The Story of A Brooklyn Bullfighter

Glitter & Doom

"Nobody ever lives their life all the way up except bull-fighters," Ernest Hemingway wrote in the Sun Also Rises. When penning that line, he might have been thinking of his friend, the celebrated American matador Sidney Franklin. Hemingway once wrote of Franklin, "He is a better, more scientific, more intelligent, and more finished matador than all but about six of the full matadors in Spain today." Franklin was born Sidney Frumkin in Brooklyn in 1903, the son of an Orthodox Jewish cop. Against his father's wishes, he took an interest in the arts, distanced himself from Judaism, had relationships with men throughout his life, and took up bullfighting. His story has recently resurfaced, thanks to Center for Jewish History in NYC, and their director of archive and library service, Rachel Miller, tells us about it. We also meet two honorees recognized by the Borough President for their contributions to the Brooklyn LGBTQ+ community.