Firebrand Books

Firebrand Books was an independent feminist and lesbian publishing house established by activist and editor Nancy K. Bereano in Ithaca, New York, in the fall of 1984. It emerged from the Women in Print Movement, a network of feminist publishing, distribution, bookselling, and literary activity that expanded from the 1970s onward in response to the limited representation of women, lesbians, queer people, and other marginalized writers in mainstream publishing. Firebrand joined a field that included presses such as Naiad Press, Persephone, and Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press. Before founding Firebrand, Bereano worked at Crossing Press, where she edited its Feminist Series for five years. During that period she published important works including Audre Lorde's Sister Outsider and Marilyn Frye's The Politics of Reality. Firebrand's first list appeared in spring 1985 and included Pat Parker's Jonestown and Other Madness, Beth Brant's Mohawk Trail, and Ellen Galford's Moll Cutpurse, Her True History. From its Ithaca office, located in a commercial building on East State Street, the press developed a catalogue spanning literary fiction, nonfiction, poetry, memoir, criticism, and graphic work. Between 1984 and 2000, Firebrand published 104 titles during Bereano's tenure. Its editorial program centered lesbian and feminist themes while also making space for writers whose identities, class positions, genres, or political perspectives were frequently overlooked by larger houses. The catalogue included work by Dorothy Allison, Alison Bechdel, Beth Brant, Cheryl Clarke, Leslie Feinberg, Jewelle Gomez, Audre Lorde, Minnie Bruce Pratt, Ruthann Robson, Lesléa Newman, Mab Segrest, and Judith Katz. Firebrand also published the complete Dykes to Watch Out For series by Alison Bechdel and was associated with significant works such as Stone Butch Blues and The Gilda Stories. The press received four American Library Association Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Book Awards and twelve Lambda Literary Awards. In 1996, Bereano received the Lambda Publisher's Service Award. Three Firebrand titles were later included by The New York Times among the twenty-five books identified as influential in queer culture since the Second World War. These recognitions reflected the press's role not simply as a commercial publisher but as a cultural institution that helped establish lesbian and feminist writing within contemporary literary and political discourse. In 2000, Bereano sold Firebrand Books to LPC Group, the distributor that had handled the press's list for the preceding five years. LPC Group subsequently entered bankruptcy, placing Firebrand's assets and backlist at risk of liquidation. Karen Oosterhouse, a longtime reader and admirer of the catalogue, acquired the press at auction and preserved its backlist. She relocated the operation from Ithaca to Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 2003. Under Oosterhouse, Firebrand continued to present itself as an independent publisher committed to feminist and lesbian fiction and nonfiction, including work by women of color, women affected by poverty, trans women, genderqueer writers, and other underrepresented voices. The Firebrand website became unavailable around April 2015, and the domain was later offered for sale. Those developments indicate that active publishing operations had effectively ceased under Oosterhouse's ownership, although the books, influence, and archival record remained significant. Firebrand's editorial and financial records from 1984 to 2000 are held by Cornell University's Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections. The former Ithaca premises also acquired historical significance. The four-story commercial building at 141–143 East State Street, known as the former Home Dairy building, was designated an Ithaca local historic landmark on October 5, 2022. The designation recognized it as the first municipal landmark in Ithaca directly associated with women's and LGBTQ+ history and as an important site of Upstate New York LGBTQ+ heritage. After current owners associated with the Twelve Tribes religious group declined permission for a plaque on the building, a marker was installed on nearby city-owned property. It was unveiled on June 15, 2024, in a ceremony attended by Bereano, historian Jeff Iovannone, and Ithaca Mayor Robert Cantelmo.

Firebrand Books was founded in Ithaca, New York, in the fall of 1984 by Nancy K. Bereano, a lesbian and feminist activist who had previously edited the Feminist Series at Crossing Press. Her earlier editorial work included books by Audre Lorde and Marilyn Frye and helped shape the publishing principles that Firebrand would later pursue: independent control, political seriousness, and a commitment to writers underserved by the mainstream book trade. The press operated from a second-floor office at 141–143 East State Street on the Ithaca Commons. Its first list, released in spring 1985, consisted of Pat Parker's Jonestown and Other Madness, Beth Brant's Mohawk Trail, and Ellen Galford's Moll Cutpurse, Her True History. Firebrand developed within the Women in Print Movement, alongside feminist and lesbian presses such as Naiad Press and Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press. Its publishing program included fiction, poetry, nonfiction, memoir, criticism, and graphic work addressing lesbian life, feminism, sexuality, gender, race, class, and political struggle. From 1984 through 2000, Firebrand published 104 titles under Bereano's leadership. Its authors included Dorothy Allison, Alison Bechdel, Beth Brant, Cheryl Clarke, Leslie Feinberg, Jewelle Gomez, Audre Lorde, Minnie Bruce Pratt, Ruthann Robson, Lesléa Newman, Mab Segrest, and Judith Katz. The press published the complete Dykes to Watch Out For series and important books including Stone Butch Blues, The Gilda Stories, and Trash. Alison Bechdel later credited Bereano with recognizing her early work and encouraging her toward the graphic-novel form that eventually led to Fun Home. Firebrand's literary and cultural influence was reflected in four American Library Association Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Book Awards and twelve Lambda Literary Awards. Bereano received the Lambda Publisher's Service Award in 1996. Three Firebrand books were subsequently identified by The New York Times among the twenty-five works that had most influenced queer culture since the Second World War. In 2000, Bereano sold the press to LPC Group, which had distributed its books since 1995. LPC later filed for bankruptcy, putting Firebrand's assets and catalogue at risk. Karen Oosterhouse, a longtime reader of the press, bought Firebrand at auction and moved it to Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 2003. Oosterhouse continued to describe the press as an independent publisher of feminist and lesbian fiction and nonfiction, with particular interest in women of color, economically marginalized women, trans women, genderqueer writers, and other underrepresented communities. The press's website went offline around April 2015, and the domain was later listed for sale. This indicates that Firebrand no longer maintained active publishing operations, although its publications continued to circulate and its historical importance persisted. Cornell University holds Firebrand's editorial and financial records for 1984–2000 in its Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections. Firebrand's former Ithaca address became a site of public heritage recognition. On October 5, 2022, the Ithaca Common Council designated the former Home Dairy building at 141–143 East State Street as a local historic landmark. The designation was notable because it directly linked a municipal landmark to women's and LGBTQ+ history. A later effort to place a plaque on the building encountered opposition from its current owners, the Twelve Tribes religious group, which operates the Yellow Deli there. After negotiations, a marker was placed on adjacent city-owned land and unveiled on June 15, 2024, in view of the original site.

