Scope and Content Note
The papers of Jan Krc span the years of 1984-2017, with the bulk of the material between 1984-1994. The collection consists primarily of court memoranda and depositions, correspondence, notes, news clippings, and other related documents concerning Krc’s lawsuit with the United States Information Agency (USIA). The papers are organized into three series: Chronological File, Miscellany, and Classified.
Jan Krc began his career in foreign service in 1982, and served as a consular with the USIA in Belgrade, Yugoslavia from 1983-1984. Upon conclusion of his assignment in Belgrade, Krc returned to Washington D.C. where he received a debriefing and interrogation focusing on his homosexuality. After the questioning, Krc’s next overseas assignment was cancelled and the USIA attempted to fire him for misconduct. Though those charges were dropped, Krc was reassigned to a different department and forced to remain in the Washington D.C. area, despite his education and desire to serve as a foreign service officer overseas. Krc viewed this reassignment as a result of the USIA learning of his sexual orientation, and sought to legally dispute this discrimination. Through help from Frank Kameny, he was put in contact with the American Civil Liberties Union, who agreed to represent Krc and began a legal battle that ultimately lasted ten years before ending with a denial for a hearing from the United States Supreme Court. This entire timeline of events is documented within the Chronological File, arranged chronologically by year as received by the donor, and contains depositions, memoranda, briefs, correspondence, and other relevant material, beginning with Krc’s return from Belgrade and interrogation through his various appeals and denial of a hearing before the Supreme Court.
Other material outside the scope of Krc’s protracted legal case can be found under Miscellany. These include articles written by Krc and others related to homosexuality in government, an oral history interview transcript, information on polygraph testing, and newsletters and other relevant items from Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies (GLIFFA), of which Krc was a founding member.