Difference between revisions of "First Convention"

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The very first [[sf convention]] was held Oct 22, 1936 in Philadelphia.
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[[File:1stcon1936.jpeg|thumb|center|upright=2.5| '''The majority of the attendees of the world's [[First Convention|first science fiction convention]], from left: [[Oswald Train]], [[Donald A. Wollheim]], [[Milton A. Rothman]], [[Frederik Pohl]], [[John B. Michel]], [[William S. Sykora]] (holding the [[NYB-ISA]] flag), [[David A. Kyle]], and [[Robert Madle]].  They're standing in front of Independence Hall in [[Philadelphia]]. Not pictured: [[Herbert E. Goudket]], who took the photograph, and [[John V. Baltadonis]], who had not arrived at the time the picture was taken.''']]
  
According to [[Sam Moskowitz]], "It was suggested by [[John B. Michel]]  that the club [the [[NYB-ISA]]] plan a social outing of some sort; this was agreed to, great controversy ensued as to the destination. [[Philadelphia]] was decided upon, chiefly because [[Wollheim]] had hit upon the novel idea  of meeting with out-of-town [[fans]] and thereby calling  the affair a [[science fiction convention]]."
 
  
Retrospectively (though it was common usage by 1939) it was given the name '''First Eastern''' or '''First Eastern Science Fiction Convention'''. (By a year later, at the [[Third Eastern Science Fiction Convention]] again in Philadelphia it was being referred to as the "[previous] Philly convention".  See: http://fanac.org/fanzines/PSFS_News/PSFS_News105-02.html?
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The very first [[sf convention]] was held October 22, 1936, in [[Philadelphia, PA]].
  
On October 22, 1936, the [[NYB-ISA]] (including Wollheim, Michel, [[Will Sykora]], [[Hahn]], [[David Kyle]], [[Goudket]], and [[Fred Pohl]]) visited the [[Philadelphia SFL|Philadelphia Branch]] (including [[Milt Rothman]], [[Bob Madle]], and [[Ossie Train]]) for a tour of town and then a get-together at Rothman's house for an afternoon. It was "marked with horseplay and camaraderie". Milt Rothman was elected convention chairman and Fred Pohl secretary.  The only other official business was to plan the [[Second Eastern Convention]] for [[New York]] in February 1938.
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According to [[Sam Moskowitz]], "It was suggested by [[John B. Michel]] that the [[club]] [the [[NYB-ISA]]] plan a social outing of some sort; this was agreed to, great controversy ensued as to the destination. [[Philadelphia]] was decided upon, chiefly because [[Wollheim]] had hit upon the novel idea  of meeting with out-of-town [[fans]] and thereby calling the affair a [[science fiction convention]]."
  
This was the first of all [[stf]] conventions, though this has been challenged. See [[Which Was the First SF Convention?]] for details.
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Retrospectively (though it was common usage by 1939), it was given the name '''First Eastern''' or '''First Eastern Science Fiction Convention'''. (By a year later, at the [[Third Eastern Science Fiction Convention]], again in Philadelphia, it was being referred to as the "[previous] Philly convention."  See {{link | website=https://fanac.org/fanzines/PSFS_News/PSFS_News105-02.html|text=here.}})
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The [[NYB-ISA]] members attending were Don Wollheim, John Michel, [[Will Sykora]], [[David Kyle]], [[Herbert E. Goudket]], and [[Fred Pohl]]; the [[Philadelphia SFL]] members included [[Milt Rothman]], [[Bob Madle]], [[John V. Baltadonis]] and [[Ossie Train]]. They toured the town and had a get-together at Rothman's house for the afternoon. It was "marked with horseplay and camaraderie," according to [[Fancyclopedia 1]]. Rothman was elected convention [[chairman]] and Pohl [[secretary]].  The only other official business was to plan the [[Second Eastern Convention]] for [[New York]] in February 1938.
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This was the first of all [[stf]] conventions, though this has been challenged. (See [[Which Was the First SF Convention?]]for details.)
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See ''[[Phoxphyre]]'' for reminiscences by those who were there and discussion of others who were probably not there.  
  
 
See also [[Early Conventions]].
 
See also [[Early Conventions]].
  
{{convention | series=Early Conventions | year=1936 | after=Second Eastern | files=http://files.fancyclopedia.org/First Convention}}
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{{convention | series=Early Conventions | year=1936 | after=Second Eastern }}
{{fanhistory | files=http://files.fancyclopedia.org/First Convention}}
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[[Category:fanhistory]]
 
[[Category:US]]
 
[[Category:US]]
 
[[Category:Notable]]
 
[[Category:Notable]]

Latest revision as of 14:20, 28 November 2022

The majority of the attendees of the world's first science fiction convention, from left: Oswald Train, Donald A. Wollheim, Milton A. Rothman, Frederik Pohl, John B. Michel, William S. Sykora (holding the NYB-ISA flag), David A. Kyle, and Robert Madle. They're standing in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Not pictured: Herbert E. Goudket, who took the photograph, and John V. Baltadonis, who had not arrived at the time the picture was taken.


The very first sf convention was held October 22, 1936, in Philadelphia, PA.

According to Sam Moskowitz, "It was suggested by John B. Michel that the club [the NYB-ISA] plan a social outing of some sort; this was agreed to, great controversy ensued as to the destination. Philadelphia was decided upon, chiefly because Wollheim had hit upon the novel idea of meeting with out-of-town fans and thereby calling the affair a science fiction convention."

Retrospectively (though it was common usage by 1939), it was given the name First Eastern or First Eastern Science Fiction Convention. (By a year later, at the Third Eastern Science Fiction Convention, again in Philadelphia, it was being referred to as the "[previous] Philly convention." See here.)

The NYB-ISA members attending were Don Wollheim, John Michel, Will Sykora, David Kyle, Herbert E. Goudket, and Fred Pohl; the Philadelphia SFL members included Milt Rothman, Bob Madle, John V. Baltadonis and Ossie Train. They toured the town and had a get-together at Rothman's house for the afternoon. It was "marked with horseplay and camaraderie," according to Fancyclopedia 1. Rothman was elected convention chairman and Pohl secretary. The only other official business was to plan the Second Eastern Convention for New York in February 1938.

This was the first of all stf conventions, though this has been challenged. (See “Which Was the First SF Convention?” for details.)

See Phoxphyre for reminiscences by those who were there and discussion of others who were probably not there.

See also Early Conventions.


first Early Conventions Second Eastern
1936
This is a convention page. Please extend it by adding information about the convention, including dates, GoHs, convention chairman, locale, sponsoring organization, external links to convention pages, awards given, the program, notable events, anecdotes, pictures, scans of publications, pictures of T-shirts, con reports, etc.