• 2024

  Commemorative marker is unveiled

  [1]Firebrand Booksen.wikipedia.org

  A public marker honoring Firebrand's history was unveiled on adjacent city-owned property.

• 2022

  Former headquarters becomes a historic landmark

  [1]Firebrand Booksen.wikipedia.org

  The former Ithaca premises received local landmark designation for its women's and LGBTQ+ historical associations.

• 2003

  Karen Oosterhouse acquires and relocates the press

  [1]Firebrand Booksen.wikipedia.org

  Oosterhouse purchased Firebrand at auction after LPC Group's bankruptcy and moved it to Ann Arbor.

• 2000

  Ownership passes to LPC Group

  [1]Firebrand Booksen.wikipedia.org

  Bereano sold Firebrand Books to LPC Group, its former distributor.

• 1996

  Bereano receives the Lambda Publisher's Service Award

  [1]Firebrand Booksen.wikipedia.org

  Nancy K. Bereano was recognized for her service to lesbian and queer publishing.

• 1985

  First publishing list appears

  [1]Firebrand Booksen.wikipedia.org

  The first three Firebrand titles were released in spring 1985.

• 1984

  Firebrand Books is founded

  [1]Firebrand Booksen.wikipedia.org

  Nancy K. Bereano established Firebrand Books in Ithaca, New York, in the fall of 1984.

An independent feminist and lesbian literary press focused on publishing historically marginalized voices and expanding the cultural visibility of lesbian, queer, feminist, transgender, and gender-nonconforming writers.

• Literary fiction · 1985

  Lesbian and feminist fiction

  Firebrand's fiction list centered lesbian and feminist lives, relationships, identity, and political experience. The press used literary publishing to bring perspectives excluded or weakened by mainstream editorial categories into wider circulation.

• Poetry · 1985

  Poetry

  The catalogue included poetry by writers such as Pat Parker, Cheryl Clarke, Audre Lorde, and Minnie Bruce Pratt. These books connected intimate experience with feminist, lesbian, racial, and political themes.

• Novel

  Stone Butch Blues

  Leslie Feinberg's novel is among Firebrand's most recognized publications. It explores working-class life, butch identity, gender nonconformity, labor, sexuality, and political solidarity, and became a major work in queer literary culture.

• Speculative fiction

  The Gilda Stories

  Jewelle Gomez's novel follows a Black lesbian vampire across different historical periods. Its combination of speculative fiction, race, sexuality, community, and survival made it an important title in lesbian and queer literature.

• Graphic narrative

  Dykes to Watch Out For

  Firebrand published the complete series of Alison Bechdel's influential comic strips about lesbian characters, relationships, politics, and community. The series helped establish queer comics as a significant literary and cultural form.

• Short fiction · 1988

  Trash

  Dorothy Allison's Trash is one of the Firebrand titles associated with major literary recognition, including two Lambda Literary Awards. Its writing addresses sexuality, class, family, and marginalized experience.

• 2003

  Backlist preservation and relocation to Ann ArborStrategy

  Background

  Following LPC Group's bankruptcy, Firebrand's catalogue faced possible liquidation.

  Action taken

  Karen Oosterhouse bought the press at auction and relocated its operations from Ithaca to Ann Arbor.

  Aftermath

  The backlist and Firebrand identity were preserved, and the press continued operating under an independent feminist and lesbian publishing orientation for a period.

  Source

• 2000

  Sale of Firebrand Books to LPC GroupM&A

  Background

  After sixteen years of independent operation, Nancy K. Bereano transferred ownership to LPC Group, the distributor that had handled Firebrand's list for the previous five years.

  Action taken

  Bereano sold the publishing house and its catalogue to LPC Group.

  Aftermath

  LPC Group later filed for bankruptcy, leading to an auction of Firebrand's assets and the subsequent acquisition of the press by Karen Oosterhouse.

  Source

1. 1Firebrand Booksen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Guide to the Firebrand Books Records, 1984–2000rare.library.cornell.edu