Coll. #054: Black and White Men Together - Men of All Colors Together Collection
Men of All Colors Together/Boston (BWMT/Boston; MACT/Boston), founded under the name “Black and White Men Together/Boston” in 1980 is the Boston chapter of the National Association of Black and White Men Together (known as the “International Association of Black and White Men Together” at its inception). MACT/Boston is the second-oldest national chapter and the oldest interracial gay group on the East Coast3.
1980-1996
Email: info@historyproject.org for more information
THP-FA-054
Coll. 001: Mike Riegle Collection Finding Aid
<p>Michael Riegle, journalist, gay liberationist and prisoner rights activist, was born in 1943 in Gary, Indiana. The son of a steel mill worker, he attended Knox College where he received his Bachelors Degree; he later received his Doctorate in the psychology of language from the University of Minnesota. Upon receiving his Doctorate, Riegle taught at Franklin and Marshall College and ended his teaching career at Cornell. Throughout the 1970s, Riegle traveled extensively through Europe, primarily Italy and France where he worked as a translator, English and children’s tutor. Fluent in both French and Italian, Riegle maintained an avid interest in language and continued studying Russian, Spanish, Greek and American Sign Language until his death. In 1978, upon his return to the United States, Riegle became involved with the anarchist paper The Fag Rag and became part of the Gay Community News staff in 1979. Riegle expanded the newspaper’s policy of providing free penpal ads to prisoners and began a program providing gays and lesbians behind bars with legal and health information. Riegle was an active advocate for prisoners and published on the subject extensively in GCN. He became a part of the Redbook Prison Book Program and advised the American Friends Service Committee and the AIDS Action Committee on the concerns of prisoners. Mike Riegle died on January 10, 1992 after a long struggle with AIDS.</p>
<p>The Mike Riegle Papers contain a variety of printed media, including newspaper articles, magazine clippings, whole newspapers and magazine issues, published essays, bibliographies, advertisements, pamphlets, newsletters, comics, fiction and poetry all related to the research and collective interests of Gay Community News journalist Michael Riegle. Although the collection consists primarily of clippings and other collected materials from various gay and mainstream media from 1973 to 1990, Riegle’s handwritten research notes on a variety of subjects can be found throughout, including those used in preparation for a review of Michel Foucault’s History of Sexuality for Gay Community News.</p>
THP-FA-001
Coll. 002: David Scondras Collection Finding Aid
Scondras, David
<p>David Scondras was born on January 5, 1946 in Lowell, Massachusetts to first generation Greek- American parents, George and Dorothy. After graduating with honors from Lowell High School, David attended Harvard University where he received his Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics in 1968. In 1974 David received his Master's Degree in economics from Northeastern University.</p>
<p>A longtime community activist and educator, Scondras received nationwide attention for his work around arson prevention. In 1976 he co-founded the Symphony Tenants Organizing Project (STOP), whose work led to the conviction of a thirty-one member arson-for-profit ring in the Fenway area. In 1977 David helped draft and lobby for the first comprehensive anti-arson law in the country.</p>
<p>A lifelong advocate for the rights of tenants and senior citizens, Scondras is a noted lecturer on issues around human rights, anti-racism, anti-homophobia and arson prevention. He is an international human rights activist and has travelled to El Salvador and Nicaragua to observe, local and national elections and to speak on human rights issues. Scondras was chosen by the Harvard/ Radcliff Alumni Against Apartheid to be a candidate for the Harvard Board of Overseers; Bishop Tutu endorsed his candidacy. In 1971 Scondras along with numerous other community activists founded the Fenway Community Health Center and obtained federal funding to provide medical services to neighborhood residents.</p>
<p>David Scondras was elected to the Boston City Council in 1983 and became the first openly gay individual elected to that body. During his ten-year tenure, he advocated for the gay and lesbian community, opposing then-Governor Michael Dukakis' decision to deny gay couples the right to adopt. As a member of Boston City Council, Scondras worked on a variety of issues from; fair and affordable housing, minority rights, rat control, to developing a water table land trust to help endangered properties in the Boston area. He led a boycott of Coors Beer to end its funding of political extremist groups and introduced and won approval of a Human Rights Ordinance that, for the first time, protected the gay and lesbian citizens of Boston. He established a Human Rights Commission, and led an effort to bring about a coalition of community and political activists to pass the State's Gay Rights Bill. It was reported by the Boston Globe that Scondras, during his time in City Council, sponsored over 150 legislative initiatives.</p>
<p>Scondras was an early proponent of funding for HIV/AIDS research, and in 1987 founded The Boston Human Rights Institute, (BHRI) a not-for-profit organization. It was established and incorporated as a direct result of the Coors Beer Boycott Settlement. After Scondras lost re-election in 1994, the BHRI was unofficial renamed Search For A Cure, to refocus its mission dedicated to AIDS education, prevention and research not only locally, but around the world.</p>
The History Project: Documenting LGBTQ Boston
Email info@historyproject.org for more information.
THP-FA-002
Coll. 004: AIDS Ephemera Collection Finding Aid
The AIDS Ephemera Collection consists of materials gathered over time by various members of The History Project, including board member Elizabeth Bouvier. Designed to the eyecatching advertisements for AIDS awareness events, these items were given out at community activities or picked up from displays in public places. The collection consists of a range of media: cards and flyers, novelty items, stickers and buttons – formats that normally do not lend themselves to easy preservation, as they were primarily meant as disposable reminders to convey information and raise awareness, to announce a program or service, or to induce action. However, because of this they provide a unique sample of grassroots efforts to educate the community about HIV/AIDS.
Email info@historyproject.org for more information.
THP-FA-004
Coll. 005: March on Washington / Gay and Lesbian Defense Committee Collection Finding Aid
Holmes, Sarah
Gay and Lesbian Defense Committee
March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay, and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation (1993)
The materials in this collection – compiled by Boston-based activist Sarah Holmes – document the work of several national and local (to Boston, Massachusetts) lesbian and gay rights groups from 1977 to 1993, with the bulk of the materials pertaining to organizing efforts and events from 1985 to 1988. The materials in the collection are divided into three main categories: March on Washington (1987), Gay and Lesbian Defense Committee of Boston, Massachusetts, and Miscellaneous. Activist groups central to the collection include the National March of Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights Organizing Committee and its Boston sub-committees, and the Gay and Lesbian Defense Committee of Boston, Massachusetts.
