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Archives and Records
Finding Aid
COLLECTION NUMBER:
TITLE:
Coll.17
Laura McMurry Papers
COLLECTION SUMMARY
Creator(s):
Title:
Extent:
Repository:
Laura McMurry
Laura McMurry Papers
.5 linear feet
The History Project, Archives and Records Department
Finding aid prepared for The History Project, Archives and Records Department by Rachel
Dwyer, student in the History/Archives masters degree program at Simmons College, under
the supervision of Andrea Still, Libby Bouvier, and Andrew Elder, Fall 2008.
SUBJECT TERMS
Subject Topics
Cambridge Gay Neighbors
Charles St. Meetinghouse
Daughters of Bilitis
Fag Rag
Gay Community News
Gay Male Liberation
Gay Speakers Bureau
Homophile Community Health Service
National Gay Task Force
Otherfund
Gay Liberation Movement-- Massachusetts – Boston
Gays -- Massachusetts -- Boston -- History.
Lesbian activists -- United States.
United States -- Armed Forces -- Gays.
Document Types:
Articles
Flyers
Letters
Newspaper Clippings
Pamphlets
Position Papers
Surveys
1
�ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Terms of Use/Copyright: Unrestricted, though some items in the collection are copyrighted
by individuals and/or organizations outside The History Project.
Contact The History Project for further information:
29 Stanhope Street
Boston, MA 02116
617.266.7733
info@historyproject.org
www.historyproject.org
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
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.
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.
In spring of 1970, she participated in Come Help Us Celebrate, and spoke at the first Boston
Pride Celebration.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
The collection consists of one box of loose papers, newspaper and journal publications, and
typescript and carbon copies of correspondence. The bulk of the material dates from 19721975. Three letters written by John Kyper in 1973 have been removed and placed in
Coll.39: Gay Legislation Collection.
DESCRIPTION OF SERIES
Series I:
Personal
The first series consists of writing, correspondence, and an interview. The
paper by McMurry entitled A Non-Transsexual Looks at Transsexuality is typed
on the verso of a scientific paper and the second page of McMurry’s book
review of Male Homosexuals: Their Problems and Adaptations by Martin S.
Weinberg and Colin J. Williams. The first page of this review is found on the
verso of notes for the Gay Speakers Bureau (Series II Folder 8).
McMurry’s correspondence related to the military dismissal of Barbara
Randolph and Linda Watson from Fort Devens includes correspondence with
Massachusetts senators.
2
�Notes from an interview of McMurry conducted by Libby Bouvier on May 18,
2003 are also included in this series.
Series II:
Material of gay and lesbian organizations (Cambridge Gay Neighbors,
Gay Male Liberation, Gay Speakers Bureau, National Gay Task Force,
Otherfund)
This series consists of correspondence, flyers, pamphlets, notes, and
newsletters related to Boston gay and lesbian organizations and the National
Gay Task Force, which was based in New York. There is extensive material on
two groups to which McMurry belonged: The Gay Speakers Bureau and
Otherfund.
The Gay Speakers Bureau was founded in 1971 and operated under the
auspices of the Homophile Community Health Services. The organization
coordinated speaking engagements for members of Boston LBGT groups to
speak about the experiences of gays and lesbians. Material includes flyers,
correspondence, notes, reference material, and information sheets, as well as
financial information recording the distribution of speakers’ fees. The
Community Service folder contains brochures about volunteer organizations,
material which was presumably collected by the Gay Speakers Bureau. The
verso of the notes includes the published calendars of the Daughters of Bilitis
and the first page of a book review by Laura McMurry (see Series I).
Otherfund was founded by Ian Johnson 1974 and Laura McMurry served on
the community board. Otherfund's mission was to serve as a self-described
“Gay United Fund,” raising funds and then distributing them to projects and
organizations that benefited gays and lesbians. The material consists of
funding proposals submitted by organizations such as Daughters of Bilitis, Fag
Rag, Fenway Community Health Services, Gay Community News, and
Homophile Community Health Services. The General Folder includes notes on
the Board's funding decisions. McMurry stated, in a 2003 interview that
generating sufficient funds for this organization was difficult, and is unsure if
the awards were ever granted.
Also of interest are surveys that Cambridge Gay Neighbors sent to local
politicians, seeking their position on various issues of interest to the
Cambridge LGBT community.
Series III:
Newspapers clipping and other media concern LGBT issues
This series contains newspaper and magazine articles, as well as photocopies
of articles. Of particular interest are newspaper clippings regarding the
Army's dismissal of Sergeant Leonard P. Matlovich, Pfc Barbara Randolph, and
Private Deborah Watson. Randolph and Watson were stationed at Fort
Devens, Massachusetts and discharged in 1975 after revealing their
relationship. Laura McMurry's correspondence with senators regarding
Randolph and Watson can be found in Series I. Also see the article in It's
Time December 1973 (Series II, Folder 11).
Other articles range from Del Martin and Phyllis Lyons The Realities of
Lesbianism to tabloid material, such as I Married a Homosexual. The
3
�magazine article, The Transsexuals: Male or Female was originally placed next
to McMurry's piece: A Non-Transsexual Looks at Transsexuality.
The series also includes a list of Boston media contacts and bibliographies on
gay and lesbian issues.
Series IV:
Miscellaneous fake newspaper
This series contains a fake, old-fashioned newspaper, which includes the
headline “Laura McMurry Wins Nobel Prize.”
SERIES AND FOLDER LIST
Series I:
Personal (n.d, 1975, 2003)
Folder 1: Writing
Folder 2: Interview
Folder 3: Correspondence
Series II:
Organizations (n.d.,1971-1980)
Folder 4: Cambridge Gay Neighbors
Folder 5: Gay Male Liberation
Folders 6-10: Gay Speakers Bureau
Folder 6: General
Folder 7: Correspondence
Folder 8: Notes
Folder 9: Financial
Folder 10: Community Service Flyers
Folder 11: National Gay Task Force
Folders 12-19:Otherfund
Folder 12: General
Folder 13: Charles St. Meetinghouse, Funding proposals
Folder 14: Daughters of Bilitis, Funding proposal
Folder 15: Fag Rag, Funding proposal
Folder 16: Fenway Community Health Services, Inc., Funding proposal
Folder 17: Gay Community News, Funding proposal
Folder 18: Robert G. Goodman, Funding proposal
Folder 19: Homophile Community Health Services, Funding proposals
Folder 20: Organizations, General
Series III:
Media (n.d., 1968-1975)
Folder 21: Newspaper Clippings re: dismissal of Gay/Lesbian Military
Personnel
Folder 22: Magazine and Newspaper Articles, General
Folder 23: Bibliographies
Folder 24: Media contacts
Folder 25: Flyers and press releases
Folder 26: Obituary for Vincent Saccardi
Series IV:
Miscellaneous
Folder 27: Newspaper (fake), “Laura McMurry Wins Nobel Prize”
4
�
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Title
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History Project Finding Aids and Collection Descriptions
Creator
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The History Project
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Dublin Core
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Title
A name given to the resource
Coll. 017: Laura McMurry Papers Finding Aid
Description
An account of the resource
<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>
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
THP-FA-017
Subject
The topic of the resource
McMurry, Laura
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Email info@historyproject.org for more information.