Letter to Aaron Fricke from Richard B. Lynch
4/17/1980
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Principal Richard Lynch of Cumberland High School in Rhode Island sent this letter to student Aaron Fricke denying him permission to attend the prom with a same-sex date. Fricke filed a complaint against Richard Lynch, and Aaron Fricke v. Richard B. Lynch became one of the earliest cases involving LGBTQ+ civil rights.
Fricke was an 18-year-old male high school student. He was denied a ticket to his prom because he planned to bring a male date. Fricke and his attorneys claimed this violated his First Amendment rights of association and free speech, and his Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection of the laws. They sought an injunction ordering the high school to allow Fricke to attend. The District Court of the United States for the District of Rhode Island issued the injunction in Fricke v. Lynch, and Aaron Fricke was allowed to attend the prom with his date.
This primary source comes from the Records of District Courts of the United States.
Full Citation: Letter to Aaron Fricke from Richard B. Lynch; 4/17/1980 ; Aaron Fricke v. Richard B. Lynch; Civil Action Case Files, 1938 - 1999; Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21; National Archives at Boston, Waltham, MA. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/letter-fricke-lynch, April 25, 2024]