Email info@historyproject.org for more information.
THP-FA-005
Coll. 006: Boston Pride Collection
Boston Pride
The Boston Pride Collection consists of papers (some originals and some photocopies), photographs, and ephemera from 1970 to 2008 related to the Boston Pride March and Rally, as well as materials from various celebrations and events during Pride week. The bulk of the collection is news coverage surrounding Pride Week preparations, goals, controversies, and summaries.
The collection is arranged by year, and then by series. Most years contain folders for the following four series: Pride Week Guides, News Articles, Flyers/Pamphlets, and Images. Other series, which occur in certain years, are Pride Week Committee Papers (with folder titles stating the name of whichever committee was overseeing the Pride planning for that year), Speeches, Miscellaneous, Maps and Ephemera. The series entitled Pride Week Guides may contain itineraries, programs, or calendars describing Pride week events. Many of these folders also contain notes on Pride week events for that particular year. The News Articles series may contain newspaper articles (originals and/or photocopies), journal and magazine articles, and/or press releases. The Images series may contain original photographs, photocopies, or enlarged photocopied images from newspapers.
The History Project has original slides and photographs for the following years: 1973-1975, 1977-1980, 1986-1987, 1990-1991, and 1997. The Flyers/Pamphlets series contains flyers, pamphlets, bar or party cards, and religious service/interfaith service leaflets. The only Speeches series included at present is from 1970 and contains the original manuscript to a speech given at the Massachusetts State House by Laura McMurry.
Some years contain series folders for the committee that was overseeing the Parade for any given year. These folders may contain correspondence, notes, forms and photocopies of incorporation documents from the Secretary of State’s office. Also included are several 990 Federal Tax statements from some years.
There is a separate series for the Boston Dyke March, a separate march which has taken place 1994, and on the Friday before the Pride march.
The collection is arranged by year, with further arrangement by series. Every year contains a folder for Pride Week Guides and a folder for News Articles.
Email info@historyproject.org for information about rights, reproductions, etc.
THP-FA-006
Coll. 007: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth Collection Finding Aid
<p>The variety of materials in this collection speak to the long tradition of activism around the rights and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth in Massachusetts, and attest to changing societal attitudes both across the state and around the United States concerning LGBT youth. Importantly, this collection shows the central role that LGBT youth have played in activist efforts in both the Boston area and throughout Massachusetts.</p>
<p>Materials in this collection reach as far back as 1969, when Time Magazine published a cover story called “The Homosexual in America” which discussed, as part of its scope, lesbian and gay youth. A few years later, in 1972, High School Gays United (HSGU) formed in Boston to provide an outlet for gay and lesbian youth. HSGU is the first documented group of its kind in Massachusetts. From that point, and moving toward the present, the groups, organizations, and movements included in this collection reveal the varying issues that have shaped both the LGBT youth community and the LGBT community in general.</p>
Email info@historyproject.org for more information.
THP-FA-007
Coll. 008: Lavender Resistance and BLAGMAR Collection Finding Aid
<p>Boston Lesbian and Gays Against the Right (BLAGMAR) and its parent organization, Lavender Resistance, were groups formed in the last half of the 1970s to negotiate between issues relating to the LGBT community and the concerns of leftist politics. Lavender Resistance, active from 1976-1979, was primarily a discussion and study group that focused on defining this relationship, and because some members wanted a more action-oriented environment, BLAGMAR was formed to meet this need in 1978. BLAGMAR specifically was a reaction against the emergence of the New Right, a political movement of evangelical Christians, headed by people like Anita Bryant, that actively targeted the gay and lesbian community.</p>
<p>The records of the organizations reflect the political and activist LGBT community during one of the Gay Rights Movement’s most active periods. Perhaps most importantly, these records, particularly the meeting minutes and discussion notes, are very relevant for any study of how gay and lesbian issues related to socialist and progressive politics, and how certain members of the community chose to approach this relationship. The group’s records represent an intellectual and economically progressive approach to LGBT issues. Lavender Resistance, a socialist-feminist voice in the gay community, was particularly invested in the study of the historic interactions between race, class, gender, and homosexuality in a capitalist environment, while BLAGMAR focused on current political trends and activism.</p>
Email info@historyproject.org for more information.
THP-FA-008
Coll. 009: Homophile Union of Boston (HUB) Papers Finding Aid
Homophile Union of Boston
The Homophile Union of Boston grew out of the Boston chapter of the Mattachine Society and was founded in late 1969 or early 1970. The organization’s leadership was male, but there were also women members. The purpose of HUB was to provide a space for gay men and lesbians to talk about political and social issues affecting them and to offer a support network for members. The papers consist of organizational records, publications, and correspondence, and were compiled from material donated by officers of HUB, including Frank Morgan and Dick York.
Email info@historyproject.org for more information.
THP-FA-009
Coll. 010: Student Homophile League Collection Finding Aid
The Student Homophile League was a self-described “service group organizing social and political action for the college age community” and was active between 1969 and 1980. First organized by MIT student Stan Tillotson in 1969, the organization became official in April of 1970 with Harry Phillips as the president. SHL was disbanded by the Vice President and the Secretary in December of 1970, and then started with a new executive board and constitution in January of 1971, as described in the letter of the new president William J. Canfield II. The reason given for the rearrangement of the organization was a need for improved structure and communication. Along with its political function, the SHL also served a social function, as reflected by the numerous dance flyers and lists of other activities. There was at times a great deal of dissent within the SHL, which can be seen in the disbanding and restarting of the organization in 1970, and the at times scathing editorials and articles in Liberation, a SHL publication. The majority of the documents in the collection are either undated or are from 1970. The latest document is a letter from 1980 written to David Lynch and other members of the board requesting that all the membership lists for the organization be destroyed and it appears that organization was defunct after that point. Also notable in the collection is the great deal of overlap there was between various Boston homophile groups with the SHL being directly affiliated with Graduate Students Homophile Association of Harvard, B.U. Homophile Club, MIT Homophile Club, Gay Liberation Front, and also working with Eastern Regional Homophile Conference and the North American Conference of Homophile Organizations.
