Open Secret: The Family Story of Robert and John Gregg Allerton

In 1922, Robert Allerton, a wealthy bachelor in Chicago, met John Gregg, an architecture student twenty-six years his junior. They became inseparable and legally adopted Gregg as his son in 1960, making history as the first such adoption of an adult in Illinois. The documentary "An Open Secret" explores their story, highlighting their queer relationships and the challenges they faced in a society that did not tolerate their love. It also delves into their design, domestic, and philanthropic projects, shedding light on their profound queerness and the diversity of kinship ties in modern US history.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 30 April 2021
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

In 1922, Robert Allerton, known as the "richest bachelor in Chicago," encountered John Gregg, a twenty-two-year-old University of Illinois architecture student, at twenty-six years his junior. Their bond became inseparable, and within a few years, they began referring to each other as father and son. Their relationship lasted nearly four decades, culminating in a daringly nonconformist move in 1960 when Allerton legally adopted Gregg as his son, making history as the first such adoption of an adult in Illinois.

An Open Secret delves into the captivating story of these two extraordinary individuals, placing them within their queer contemporaries and examining the reasons why becoming father and son proved surprisingly fitting for a twentieth-century couple who possessed every financial advantage but faced a significant obstacle: their desire to be openly together in a society that did not accept their love. Through meticulous exploration of their design, domestic, and philanthropic endeavors, Nicholas L. Syrett sheds light on how understanding the Allertons as both a same-sex couple and an adopted family is essential to comprehending the profound queerness of their relationships. By delving deep into the lives of these two men, who often remained enigmatic in their own time, Syrett opens up provocative new avenues to consider the diverse range of kinship ties in modern American history.

Weight: 334g
Dimension: 153 x 229 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226761558