LGBT History Project

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.

Search LGBT History Project

LGBT History Project

HBG Hustlers #3, Tank Top (white) - circa 1985

Date: circa 1985

HBG (Harrisburg) Hustlers #3 white tank top.

Collection: LGBT-010 - Wilson

Topics:

Organizations: Harrisburg Hustlers Volleyball Team

View Item:

Harrisburg Hustlers Captain #3, Short Sleeve Shirt (silver and black striped) - circa 1985

Date: circa 1985

Harrisburg Hustlers Captain #3 silver and black stripe t-Shirt.

Collection: LGBT-010 - Wilson

Topics:

Organizations: Harrisburg Hustlers Volleyball Team

View Item:

Charm City Invitational '86, Long Sleeved Shirt (white) - 1986

Date: 1986

Long sleeved shirt from volleyball competition Charm City Invitational '86.

Collection: LGBT-010 - Wilson

Topics:

Organizations: Harrisburg Hustlers Volleyball Team

View Item:

The Archives Matchbook

Date: 1983

The Archives Nightclub and Resturant matchbook.

Collection: LGBT-010 - Wilson

Topics:

Organizations:

View Item:

What is Le-Hi-Ho Flyer

Date: 1960s to 1980s

This collection documents the earliest known organizational history of the LGBTQ+ community in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley region. The Lehigh Valley Homophile Organization ("Le-Hi-Ho") held its first meeting on June 22, 1969. The goal of the...

Collection: LGBT-001 - Burns

Topics:

Organizations: Lehigh Valley Homophile Organization (Le-Hi-Ho)

View Item:

Amanda Porter and Lehigh Valley Renaissance Brochures

Date: undated

Amanda Porter [now known as Amanda Hecker] was born in 1950 in Lansdale, PA and was assigned male at birth. She attended Grove City College, receiving her BA in History, and enrolled in ROTC. After college, she joined the Air Force, and after...

Collection: LGBT-069 - Porter

Topics: Transgender Experiences

Organizations: Renaissance Transgender Association Lehigh Valley Chapter

View Item: PDF icon LGBT History Project: LGBT-069 Amanda Porter Collection

LGBT History Project Logo

Date: 1940 - 2017

Joseph F. Christ was born in 1927 with Klinefelter Syndrome and assigned male at birth. The seventh of eight children, Christ was placed into an orphanage during the Great Depression until the age 18. Two weeks later, Christ was drafted into the...

Collection: LGBT-068 - Anonymous

Topics: Klinefelter Syndrome

Organizations:

View Item: PDF icon LGBT History Project: LGBT-068 Anonymous Collection

LGBT History Project Logo

Date: 2017

Katie Ward was born in 1952 and assigned male at birth. She was drafted after graduating from high school, and spent 22 years in military service, including active duty on a nuclear submarine in the Navy and Air Force National Guard. After Ward...

Collection: LGBT-067 - Ward

Topics: Transgender Experiences

Organizations: TransCentral PA

View Item: PDF icon LGBT History Project: LGBT-067 Katie Ward Collection

LGBT History Project Logo

Date: 2017

Sophie Kandler was born in Spring City, PA in 1966. After graduating from high school, Sophie attended Drexel University, but transferred after two years to Pennsylvania State University where she graduated with a degree in Secondary Education in...

Collection: LGBT-066 - Kandler

Topics: Transgender Experiences

Organizations:

View Item: PDF icon LGBT History Project: LGBT-066 Sophie Kandler Collection

PA Governor’s Council for Sexual Minorities Embosser with leather case

Date: circa 1976

This collection contains an embosser for the PA Governor’s Council for Sexual Minorities. The council was an officially appointed advisory committee created by Governor Milton J. Shapp in 1976. Governor Shapp, by executive order, declared that...