Email info@historyproject.org for more information.
THP-FA-010
Coll. 011: Boston Daughters of Bilitis Collection and Focus/Maiden Voyage Publication Finding Aid
Daughters of Bilitis. Boston Chapter
<p>The Daughters of Bilitis (DOB) was a lesbian organization founded in 1955 in San Francisco by Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon for the purpose of self-knowledge and self-acceptance, public education, involvement in research, and lobbying to change the laws criminalizing homosexuality. Starting primarily as a private social group for lesbians focused on the integration of the lesbian into mainstream society, the aims of the group shifted during the 1960s due to the changing political, social and economic conditions of the decade. The DOB took up political activism to lobby for the rights of lesbians, promoting individualism with a decreased emphasis on societal conformity. During the 1960s many regional chapters were chartered around the country and globally, continuing the organization even after the closing of the San Francisco national office in 1978.</p>
<p>The Boston chapter was founded in 1969 during a period when many homophile organizations were forming in Boston. Early leaders of the Boston DOB included Lois Johnson, Shari Barden, and Laura Robin/McMurry, who were prominent promoters of the group and its activities. Early on in the history of the Boston DOB, debate occurred over the group’s overall purpose, with an outcome emphasizing the original DOB mission of personal and social support for lesbians, education of the public on lesbianism, and the lobbying for the reform of laws limiting the civil and human rights of lesbians. Many younger, politically active feminist lesbians thought of the organization as old-fashioned and left to create new groups or join other, more radically activist, homophile organizations. The Boston DOB became the longest running chapter of the DOB, maintaining an office in Cambridge until the early 2000s, with 30 years of documented history present in this archive.</p>
<p>The Daughters of Bilitis collection consists of three archival boxes (1.5 linear feet). Box 1 contains a series of folders centered on the activities, organizational structure, and publications of the Boston chapter with some national publications, including the DOB journal, The Ladder. This collection also contains limited information about other activities of non-DOB homophile or feminist groups in the Boston area. The majority of the materials present date between 1965 and 1999, and include original documents as well as photocopies of newspaper and journal articles, event flyers, calendars, and correspondence. Boxes 2 and 3 contain the Boston DOB newsletter, originally entitled Maiden Voyage until 1971, when it was renamed FOCUS. The publication collection is arranged chronologically, beginning December 1969 and ending October 1983, with multiple issues filed together.</p>
Email info@historyproject.org for more information.
THP-FA-011
Coll. 012: Fag Rag (Publication) Collection
Published sporadically from 1971 to 1987, Fag Rag was a leading venue for discussions (and oftentimes explicit depictions) of gay male sexuality, gay liberation politics, literature, and history. This collection includes a full run of Fag Rag, comprising 30 issues of the publication.
Fag Rag Collective
1971-1987
Email info@historyproject.org for more information.
THP-FA-012
Coll. 013: Hit Parade Publication Collection
1978-1983
Email: info@historyproject.org for more information
THP-FA-013
Coll. 014: Esplanade Publication Collection
1976-1982
Email: info@historyproject.org for more information
THP-FA-014
Coll. 015: Next Publication
Next (Publisher: Gary L. Chefetz and Jim Evanelista
1987-1989
email: Info@historyproject.org for more information
THP-FA-015
Coll. 017: Laura McMurry Papers Finding Aid
McMurry, Laura
<p>Laura McMurry was born in Troy, New York, and grew up in Oklahoma and Idaho, before receiving her undergraduate degree at Reed College in Oregon. She moved to Boston in the mid-sixties to join Harvard’s graduate program in biology, receiving her degree in 1971. In 1969, McMurry became involved with the newly-formed Boston chapter of the Daughters of Bilitis. McMurry was active in the Daughters of Bilitis from 1971-1975, at one time serving as secretary.</p>
<p>Through the Daughters of Bilitis, McMurry also became involved in political action, including protesting anti-sodomy legislation. In the 1970s McMurry became involved in many Boston gay and lesbian organizations such as the Gay Speakers Bureau and the Gay Community News.</p>
<p>In spring of 1970, she participated in Come Help Us Celebrate, and spoke at the first Boston Pride Celebration.</p>
Email info@historyproject.org for more information.
THP-FA-017
Coll. 018: David Peterson Collection
David Peterson came from a conservative family in Indiana. In 1965 Peterson came to the Boston area to attend MIT. One of the first organizations he became involved with was the Homophile Union of Boston (HUB). It was in those years he became friends with Laura McMurry (Daughters of Bilitis). In 1972 Peterson, along with McMurry and Harry Phillips started Boston's Gay Speakers Bureau (now known as Speakout Boston). In 1973 Peterson along with Charles Shively and John Mitzel founded the Gay Community News. In 1974, Peterson founded Gayline Greetings with friends, Mary Leno and Maggie Krebs. It was one of the first companies to produce and market non-sexist gay/lesbian oriented greeting cards. In 1979, Peterson started Iris Cards and stamps which continued to carry the Gayline greetings as well as developing the world's largest selection of lesbian and gay oriented art rubber stamps.
David Peterson due to his conservative background collected a lot of right-wing materials on homosexuality, including a rather extensive collection of materials on the Ted Haggard / Michael Jones scandal, in which he befriended Michael Jones and spent years corresponding with him.
David Peterson
1960-1987
email: info@historyproject.org for more information.
