Human Rights Day

The Pennsylvania Governor’s Council for Sexual Minorites was an officially appointed advisory committee created by Governor Milton J. Shapp in 1976. Governor Shapp, by executive order, declared that all executive branch offices and services were to end discriminatory practices and policies against all LGBTQ+ employees, clients, and program of state services. The proposed council was his instrument guaranteeing the implementation of his decree throughout the Executive Branch of state government.

Minutes for the May 4, 1977 meeting. Minutes include:

• summary of presentation by Don Borbe on ''Inclusive Ministiries - Disabled Gays, Alcoholic Gays, and Older Gays"
• annoucements
• Employment Committe Report
• Lesgilations Committee Report
• Summary of Reorganization of Committees
• Attendence policy 
• updates on specific members
• future progroms discussion

The Pennsylvania Governor’s Council for Sexual Minorites was an officially appointed advisory committee created by Governor Milton J. Shapp in 1976. Governor Shapp, by executive order, declared that all executive branch offices and services were to end discriminatory practices and policies against all LGBTQ+ employees, clients, and program of state services. The proposed council was his instrument guaranteeing the implementation of his decree throughout the Executive Branch of state government.

Minutes for the March 28, 1977 meeting. Minutes include: 

• announcements 
• reports from the chair
• employement committe report
• legislative update
• internaitonal women's year
• update on committees within the council

Samuel Deetz was born in Quakertown, PA on April 21, 1951 and was one of eight children. His father was a minister, so his family moved from place to place throughout his childhood, until they came back to Central PA where Deetz finished high school. While living at home after high school, Deetz started working as an accountant, which led him to continue a career in accounting.

Deetz became active in the LGBTQ+ community in his mid-twenties in the 1970s. He, with help from Mark Seagal, founded the Susquehanna Valley Gays United (SVGU) in the summer of 1975. He was a member of the PA Rural Gay Caucus from its inception in 1975 until 1978, where he was co-chair for the first Gay Lobby (Education) Day in March 1976 and became the convener of the Legislative Committee. He was invited to become a member of the PA Governor’s Council for Sexual Minorites in 1976, where he became a facilitator between the Rural Gay Caucus and the Council, as well as the Council and the PA State Police Department. He also was treasurer for the Pennsylvania for Social Justice Political Action Committee (PAC) from 1982 to 1985.

Deetz passed away in 2019.

This collection highlights Deetz’s activism in various LGBTQ+ groups in Central PA. Deetz was an accountant by trade which enabled him to hold treasurer positions in most of the organizations highlighted in this collection.

Announcement letter and informational flyer for Human Rights Day, held May 24, 1977 at Harrisburg, PA.

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus was “an association of interested individuals and groups, formed with the objective of promulgating the concerns and freedoms of gay people and all sexual minorities.”

In these minutes general information is shared, and includes information on Human Rights Day, a Youth Committee Report, and an update on Senate Bill 83.

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus was “an association of interested individuals and groups, formed with the objective of promulgating the concerns and freedoms of gay people and all sexual minorities.” The report was used as a type of newsletter outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ community.

In these minutes, the caucus discusses the reports of various committees and provides an evaluation of Human Rights Day. They also brainstorm ideas for the next Rural Conference and nominations for the secretary position.

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus was “an association of interested individuals and groups, formed with the objective of promulgating the concerns and freedoms of gay people and all sexual minorities.” The report was used as a type of newsletter outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ+ community.

In this report, the Caucus mentions the location of the meeting in April and the meeting minutes from March. Minutes to note are:

• The update on PA Senate Bill 83
• The Allentown Human Relations Ordinance
• The PA Rural Gay Caucus sending a letter to the Dade County Coalition for the Humanistic Rights of Gays in supporting their stance against Anita Bryant
• The idea of a gay youth center is raised
• Shippensburg State College passes a non-discrimination clause
• Discussion of reaching out to people of color

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus was "an association of interested individuals and groups, formed with the objective of promulgating the concerns and freedoms of gay people and all sexual minorities." The newsletter was used as outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ+ community. In this newsletter, the PA Rural Gay Caucus provides the location and time for the June meeting, and the minutes from the May meeting that include:

• Communications and Legislative Committee Reports
• Youth Committee Report
• Concerns over PA Senate Bill 83
• Call for nominations for the Secretary Postion
• Budgets for committees
• 3rd World Commitee Report.

The Gay Era was a newspaper that reported news of interest from around the United States, with a specific focus on the news surrounding the gay community in Central PA, and provided a central forum for gay communities that were spread out across Central PA. Notable news in this issues:

• Sodomy Repeal Lacks Support in Pennsylvania (p.4)
• Council Files Report of First Year Progress (p.4)
• Gay Activists Beaten (p.5)
• MCC Community Center (p.5)
• PA Rural Gay Resource List (p.11)
• The Flordia Follies Finale (p.12)
• Gains Made on State College Campuses (p.22)

The Gay Era was a newspaper that reported news of interest from around the United States, with a specific focus on the news surrounding the gay community in Central PA, and provided a central forum for gay communities that were spread out across Central PA. Noteworthy news in this issues:

• "What is Obscenity?" (p. 3)
• "Gay Rights Ordinance Attempted in Allentown ("p. 5)
• "Lobbyist Kohn Denies Charges "(p. 6)
• "PA Rural Gay Resource List" (p. 12)
• We Are Not the Criminals: Support Human Rights Day (p. 13)
• "Dyke Cooper" (p. 15)
• "Gay Awareness at MSC" (p. 19)