Collection: LGBT-063 - PA State Archives Transfer

Topics:

Organizations: PA Governor's Council for Sexual Minorities

View Item: PDF icon LGBT History Project: LGBT-063 PA State Archives Transfer Collection

Rainbow Chains

Date: circa 1995

Two rainbow chain necklaces. 

Collection: LGBT-035 Anonymous Collection

Topics:

Organizations:

View Item:

Central PA Vipers Sweatshirt

Date: 2006

Central PA Vipers dark blue sweatshirt. The front has the Viper's logo, and the back says in white font "Women's Semi Pro Football No Limits - No Boundaries." 

Collection: LGBT-032 - Snowden

Topics:

Organizations: Central PA Vipers

View Item:

Handmade Chain Harness Vest

Date: 1990

 

Handmade chain vest created by Thomas Pfeiffer for Pennsman Inc.

Collection: LGBT-017 - Pfeiffer

Topics:

Organizations: Pennsmen Inc.

View Item:

Central PA Vipers Gym Shorts

Date: 2006

The Central PA Vipers', a women's semiprofessional full contact football team, dark blue gym shorts with logo.

Collection: LGBT-032 - Snowden

Topics:

Organizations: Central PA Vipers

View Item:

STUDS Magazine T-shirt

Date: 2006

A white STUDS Magainze t-shirt with "Handsomely Beautiful Men" logo. 

Collection: LGBT-032 - Snowden

Topics:

Organizations: STUDS Magazine

View Item:

Neptune's Lounge Matchbook

Date: circa 1972

White matchbook from the Netpunes Lounge in Harrisburg, PA.

Collection: LGBT-006 - Anonymous

Topics:

Organizations:

View Item:

La Rose Rogue Matchbook

Date: circa 1978

Red matchbook from La Rose Rouge in Harrisburg, PA

Collection: LGBT-006 - Anonymous

Topics:

Organizations:

View Item:

Club 1031 Matchbook

Date: circa 1975

White matchbok from Club 1031 in Harrisburg, PA.

Collection: LGBT-006 - Anonymous

Topics:

Organizations:

View Item:

Speaking out for Equality Pin

Date: circa 1990

A black and white pin depicting a protest. The pin reads in white and yellow text on a purple back ground "Speaking out for Equality," and then in smaller text under that, "The constitution, Gay Rights & The Supreme Court."

Collection: LGBT-013 - Selvey

Topics:

Organizations:

View Item:

Neptune's Lounge Matchbook

Date: circa 1972

White and blue matchbooks from the Neptune's Lounge in Harrisburg, PA.

Collection: LGBT-013 - Selvey

Topics:

Organizations:

View Item:

Lily White & Company T-Shirt (pink)

Date: circa 1990

Pink Lily White & Company T-Shirt.

Founded by Paul Foltz in 1982, Lily White and Company was a south central Pennsylvania organization composed of entertainers and female impersonators. Lily White and Company produced numerous shows...

Collection: LGBT-013 - Selvey

Topics:

Organizations: Lily White & Company

View Item:

Stallions Matchbook (black)

Date: circa 1985

Three matchbooks from Stallions in Harrisburg, PA, two silver, one black. Both the black and silver matchbooks are identical except for the colors.

Collection: LGBT-023 - Maurer

Topics:

Organizations:

View Item:

Stonewall Matchbook

Date: circa 1990

A black matchbook with silver text from Stonewall in Allentown, Pa.

Collection: LGBT-023 - Maurer

Topics:

Organizations:

View Item:

The Cartwheel Night Club & Restaurant Matchbook

Date: circa 1990

A white matchbox from The Cartwheel Night Club & Restaurant in New Hope, Pa.

Collection: LGBT-023 - Maurer

Topics:

Organizations:

View Item:

The Courtyard Matchbook

Date: circa 1990

Two empty white matchbooks from The Courtyard, a Women's Bar on the top floor of Stallions, and was considered "The Woman's Bar of the 90's."

Collection: LGBT-023 - Maurer

Topics:

Organizations:

View Item:

Pages