THP-FA-018
Coll. 020: Albert Wakefield and Marshall Belmaine Papers Finding Aid
Wakefield, Albert
Belmaine, Marshall
The collection chronicles the lives of Albert Wakefield and Marshall Belmaine from the 1950’s to the 1990’s. There is military information about the service records of both men. Al Wakefield served in Vietnam and was decorated for service. Military materials span from the late 1950’s to the 1990’s. Some examples of art by Al are included in the collection. There are hardcopies and electronic records of letters and files pertaining to their lives. An art album containing examples of drawings by Al Wakefield of military service in Vietname is included in the collection. A button collection of buttons depicting the Motorcycle Club, the Vikings, is included in the collection.
Both Albert Wakefield and Marshall Belmaine, gay partners, were active in the gay scene in Boston in the 1970’s through the 1990’s. They formed gay men’s organizations, such as the Homophile Union, Papa Gayos, and “The Gay Co-op.” and motorcycle/leather clubs for gay men called the Vikings. Al Wakefield entered a program for PTSD sufferers around 1994. He worked as a janitor in an elementary school and left that job to enter a PTSD program. Marshall Belmaine served in Vietnam in the Marines, and Al Wakefield served in the Army, also in Vietnam. Marshall was injured in Vietnam in the Quang Tri Republic in Spring of 1967. One or both men are believed to now reside in Florida.
Email info@historyproject.org for more information.
THP-FA-020
Coll. 021: Robert P. Wheatly Collection Finding Aid
Wheatly, Robert P.
Rev. Robert P. Wheatly, b. 1919 d. October 31, 2002, was a Gay Unitarian Universalist Minister and social justice pioneer who lived and worked in Massachusetts from 1949 until his death in 2002. He moved to the Boston area to attend Harvard Divinity School but did not finish the coursework. He lived in Cambridge until his death and was active in several positions in the Unitarian Universalist Church, LGBT groups, specifically in Boston and Cambridge and also groups related to aging and affordable housing groups.In 1998-2000 Rev. Wheatly had contacted THP concerning disposition of his collection of materials and papers related to LGBT issues. At his death, his partner, Kenneth J. English arranged with The History Project to receive his papers. Throughout his tenure as director of the Unitarian Universalist (U.U.) Office of Gay Concerns, he traveled extensively throughout North America to attend conferences and workshops, and speaking engagements associated with LGBT and church issues.
Email info@historyproject.org for more information.
THP-FA-021
Coll. 022: The History Project's Marriage Collection Finding Aid
The finding aid is a document containing detailed information about this specific collection within The History Project archives. You can use the finding aid to determine whether information within this collection that has not be digitized is relevant to your research. The finding aid includes a description of the scope of the collection, biographical and historical information related to the collection, restrictions on use of or access to the materials, and inventories that will help you better understand what we have onsite that you may wish to access for your research.
THP-022
Coll. 023: Know Thy Neighbor Collection Finding Aid
The finding aid is a document containing detailed information about this specific collection within The History Project archives. You can use the finding aid to determine whether information within this collection that has not be digitized is relevant to your research. The finding aid includes a description of the scope of the collection, biographical and historical information related to the collection, restrictions on use of or access to the materials, and inventories that will help you better understand what we have onsite that you may wish to access for your research.
THP-023
Coll. 024: Lowell High GSA Collection FInding Aid
The finding aid is a document containing detailed information about this specific collection within The History Project archives. You can use the finding aid to determine whether information within this collection that has not be digitized is relevant to your research. The finding aid includes a description of the scope of the collection, biographical and historical information related to the collection, restrictions on use of or access to the materials, and inventories that will help you better understand what we have onsite that you may wish to access for your research.
THP-024
Coll. 025: Beantown Bowling League Collection Finding Aid
The Beantown Bowling League began in 1986 and is still in existence today. The documents in the collection cover their early years as an organization from 1987-1992 and show the wide array of tournaments the group participated in, in addition to their Tuesday night bowling times. Initially the organization had approximately 70-80 bowlers and these were broken up into teams with a captain for each team. In addition to the Tuesday night bowling and various tournaments the organization participated in several fundraisers and had an annual Christmas banquet.
Also represented in the collection is the IGBO or the International Gay (or Lesbian) Bowling Organization which ran many annual tournaments in addition to sponsoring other tournaments for gay and lesbian bowlers. The international organization is considered “the sports membership organization of choice for the gay community worldwide” and was founded in 1980 and is still in existence today. Tournaments hosted by the IGBO include annual tournaments and mid-year tournaments.
Email: info@historyproject.org for more information
THP-FA-025
Coll. 026: Howard Berman Collection Finding Aid
The finding aid is a document containing detailed information about this specific collection within The History Project archives. You can use the finding aid to determine whether information within this collection that has not be digitized is relevant to your research. The finding aid includes a description of the scope of the collection, biographical and historical information related to the collection, restrictions on use of or access to the materials, and inventories that will help you better understand what we have onsite that you may wish to access for your research.
THP-026
Coll. 027: Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry Papers Finding Aid
Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry
Historically in Massachusetts, and in other states, attempts by same-sex couples to apply for and receive marriage licenses were met with refusals by public officials to grant a license to same-sex couples.
As a response to those attempts a lawsuit was filed in Suffolk Superior Court in Massachusetts on April 11, 2001 by lead attorney Mary Bonauto, of Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, GLAD.
The case, Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health, had 7 plaintiff couples who had applied for and were denied marriage licenses in Massachusetts. The court ruled against the plaintiff couples in May 2002. GLAD attorneys immediately appealed the case directly to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC).
Oral Arguments were heard in the case March 4, 2003, and in November, the Court ruled in favor of the plaintiff couples, allowing city and town clerks in the Commonwealth to begin issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples as of May 17, 2004.
The organization, Freedom to Marry Coalition of Massachusetts (FTMC-FreedomtoMarry.org) had been engaged in grassroots education, advocacy and lobbying in support of civil marriage rights for same sex couples since 1993.
The FTMC also played a key role in the founding and growth of the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry, RCFM. The RCFM was formed by a group of clergy who met informally at a FTMC function in 1997. One of the co-founders was Rabbi Howard Berman, (see also The History Project, MS. COL. 26, Howard Berman Collection).
