215. Connecticut’s Wild Visionary: Children’s Author Maurice Sendak

 

Artist and author Maurice Sendak was able to achieve significant and enduring success in art and children’s literature during his lifetime. But what secrets did he had to keep from his family, publishers, parents, librarians, and readers as a gay, Jewish man negotiating the field of children’s literature?

 

Sendak wrote and illustrated books that nurtured children and adults alike. Winner of the 1964 Caldecott Medal for Where the Wild Things Are, in 1970 Sendak became the first American illustrator to receive the international Hans Christian Anderson Award, given in recognition of his entire body of work. Sendak’s work has been the subject of several extensive retrospective art shows at prestigious museums across the country. Sendak lived in Ridgefield, Connecticut with his partner Dr. Eugene Glynn for over 50 years.

 

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Golan Moskowitz, author of Wild Visionary, Maurice Sendak in Queer Jewish Context, published by Stanford University Press in 2021. Dr. Moskowitz is an Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies and a faculty member of the Grant Center for the American Jewish Experience at Tulane University.  He serves as Book Review Editor for Holocaust and Genocide Studies and as director of the Jewish American and Holocaust Literature Symposium. Golan is currently working on a cultural history of Jewish American involvement in the art of drag.

 

To contact Dr. Mostowitz, please see below:

His faculty page: americanjewishexperience.org/gc-scholar/golan-moskowitz/

 

For speaking inquiries, please contact Tulane University's Jewish Studies Department: [e-mail]

 

The Maurice Sendak Foundation: https://www.sendakfoundation.org/

 

Connecticut Landmarks LGBTQ+ Archives

The archival collections of East Haddam’s Palmer-Warner House include the diaries and letters of previous residents Frederic Palmer and his partner Howard Metzger. On view during the museum’s open hours through August 23,2025, “Letters of Unity” explores the evolution of LGBTQ+ communication over more than a century through the stories of Frederic, Howard, and other members of LGBTQ+ communities. From love letters to social media and personal diaries to protest flyers, this display showcases how love, resistance, and solidarity have been expressed through various mediums. Purchase tickets at ctlandmarks.org/properties/palmer-warner-house/

 

 

Preservatlon Connecticut LGBTQ+ Historic Sites Survey

 Preservation Connecticut, in partnership with scholars and activists, has embarked on documenting Connecticut’s LGBTQ+ sites. Interwoven through these places are stories of resilience, innovation, and the pursuit of equality that transcend the traditional boundaries of class, race, ethnicity, and religion. If you're interested in learning more or contributing to this survey project, please visit www.preservationct.org/lgbtq.

 

Ridgefield Pride

Ridgefield Connecticut Pride  fosters belonging, provides support, and celebrates the LGBTQ+ community in Ridgefield and beyond. Fostering a sense of belonging for LGBTQ+ individuals, their families, and friends and celebrating the richness and diversity of the community. Check out their website for more information at https://ridgefieldctpride.com

Grating the Nutmeg Three-part LGBTQ+ Series 2025

Connecticut Explored magazine and our podcast, Grating the Nutmeg, have featured many of the heritage trails that mark the important histories and sites of Connecticut’s people.  Preservation Connecticut has undertaken a survey of LGBTQ+ heritage sites across the state. Now, Grating the Nutmeg and Preserva