immediately they took my badge off, and they read me my rights. >> reporter: and so he called frank caminy and he yelled at me and said, why did you let them take your badge? and why didn't you shut your mouth? >> reporter: six months later, with caminy's help, shoemaker made headlines when the agency allowed him to keep his job and his security clearance. in 1995, after 42 years, the vestis of eisenhower's executive order were finally overturned. how many gay federal employees actually spied for foreign governments? >> there was not a single example of a gay man or lesbian who ever submitted to blackmail by a foreign agent, not a single one. >> reporter: in 2009, frank caminy was back at the white house. >> frank caminy. >> reporter: this time invited by president obama for a ceremony extending the rights of gay federal employees. kameny died in 2011, not long after he was interviewed by josh howard, who says there are still lessons to be learned from his courage. >> i grew up in a time before there was marriage equality and before stonewall. so i'm in some ways envious of younger people,