The RCFM was a group of more than 700 clergy, congregations, and organizations from 23 faith traditions, including the United Church of Christ, the Episcopal Church, the Unitarian Universalist Association and Reform Judaism, Roman Catholics and others. Not many Roman Catholic Priests signed the declaration of support. On the 1000 signer Declaration of Support there was one Catholic Priest (Apostolic) who signed. There were members of various Roman Catholic parishes who would later sign a statement of support targeted at non-clergy Catholic supporters of same-sex marriage rights.
From 1997, RCFM spanned approximately 8 years, from the period of time preceeding the Goodridge Case to after the favorable ruling to the constitutional convention in Sept. 2005, where the anti-gay amendment banning same sex marriage was defeated, until the organization officially disbanded in 2007.
Administrative personnel ran the day to day operation of RCFM. These included Executive Director, Rabbi Devon Lerner; Outreach Coordinator, Alex Hivoltze-Jimenez; Assistant Director, Margaret (Maggie) Crowley; Program Manager and Administrator (part-time), Carlos French; and a loaned intern from the Freedom to Marry Coalition, Katie McDonough. The position of Director of Community Outreach was proposed and created in 2005. Before that time, Alex Hivoltze-Jimenez held the position of political director. All positions were paid positions except the internship. Two clergy acted as executive directors of RCFM, the first, and longtime director, was Rabbi Devon Lerner. Later, The Rev. Anne Fowler, who served as president of the board of directors, would serve as acting executive director.
The RCFM was primarily funded by grants and donations from member organizations and individuals. An example of the 2005-2006 budget included $75,000 in grants and $101,000 in donations. Grants included the Gill Foundation, Mass Equality, and the Unitarian based Fund for a Just Society.
Funding allowed the RCFM coordinators to speak to numerous congregations and other gatherings, organize religious support in the form of signers to the Declaration of Support for the Freedom to Marry, and lobby against attempts to pass a constitutional amendment at constitutional conventions banning gay marriage by those opposed to same sex marriage rights, such as Mass Resistance.
The success of the RCFM was evidenced by the funding, innovation, and grassroots support for same sex marriage in Massachusetts. The RCFM remains today a very successful social justice model not only in the realm of LGBT equal rights in Massachusetts but nationally in the general area of civil rights and liberties.
THP-027
Coll. 028: Project 10 East Collection Finding Aid
The finding aid is a document containing detailed information about this specific collection within The History Project archives. You can use the finding aid to determine whether information within this collection that has not be digitized is relevant to your research. The finding aid includes a description of the scope of the collection, biographical and historical information related to the collection, restrictions on use of or access to the materials, and inventories that will help you better understand what we have onsite that you may wish to access for your research.
THP-028
Coll. 030: Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth Collection Finding Aid
The Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth (GCGLY) was created by executive order on February 10, 1992 by Governor William Weld, in an effort to support the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth community. The Commission was formed to address diverse issues that face LGBT youth, including: discrimination and violence in school and family life, drug and alcohol abuse, runaways, high school dropouts, homelessness, and teenage suicide. On October 7, 1998, Governor A. Paul Cellucci expanded the powers of the Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth and renewed the executive office’s commitment to combat suicide and violence affecting LGBT youth. The GCGLY functioned until mid-2006 when it was dissolved and replaced by the Massachusetts Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth which was established by the Massachusetts General Court on July 1st, 2006.
One of the major responsibilities of the GCGLY was the organization of an annual Gay/Straight Youth Pride March in Boston, the first planned march of its kind in the nation. The principle sponsors of the Youth Pride March were the Youth Committee of the GCGLY, with the co-sponsorship of area high schools and community organizations in support of LGBT youth. Every year from 1995 and 2007, thousands of LGBT youth and their supporters marched through the streets of Boston, listened to speeches in Copley Square, displayed student artwork and banners, participated in spirit contests and talent shows, and ended the march at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade with music, food, resource tables, and local vendors at a celebration party.
Another responsibility of the GCGLY was the Safe Schools and Colleges Program, which focused on school programming designed to create a secure and understanding environment for LGBT youth in Massachusetts middle schools, high schools, and colleges. The Safe Schools and Colleges Program offered mini-grants, awarding money to schools across Massachusetts for the establishment of Gay/Straight Alliances (GSAs), support for LGBT club activities, participation in Youth Pride March, and other outreach activities in support of safe schools for LGBT youth. The Safe Schools Program also provided orientations for high school GSA leaders and members with ideas on how to start and run programs for LGBT students which would strengthen and support their community. The Safe Colleges Program also sponsored conferences of college GSAs and other LGBT organizations and leaders throughout the state, and awarded grants to college groups.
THP-030
Coll. 031: Dignity Boston Collection
Dignity Boston was founded in 1972 as a local chapter of Dignity/USA, which started in Los Angeles in 1969, first as a counseling group, then a support group for LGBTQ Catholics. Dignity/USA has been a national independent nonprofit organization since 1973. The members of Dignity provide spiritual support, church services, and social activities for LGBTQ Catholics.
The History Project
1982-1997 (Bulk 1995-1997)
email: info@historyproject.org for more information
THP-FA-031
Coll. 032: Boston Gay Men’s Chorus (BGMC) Collection Finding Aid
The finding aid is a document containing detailed information about this specific collection within The History Project archives. You can use the finding aid to determine whether information within this collection that has not be digitized is relevant to your research. The finding aid includes a description of the scope of the collection, biographical and historical information related to the collection, restrictions on use of or access to the materials, and inventories that will help you better understand what we have onsite that you may wish to access for your research.
THP-032
Coll. 033: Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders Collection Finding Aid
Attorney John Ward founded the non-profit legal rights organization, Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) in 1978. It grew out of the Boston/Boise Committee, a group organized in December 1977 to defend the rights of gay men arrested in Boston Massachusetts as part of an "anti-gay witchhunt." GLAD would file its first lawsuit in 1979 on behalf of a gay man arrested at the Boston Public Library.
GLAD is based in Boston and works to combat discrimination against the LGBTQ community throughout New England and nationwide. In 2003, GLAD was involved with a lawsuit that would lead to the recognition of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts.
