Linda Ketner

Linda Ketner (born May 12, 1950) is a philanthropist and co-founder of the Charleston, South Carolina-based LGBTQ advocacy group Alliance for Full Acceptance. In 2008, she became the first openly gay candidate for the House of Representatives in South Carolina history when she ran as a Democrat in South Carolina's 1st Congressional District.[1]

Biography

Linda Ketner was born on May 12, 1950 in Faith, North Carolina to Ralph Wright Ketner and Ruth Jones Ketner Hope. Ralph Ketner co-founded Food Town, which later became the Food Lion grocery store chain.[2] In 2008, Ketner ran as a Democrat for South Carolina's 1st Congressional district against Republican incumbent Henry Brown. Brown won the race with 53% of the vote to Ketner's 47%, a distance of 16,000 votes.[3] Ketner has been involved in extensive volunteer work and advocacy work with the LGBTQ community in South Carolina. She worked with the Charleston chapter of the NAACP as a committee chair, receiving a Special Recognition Award from the group in 2013.[4][5] She and her partner, Beth Huntley, did volunteer work in Pass Christian, Mississippi, after Hurricane Katrina, coordinating supplies.[6] Ketner co-founded the Alliance for Full Acceptance in 1998 and served as president until 2004.[7] She was president of the South Carolina Equality Coalition (now known as SC Equality) in 2005 during the group's campaign against South Carolina Amendment 1.[8]

References
  1. Comer, Matt (April 5, 2008). "Ketner files for coastal congressional run". Q-notes. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  2. "Ralph Ketner". The State. May 31, 2016.
  3. Behre, Robert (November 6, 2008). "Day later, Brown wins". The Post and Courier. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  4. Parker, Adam (November 20, 2009). "NAACP, Bond celebrate dreams, successes". The Post and Courier. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  5. "Charleston NAACP plans to honor community members at fundraiser". The Post and Courier. December 1, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  6. Moore, David (November 5, 2005). "While the world moves on, hurricane victims still struggling". Q-notes. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  7. "Alliance for Full Acceptance (AFFA) records". College of Charleston Special Collections. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  8. Miller, Donald (November 5, 2005). "One year and counting: Will S.C. turn its back on gay and lesbian citizens over marriage amendment?". Q-notes. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
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