About LGBT History Project Resources
The LGBT Center of Central PA and the Dickinson College Archives and Special Collections have partnered to document the stories and history of LGBT life and activism in the greater Central Pennsylvania region. This site contains oral histories that have been recorded for the LGBT History Project, as well as fully accessible digital versions of documents, images, and artifacts that have been donated to the project.
This is a quickly growing collection, and not all items are available through this website. Please contact Malinda Triller-Doran at archives@dickinson.edu for information about how to access all of the resources of the LGBT History Project, as well as how to donate additional materials.
Generous support to make these unique resources accessible has been provided by the Schlegel Deibler Charitable Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.
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LGBT History Project
Date: October 2005
Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations:
Date: September 2005
Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
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View Item:
Date: August 2005
Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations:
Date: July 2005
Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations:
View Item: Lavender Letter (Harrisburg, PA) - July 2005
Date: June 2005
Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations: MCC of the Spirit
View Item: Lavender Letter (Harrisburg, PA) - June 2005
Date: April 2005
Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations: Central PA Womyn's Chorus, Women's Circle
Date: March 2005
Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations: Central PA Womyn's Chorus
Date: February 2005
Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations:
Date: January 2005
Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations:
Date: December 2004
Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations: Central PA Womyn's Chorus
Date: October 2004
Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations: Central PA Womyn's Chorus
Date: August 2004
Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations:
Date: July 2004
Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations: Central PA Womyn's Chorus, MCC of the Spirit
View Item: Lavender Letter (Harrisburg, PA) - July 2004
Date: June 2004
Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations:
View Item: Lavender Letter (Harrisburg, PA) - June 2004
Date: May 2005
Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations: MCC of the Spirit
View Item: Lavender Letter (Harrisburg, PA) - May 2005
Date: April 2004
Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations: Central PA Womyn's Chorus
Date: March 2004
Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations: MCC of the Spirit, Central PA Womyn's Chorus
Date: February 2004
Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations:
Date: November 1977
Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW) was founded in 1975 to be an educational outreach and social group for members of the LGBTQ+ community in the Williamsport, PA area, through monthly meetings, social events, and discussion sessions. The newsletter, Here’s How, was a way to keep group members up-to-date on news and events.
In this issue HOW discussed:
- an evaluation of the anniversary party is provide and how HOW can reorganize to stay relevant in the coming year
- the formation of a by-laws committee
- discussion on a potential location for a hot-line for HOW and meeting space
Collection: LGBT-008 - Maneval
Topics:
Organizations: Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW), Gay Era
Date: October 1977
Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW) was founded in 1975 to be an educational outreach and social group for members of the LGBTQ+ community in the Williamsport, PA area, through monthly meetings, social events, and discussion sessions. The newsletter, Here’s How, was a way to keep group members up-to-date on news and events.
In this issue, HOW discusses the upcoming anniversary party and an update on the budget.
Collection: LGBT-008 - Maneval
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Organizations:
View Item: Here's How (Williamsport, PA) - October 1977
Date: July 1977
Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW) was founded in 1975 to be an educational outreach and social group for members of the LGBTQ+ community in the Williamsport, PA area, through monthly meetings, social events, and discussion sessions. The newsletter, Here’s How, was a way to keep group members up-to-date on news and events.
In this issue, Dan Maneval includes a letter sharing how HOW has impacted his life for the better.
Collection: LGBT-008 - Maneval
Topics:
Organizations: Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW), PA Rural Gay Caucus
View Item: Here's How (Williamsport, PA) - July 1977
Date: June 1977
Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW) was founded in 1975 to be an educational outreach and social group for members of the LGBTQ+ community in the Williamsport, PA area, through monthly meetings, social events, and discussion sessions. The newsletter, Here’s How, was a way to keep group members up-to-date on news and events.
Collection: LGBT-008 - Maneval
Topics:
Organizations: Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW), PA Rural Gay Caucus
View Item: Here's How (Williamsport, PA) - June 1977
Date: 1987, 2008
Paul Foltz grew up in Steelton, PA. After college, Foltz began studying theatre in England. It was here that Foltz discovered a strong and open LGBTQ+ community. When he returned to the United States, he became involved in Pennsylvania’s LGBTQA community by helping to establish the Harrisburg Men’s Chorus and Dignity Philadelphia. Additionally, he founded a theatre company, Lily White and Company, to raise awareness and funds for local HIV/AIDS initiatives. Foltz has also served as a costume designer at Theatre Harrisburg and taught theatre at the Bradley Academy for the Visual Arts [later known as the Art Institute of York] for over twenty years and at Harrisburg Area Community College.
Collection: LGBT-093 - Foltz
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View Item: LGBT History Project: LGBT-093 Paul Foltz Collection
Date: 1987-2019
Maria DiFava was born in Lebanon County, PA in 1953. She graduated from high school and attended nursing school and ultimately became an EMT volunteer. She later worked as a mail carrier for the US Postal Service. Marie married and had three children with her husband, whom she later divorced.
When she came out, DiFava started to look for gay organizations to join in her area. After travelling throughout Central PA, DiFava became frustrated at the lack of a lesbian community in Lebanon, thus the Lebanon County Lesbians organization was formed. The group met in DiFava’s home starting in June of 1997, and for the next few years, she hosted meetings in her home until she was able to have help planning events and meetings. DiFava advertised through Lebanon County initially, but eventually turned toward the entirety of Central PA.
Collection: LGBT-086 - DiFava
Topics:
Organizations: Lebanon County Lesbians (LCL)
View Item: LGBT History Project: LGBT-086 Marie DiFava Collection
Date: 1959-2007
Robert “Bob” Deibler was born on January 20, 1940 in upper Paxton Township in Dauphin County, PA. He graduated from Millersburg Area High School and went on to attend Bloomsburg University with majors in social science and English, and later became a teacher. Deibler was an active member in two men’s clubs, the Pennsmen and the Satyr Men. After meeting his long-term partner, Ronn Fink, in 1985 and retiring from teaching in 1991, Deibler decided to move to Harrisburg, PA. While in Harrisburg, Deibler supported Fink in the running of the Bare Wall, a gift shop and video rental store and local landmark for the gay community in Harrisburg.
Collection: LGBT-081 - Deibler
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View Item: LGBT History Project: LGBT-081 Robert ''Bob'' Deibler Collection