Wikipedia has this to say about the pre-Stonewall Compton Cafeteria Riot and Vanguard:
Many of the militant hustlers and street queens involved in the riot were members of Vanguard, the first known gay youth organization in the United States, which had been organized earlier that year with the help of radical ministers working with Glide Memorial Church, a center for progressive social activism in the Tenderloin for many years. A lesbian group of street people was also formed called the Street Orphans.
Here’s some 1960s-era Vanguard memorabilia from the Transgender Archive in Houston:
Vanguard 203 Clayton ST. 221-7731
conceive a man, should he have any
thing
would give a little more than it
away
(his autumn’s winter being summer’s
spring
Who moved by standing in november’s
may.)
from whose (if loud most howish
time derange
the silent whys of such a death-
lessness)
remembrance might no patient mind
unstrange
learn (nor could all earth’s rot-
ting scholars guess
that life shall not for living
find the rule)
and dark beginnings are his luminous
ends
who far less lonely than a fire is
cool
took bedfellows for moons mountains
for friends
–open your thighs to fate and
(if you can
withholding nothing) World, conceive
a man
We realize that this is also a period of indecision for friends and brothers and we regret having to add this plea to their own. Yet, the Vanguard community is in need now whereas once we shared our plenty. This summer we co-sponsored a free printing service for free things and a very low cost one for money bags, nad [sic] a calm center… and counsuling [sic]. People could crash there. It was our intention to remain individual via the business so that we could freely support the other. And, we were doing it competently and peacefully for sometime. Then a series of sickenesses in our family and a couple of hurtful romances overcame our success. Well we’d like to begin again again. There is a need still. In spite of the Death, we are here. Give us, if you can a little information… and some spiritual assistance. Does anyone know of a largish flat which we could rent for less than our present $150 a month home? Or are there some gentle people with rent bread who would like to join us? Would anyone offer a job to an artistic young negro or to a charming hip girl? We have been looking throughout plastic metropolis but without any success. Same story… cut your hair, take off the beads… and shut your mind. Well, nonetheless we’re willing to labor to keep ourselves free. Something very confusing happened to our mimeo. So if you have or know of an inexpensive one please call us. There are many little events which must operate on a small profit and therefore cannot afford Union fees. There are lots of free thing; lots of beautiful words and such that are not adequately publicized because they are freely given. We think that more communication is needed. Lastly, we would like to solicite [sic] more ads and more thoughts for our UPS publication, The Vanguard.
Peace and grasses in your back yard, Keith, Tony, John and Donna and others