Downtown in Ithaca in Tompkins County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Firebrand Books
Photographed by Susan A. Dalaba, October 20, 2026
1. Firebrand Books Marker
Firebrand Books, a nationally recognized, award-winning feminist and lesbian press, founded by Nancy K. Bereano in 1954. Its offices were located on the second floor of 141 The Commons. A leader in the publishing revolution occurring during the Women in Print and LGBTQ movements of the 1970s and ‘80s. Firebrand published a wide variety of genres by ethically and racially diverse authors, including Dorothy Allison, Alison Bechdel, Cheryl Clarke, Leslie Feinberg, Jewelle Gomez, Audre Lorde, and Minnie Bruce Pratt, before the changing economics of the book trade forced it to close its doors in 2000. Its many accolades included honors from the American Literary Association, Lambda Literary Foundation, and recognition by the New York Times for three of the top 25 books influencing queer culture since WWII.
Erected 2026 by Friends of Firebrand Books.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Education • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1954.
Location. 42° 26.377′ N, 76° 29.836′ W. Marker is in Ithaca, New York, in Tompkins County. It is in Downtown.
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Upstate New York and in the Southern Tier. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, New Netherland, and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Ezra Cornell (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Three Pioneers (about 400 feet away); Jupiter (about 600 feet away); Town of Ithaca (about 600 feet away); Ithaca Conservatory of Music (about 700 feet away); Ithaca Conservatory of Music 31st Anniversary (about 700 feet away); DeWitt Park Historic District (about 700 feet away); Ithaca College (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ithaca.
Also see . . . Firebrand Books (Wikipedia).
Firebrand Books was a feminist and lesbian publishing house established in the fall of 1984 by Nancy K. Bereano, a lesbian and feminist activist, in Ithaca, New York. It is among the many feminist and lesbian publishing houses that grew out of the Women in Print Movement.(Submitted on October 26, 2026, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)
Credits. This page was last revised on October 26, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 20, 2026, by Susan A. Dalaba of Cortland, New York. This page has been viewed 10 times since then. Photo 1. submitted on October 20, 2026, by Susan A. Dalaba of Cortland, New York. • Michael Herrick was the editor who published this page.
