Paris Dupree

Paris Dupree was born in 1950.
She was a founding member and mother of the House of Dupree.
Paris is credited as one of the pioneers of voguing.
She held her first Paris is Burning ball in 1981 and it became a yearly tradition. Her 1986 ball was the focus of the Paris Is Burning documentary.
After the film’s success, Paris and some of the cast threatened to sue the director, Jennie Livingston and the producers. Paris was personally seeking $40 million for “unauthorized and fraudulent use of her services.”
The lawsuits never materialized, Paris and the other participants had signed standard release forms. $55,000 from Livingston was later split between Paris and 12 of the other participants of the documentary.
Paris died in August 2011. She was 61 years old.

Larry Levan