THP-FA-033
Coll. 034 The History Project's T-Shirt Collection Finding Aid
The finding aid is a document containing detailed information about this specific collection within The History Project archives. You can use the finding aid to determine whether information within this collection that has not be digitized is relevant to your research. The finding aid includes a description of the scope of the collection, biographical and historical information related to the collection, restrictions on use of or access to the materials, and inventories that will help you better understand what we have onsite that you may wish to access for your research.
Coll. 037: The History Project's Bar Collection Finding Aid
Boston’s gay subculture developed in tandem with Prohibition, where speakeasies became natural gathering places for gay individuals who were already leading a clandestine life. The History Project’s Improper Bostonians notes, “Bars and other gathering places gave previously isolated individuals the opportunity to experience a modicum of freedom, which helped offset the constant threat of arrest, extortion, or loss of employment and the strain of leading double lives,” (p. 162). At this time, bar exteriors were usually discreet, with unmarked doors and anonymous facades. When Prohibition was repealed, gay patrons continued to frequent many former speakeasies, along with hotel lounges, neighborhood bars, and nightclubs, drawn to places where sexual preference was openly acknowledged. Patrons, however, visited such establishments under constant threat of police raid and arrest, which served to foster the solidarity and sense of community that characterized the bar scene of the late 1940s and 50s. By the 1960s, gay and lesbian bars grew in number and patronage, reflecting a larger cultural shift of oppressed groups rising up and demanding recognition. By the 1970s, the disco scene served to bring gay lifestyles into the mainstream, as disco-owners recognized the buying-power of the gay community and sought to encourage gay patronage.
The material from the Bar Collection has been gathered by patrons and employees of local bars and has been donated to The History Project with the intention of providing a more comprehensive history of the social life of gay men (and, to a smaller extent, women) via the bars they frequented.
THP-037
Coll. 043: InNewsWeekly (Publication) Collection
In Newsweekly, known as IN Newsweekly or in newsweekly during some of its publication, was a LGBT newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. It began in 1991 as IN Boston and became IN Newsweekly in 1993 when it merged with other publications, and increased its coverage to include other New England states. In 2007, publisher and co-founder Chris Robinson sold the paper to HX Media, a New York based company that published both the New York Blade and HX Magazine. After changing its title to New England Blade, the paper ceased publication in November 2008.
1991 - 2008
Email: info@historyproject.org for further information
THP-FA-043
Coll. 044: AIDS Action Committee Collection
The collection consists of publications, promotional material for events, and other documents relating to AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts. The bulk of the collection consists of the publications, which include a pair of early newsletters from April and June of 1983, as well as the more official AAC Update newsletter from June of 1986 through the winter of 1992 (incomplete) and later editions from 2001 and 2003 through 2006 and 2009. There are also other miscellaneous publications from AAC, including issues of SST Express, Wellspring, Forward Living and the 2008 AAC annual report. There are also a variety of pamphlets and booklets published by AAC, some of which promote the organization itself. Many advocate safe sex and the use of condoms, oftentimes using graphic terminology.
The collection also contains material relating to the annual AIDS Walk Boston, beginning with pamphlets from the very first walk held in 1986. The material consists of pamphlets, booklets, flyers and newspaper clippings. There are also donation appeals from AAC, public service advertisements (many are photocopies) and newspaper articles about the organization.
THP-044
Coll. 048: Dorchester Gay and Lesbian Association (GALA) Collection
The collection consists of one record carton with materials consisting of GALA Newsletters and flyers. The collection is ongoing as Dorchester GALA is still in existence.
THP-048
Coll. 050: Boston Alliance for Gay and Lesbian Youth (BAGLY)
The Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth, (BAGLY) is a youth led, adult supported social support organization, committed to social justice, and creating, programs, policies and services in support of the LGBTQ youth community.
BAGLY was founded in July of 1980 by LGBTQ youth who believed that an organization led by and for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning youth was essential for the Greater Boston’s LGBTQ youth community. BAGLY is recognized nationally for its role in creating, sustaining, and advocating for social support, leadership development, and health promotion programs for LGBTQ youth.
1967-2017
Email info@historyproject.org for more information
THP-FA-050
Coll. 051: Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition Collection
Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition
The Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC) was formed in 2001. The organization focused initial efforts on adding a gender identity clause into the City of Boston’s non-discrimination ordinance in 2002. The group expanded to include a satellite chapter in Western Massachusetts that pushed for a similar clause in the City of Northampton. While the major focus of MTPC is political, the group and group members participated in conferences, advocacy and community projects, and co-founder Gunner Scott was elected the Boston Pride Parade Marshall in 2003. The group still exists at present.
THP-051
Coll. 057: Above and Beyond Collection
The collection consists of newspaper clippings and publications gathered during research for the Above + Beyond exhibit. Included are subject files relating to specific topics such as activism and minorities, which contain primarily newspaper clippings and photocopies of newspaper articles. There are two folders of miscellaneous research not focusing on a specific subject; one folder contains material donated by Rev. Joyce Crowder.
Also included are materials from organizations such as ACT-UP Boston, Gay Men’s Health Crisis and MAP for Health. There are newspaper clippings, pamphlets, booklets, flyers and other documents for each organization. The collection has a lot of materials relating to the NAMES Project (the AIDS Memorial Quilt), including its 1988 national tour and its Boston chapter. Some of this material was donated by John Kyper.
Documents relating to the Above + Beyond exhibit itself include indexes and summaries of newspaper articles, drafts of a health timeline, correspondence relating to the standing and online versions of the exhibit as well as promotional material.
The collection also contains a variety of publications – newsletters, pamphlets, booklets, health reports – including Cambridge Cares About AIDS’s Care Notes, the Boston Living Center’s Centerpeace and Lifelines, the People with AIDS Coalition’s Newsline, public health sheets from the Massachusetts Department of Health, and more.
