]].  
  
 
In its early literature, it described itself as:  
 
In its early literature, it described itself as:  
  "A fun-loving organization like the Shriners and Cooties. And First Fandom is for the old-timers. The date of December 31, 1937 has arbitrarily been made the cut-off date. Anyone who can show any connection with any aspect of [[science fiction fandom]] prior to that date is eligible for membership.
+
  A fun-loving organization like the Shriners and Cooties. And First Fandom is for the old-timers. The date of December 31, 1937 has arbitrarily been made the cut-off date. Anyone who can show any connection with any aspect of [[science fiction fandom]] prior to that date is eligible for membership.
  
[[Lynn Hickman]] published the ''[[First Fandom Bulletin]]'' (aka ''First Fandom Magazine'') in the 60s and [[Dave Kyle]] published ''[[First Fandom News Letter]]'' in the 80s and 90s.  It presented the [[First Fandom Hall of Fame Award]].
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[[Lynn Hickman]] published the ''[[First Fandom Bulletin]]'' (aka ''First Fandom Magazine'') in the 1960s, and [[Dave Kyle]] published ''[[First Fandom News Letter]]'' in the ’80s and ’90s.  It presented the [[First Fandom Hall of Fame Award]].
  
They have a distinctive triangular membership patch and the motto, "'''First Fandom is not dead, only doddering'''."
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They had a distinctive triangular membership patch, with an [[emblem]] taken from the [[Frank R. Paul]] cover of the [https://archive.org/details/Amazing_Stories_v03n06_1928-09 September 1928 issue] of ''[[Amazing Stories]]'', and the motto, "'''First Fandom is not dead, only doddering'''," which has been attributed to [[Bob Tucker]].  
  
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*[https://fanac.org/fanzines/First_Fandom_Publications/First_Fandom_Publications0701.pdf Announcement of the club’s formation and membership application.]
  
 
{{fancy2|text=
 
{{fancy2|text=
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== (3) The Modern Club==
 
== (3) The Modern Club==
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[[File:FFbadge-new.jpeg|thumb|upright=.5|right]]
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The group calling itself "First Fandom" today is descended from that First Fandom club, but no longer has any true First Fandomites as members and long ago abandoned the requirement of actually having been active during the First Fandom era.
  
The group calling itself "First Fandom" today is descended from that First Fandom, but no longer has many true First Fandomites as members and has abandoned the requirement of actually having been active during First Fandom. Membership today encompasses "dinosaurs," those ''very'' few [[fans]] left who engaged in [[fanac|fannish activities]] up through the first [[Worldcon]], which was held over the July 4, 1939, weekend, and "associate members," who have been [[actifan|active]] in [[fandom]] for at least 30 years.
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Membership formerly encompassed "dinosaurs," those ''very'' few [[fans]] left who engaged in [[fanac|fannish activities]] up through the first [[Worldcon]], which was held over the July 4, 1939, weekend, and "associate members," who have been [[actifan|active]] in [[fandom]] for at least 30 years.
  
 
The club continues the [[First Fandom Hall of Fame Award]] for contributions to the field of [[science fiction]] -- whether as a [[fan]], writer, editor, artist, agent or combination -- dating back more than 30 years, and the [[Sam Moskowitz Archive Award]] for excellence in [[science fiction]] [[collecting]].  They are usually presented annually during the [[Hugo Awards]] ceremony at [[Worldcons]].
 
The club continues the [[First Fandom Hall of Fame Award]] for contributions to the field of [[science fiction]] -- whether as a [[fan]], writer, editor, artist, agent or combination -- dating back more than 30 years, and the [[Sam Moskowitz Archive Award]] for excellence in [[science fiction]] [[collecting]].  They are usually presented annually during the [[Hugo Awards]] ceremony at [[Worldcons]].
  
The current president of First Fandom and editor/publisher of [[Scientifiction: The First Fandom Report]], a quarterly club newsletter, is [[John L. Coker, III]].  [[Jon D. Swartz]] is the longtime Special Features editor.  Coker and Swartz are the editors of the [[First Fandom Annual]], published since 2016.
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The current [[president]] of the club and [[editor]]/[[publisher]] of ''[[Scientifiction: The First Fandom Report]]'', a quarterly club [[newsletter]], is [[John L. Coker III]].  [[Jon D. Swartz]] and Coker are the editors of the [[First Fandom Annual]], published since 2016.  
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{{link|website=https://www.firstfandom.org/|text=First Fandom club website.}}
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{{multiple}}
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{{fanhistory}}
{{club | website=http://www.firstfandom.org/}}
 