THP-057
Coll. 058: Fenway Community Health Collection
Fenway Community Health Center started in 1971 when a group of students and community activists started a weekly drop-in health clinic serving the diverse population of the Fenway neighborhood: gay men, the elderly, students, and low-income tenants. In 1973, the Center moved to the basement of 16 Haviland Street and incorporated as a free-standing health center. The Center became fully licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in 1978. A forum created in 1982 to discuss the medical and psycho-social issues surrounding AIDS would later become the AIDS Action Committee, which split from the Center in 1986. In 1991, the Center moved to a new state-of-the-art facility at 7 Haviland Street.
In 2009, the Center shortened its operating name to Fenway Health and moved into a new facility at 1340 Boylston Street. It provides medical, dental and eye care along with STD testing and a variety of services addressing violence recovery, substance abuse and LGBT family/parenting. It has become internationally known for its work on HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and research.
(Above excerpted from 1996 25th Anniversary Timeline and the Fenway Health website, www.fenwayhealth.org.)
The collection consists of newspaper clippings and publications donated by Stewart Landers relating to Fenway Community Health Center. Included are copies of newsletters dating back to 1985, such as Fenway Health, Frontlines, Healthy Outlook and Fenway Connections, as well as newspaper and magazine articles from The Boston Globe and Bay Windows. There are also pamphlets for events held by the Fenway Community Health Center, including the 1989 groundbreaking ceremony and the official 1991 opening ceremonies/ribbon cuttings for its new facility at 7 Haviland Street.
Note: The finding aid is a document containing detailed information about this specific collection within The History Project archives. You can use the finding aid to determine whether information within this collection that has not be digitized is relevant to your research. The finding aid includes a description of the scope of the collection, biographical and historical information related to the collection, restrictions on use of or access to the materials, and inventories that will help you better understand what we have onsite that you may wish to access for your research.
THP-058
Coll. 060: George Chapin Scott and Edward F. Bernier Collection (FINDING AID)
Bernier, Edward F.; Scott, George Chapin
George Chapin Scott was born August 1916 in Heath, Massachusetts, the only child to Myria F. Chapin and John H. Scott. He first contacted The History Project in 2000 to donate a large collection of local lesbian and gay newspapers, i.e. The Guide, Tommy’s and Next. He lived on Elm Street, Davis Square, Somerville, and died April 12, 2005 at age 88. He was a member of Boston Prime Timers, a 25-year member of the Monday Night Bowling League, and founding treasurer of the Somerville Committee for a Response to AIDS (SCRA). He was the friend of Robert J. Publicover who was a longtime Somerville resident, a publisher of Somerville Journal, the 1992 recipient of Bay Windows Newspaper Award, Mr. Gay New England, and founder of SCRA. Publicover was also the executor of George’s estate. Among other friends of George’s were William Wood of Medford, Rudy Corvo of Boston, Bruce Carpenter of Granby, Jack Sheehan of Quincy, James Cyr of Quincy, Robert Hanson of Provincetown, and Larry Hannay of Somerville.
Edward F. Bernier, or Eddie, was born in Pennsylvania in 1930 and was George’s partner until he died in an auto accident in Wellfleet, Cape Cod, in early 1961. He was a hairdresser in Central Square, Cambridge, on Massachusetts Avenue. This collection contains a large number of photos of Eddie as well as photos of Eddie’s.
After George passed away in 2005, all of his stuff was thrown out, perhaps by his landlord. A woman in the neighborhood, Julie Katz, found his collection on the ground by chance, and picked up as much as she could carry. She later contacted The History Project regarding the collection. For this reason, most of the materials lost any original order, and the collection was neither well organized nor comprehensive. Photographs constitute the largest part of the collection. There are a number of photos of Eddie, as well as old family photos from the late 19th century. Included in the collection are materials such as letters, address books, business cards, pamphlets, certificates, high school journals, news clippings, and miscellaneous stuff.
The History Project; Documenting LGBTQ Boston
The History Project; Documenting LGBTQ Boston
Circa late-19th century - 2005
Geum, Migyeong
Copyright restrictions may apply. Email info@historyproject.org for more information.
THP-060
Coll. 063: Gender Crash Collection
The Gender Crash collection consists of one archival box (.5 linear feet). This box contains a series of folders centering on the monthly open mic Gender Crash, Butch Dyke Boy Productions, and the founder of both organizations, Gunner Scott. This collection also contains limited information about events of other LGBT organizations in the Boston area. The majority of the materials present date between 2000 and 2009, although many are undated. Included are original documents as well as photocopies of event flyers, administrative materials, letters, one photograph, one book, and newspaper and journal articles. The collection is arranged thematically by organization, first Gender Crash, then Butch Dyke Boy Productions, and then other materials created or collected by Gunner Scott.
THP-063
Coll. 064: International Foundation for Gender Education Collection
International Foundation for Gender Education
The International Foundation for Gender Education (IFGE), founded in 1987 in Massachusetts, is a leading advocate and educational organization for promoting the self- definition and free expression of individual gender identity. IFGE is not a support group, it is an information provider and clearinghouse for referrals about all things which are transgressive of established social gender norms. IFGE publishes a leading magazine, Transgender Tapestry, providing reasoned discussion of issues of gender expression and identity, including cross-dressing, transsexualism, FTM and MTF issues spanning health, family, medical, legal, workplace issues and more. [Excerpted from ifge.org]
Note: The finding aid is a document containing detailed information about this specific collection within The History Project archives. You can use the finding aid to determine whether information within this collection that has not be digitized is relevant to your research. The finding aid includes a description of the scope of the collection, biographical and historical information related to the collection, restrictions on use of or access to the materials, and inventories that will help you better understand what we have onsite that you may wish to access for your research.
International Foundation for Gender Education
THP-064
Coll. 067: Act Up / Boston Collection
1987-1994
Email: info@historyproject.org for more information
THP-FA-067
Coll. 070: Tommy's Connection Publication Collection
1980-1986
Email: info@historyproject.org for more information
THP-FA-070
Coll. 072 - Older Lesbian Energy (OLE) Collection
OLE (an acronym for Older Lesbian Energy) is a social organization for lesbian women over age 40. Founded in 1980 by Toni Schiff and Anita Fast, OLE grew out of Schiff's 1979 master's thesis for Goddard-Cambridge School of Social Change, "The Development of a Radical Lifestyle in Mid-Life." Schiff interviewed a number of middle-aged lesbians who told her they felt isolated and alone. In October 1979, with her thesis completed, Schiff invited these women and their over-40 friends to her home for a dinner party. Forty women showed up. In 1980, Schiff and Fast organized more social events, including a Labor Day Weekend retreat at Blueberry Cove campground in Tenants Harbor, ME. It was during this retreat that the group took the name OLE, which was conceived by member Ruth Lacasse in a contest. This inaugural Blueberry Cove retreat is considered to be the birth of the organization, which soon grew to include nearly 200 members.
Email: info@hisotryproject.org for more information
THP-072-FA
Coll. 073: Joyce Crowder Collection
Joyce Crowder (September 4, 1935 – April 4, 2010) was a nurse and ordained minister of the United Church of Christ. She worked to protect the rights of gay and lesbian nurses through her membership in the Gay Nurses’ Alliance and as secretary for the Massachusetts Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus. She was one of two nurses to join what would later be known as the AIDS Action Committee. She was a board member for Bay Windows and co-founder of the South Shore Sisterhood. In 1994 she obtained her Masters of Divinity (MDiv) from Harvard Divinity School. She was ordained as a minister in the United Church of Christ (UCC) the following year at Church of the Covenant, Boston.
1980-2010
Email: info@historyproject.org for more information
THP-FA-073
Coll. 074: Charles Shively Collection Finding Aid
Shively, Charles, 1937-
Charles Shively was born in 1937. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Harvard in 1959, and his PhD in 1969. He began teaching at Boston State College in 1965. In 1982 when BSC closed their doors, UMass Boston agreed to take seven of their thirty history professors. Shively, while in the top running was thought of as having abandoned history for Gay Liberation and too radical for UMass. With the help and support of his friends, Charlie did manage to get hired by UMass where he was placed in a much small and less known program of Law and Justice. He later transferred to American Studies. <br /><br />In 1971, Charley Shively along with John Mitzel, and Larry Martin formed the Fag Rag Collective and began publishing the Boston Gay Newspaper, Fag Rag, which ran until the early 1980's. During it's run Fag Rag became an important vehicle for incarcerated men to connect with one another. Charlie Shively along with Mike Riegle began a prison correspondence program. The collection consists of 9 boxes that have been arranged topically based on Charlie Shively's organizational techniques and divided into fourteen series. The Shively collection contains a variety of printed media including newspaper articles, (original and photocopied,) poetry magazines, serials, and books. The collection also consists of academic course materials including employment reviews, teaching evaluations, and business correspondence. Personal correspondence, speeches, and press releases from many of Boston's poetry readings are also part of his collection. <br /><br />Some items from Series I of this collection have been digitized and are available here: <a href="https://historyproject.omeka.net/collections/show/43" target="_blank">https://historyproject.omeka.net/collections/show/43</a>. <br /><br />This program is funded in part by <a href="http://www.masshumanities.org/" target="_blank">Mass Humanities</a>, which receives support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and is an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Shively, Charles
1960 - 2008
Contact info@historyproject.org for more information.
THP-FA-074
Coll. 086: Fran's Place Collection Finding Aid
One of the oldest bars in Massachusetts, Fran's place had a long and vibrant life in the city of Lynn. John Collin's opened the tavern in sometime in the 1920's (the exact date is not known). In 1940 the business was passed on to John's parents, Fran and Robert and was relocated to its current location on Washington Street. After the death of Robert, Fran and her children renamed it Fran's place.
The bar was a gathering place for the local LGBTQ Community, drawing a large lesbian crowd from the bowling alley next door. It is known as the first bar to host a fundraiser for HIV/AIDS research, the first bar to have a float in the Boston Gay Pride Parade, and the first to host gay weddings.
Fran's place closed in September 2016.
1983-1987
Email: info@historyproject.org for more information
THP-FA-086
Coll. 094: Gaylaxian Collection
In February, 1986, Franklin Hummel and John Dumas formed a social group centered originally in Massachusetts but later including New Hampshire, for gay people and their friends who were interested in science fiction and fantasy. The group met periodically (the intention was monthly) at members’ homes. The group initially considered naming itself “Gay Science Fiction Fandom”, but settled on calling itself “The Gaylaxians”. It claimed to be “the first [organization] for gay fandom in the world”. By June, 1986, fourteen people attended The Gaylaxians’ monthly meeting. By February, 1987, membership had grown to 38 members.
Hummel and Dumas wrote and distributed a monthly newsletter, The Gaylaxian, typically detailing the “minutes” of the prior Gaylaxians meeting, announcing the location of next month’s meeting (someone’s home) and other fan information of interest.
Deriving from its mission of being a social organization, The Gaylaxians also created and published a Gaylaxian membership directory, intended to include Gaylaxians’ names, addresses, phone numbers and [science fiction] interests.
Later that year, 1986, Hummel, Dumas and Lars Colson attended ConFederation, the 44th World Science Fiction Convention, as representatives of The Gaylaxians, thereby establishing to the broader science fiction community the existence of The Gaylaxians as a [New England based] organization.
1986-1999
Email: info@historyproject.org for more information
THP-FA-094
Coll. 123: Gay Men's Domestic Violence Project
The Gay Men's Domestic Violence Project (LGBTQ-DVP) was founded in 1994, by a victim of domestic violence when he was repeatedly denied services by mainstream domestic violence shelters in his attempt to leave his abusive partner. The organization was originally named, A Support Service for Gay Male Victims of Violence.
The organization initially focused on creating services for gay male victims of domestic violence and soon changed its name to the Gay Men's Domestic Violence Project. The scope of focus for the organization began expanding, first to include bisexual men and transgender individuals and then to include all GLBTQ communities.
1994 - 2015
Email: info@historyproject.org for more information
THP-FA-123