 
[[Category:fancy1]]
 
[[Category:fancy1]]
 
[[Category:fancy2]]
 
[[Category:fancy2]]
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[[Category:world]]
 
[[Category:world]]
 
[[Category:group]]  
 
[[Category:group]]  
[[Category:fanhistory]]
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[[Category:club]]
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[[Category:fanspeak]]

Latest revision as of 01:24, 21 May 2023

Confusingly, there are several groups called “First Fandom”:

  1. The historical First Fandom, which encompasses anyone involved in sf-related activity from the late 1920s through the first Worldcon in 1939 — though sercon fanhistorians may stick strictly to the period Jack Speer defined below.
  2. A club made up of a subset of those fans. And,
  3. A descendant club that lets in anybody who’s been active in the sf community for 30 years. Members of this last especially like to conflate the groups.

(1) The Earliest Fans[edit]

In his theory of Numerical Fandoms, Jack Speer defined First Fandom as the fannish era of 1933 through 1936. However, the term has come to encompass fandom from its earliest days — including what Speer called Eofandom, the founding of the Science Fiction League and the Scienceers in the late 1920s — through the late 1930s.

Anyone involved in the microcosm, in any form of fanac, up through the first Worldcon in 1939 is now considered to be a member (and is so tagged herein).

As far as we know, centenarian gafiate Trudy Kuslan is the last survivor. Bob Madle, who died in October 2022, was the last who remained active in fandom.

See List of First Fandom members, Most Senior Fan.

From Fancyclopedia 1, ca. 1944
(Speer) - The period up to 1936. It was marked by interest primarily in science and science-fiction. Fanzine material consisted mainly of forecasts of lineups in the pros, interviews with prominent authors, fan fiction relating to the pros, fan science fiction, novelty fiction by groups of pro writers, new advances in science, discussions of why s-f is in a rut or sex in science-fiction or the relative important of plausibility and good style. Douglas Webster uses the term to indicate the first fans of Great Britain; Carnell, Gillings, Hanson, Mayer, et al. who continued dominant into 1938, and were mainly interested in the aforementioned subjects, and also in sociological questions.

(2) The Club, First Fandom[edit]

FFBadge-old.jpeg

A club for members of the first group. Formed in 1959, the club was the brainchild of a group of Midwestern fans consisting of C. L. Barrett, MD., Don Ford, Lynn Hickman, Bob Madle, and Lou Tabakow.

In its early literature, it described itself as:

A fun-loving organization like the Shriners and Cooties. And First Fandom is for the old-timers. The date of December 31, 1937 has arbitrarily been made the cut-off date. Anyone who can show any connection with any aspect of science fiction fandom prior to that date is eligible for membership.

Lynn Hickman published the First Fandom Bulletin (aka First Fandom Magazine) in the 1960s, and Dave Kyle published First Fandom News Letter in the ’80s and ’90s. It presented the First Fandom Hall of Fame Award.

They had a distinctive triangular membership patch, with an emblem taken from the Frank R. Paul cover of the September 1928 issue of Amazing Stories, and the motto, "First Fandom is not dead, only doddering," which has been attributed to Bob Tucker.

From Fancyclopedia 2, ca. 1959
No direct relation to the era. Don Ford, Bob Madle and some others organized this group too close to our deadline for any of its activities to become evident. Its membership is restricted to folk who indulged in any sort of fanac before 1938, and apparently it is intended as an historical and continuity-maintaining group.

(3) The Modern Club[edit]

FFbadge-new.jpeg

The group calling itself "First Fandom" today is descended from that First Fandom club, but no longer has any true First Fandomites as members and long ago abandoned the requirement of actually having been active during the First Fandom era.

Membership formerly encompassed "dinosaurs," those very few fans left who engaged in fannish activities up through the first Worldcon, which was held over the July 4, 1939, weekend, and "associate members," who have been active in fandom for at least 30 years.

The club continues the First Fandom Hall of Fame Award for contributions to the field of science fiction -- whether as a fan, writer, editor, artist, agent or combination -- dating back more than 30 years, and the Sam Moskowitz Archive Award for excellence in science fiction collecting. They are usually presented annually during the Hugo Awards ceremony at Worldcons.

The current president of the club and editor/publisher of Scientifiction: The First Fandom Report, a quarterly club newsletter, is John L. Coker III. Jon D. Swartz and Coker are the editors of the First Fandom Annual, published since 2016.

First Fandom club website.



Fanhistory
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