LGBT History Project

Date: 1997 - 2012

The Central Pennsylvania Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (CPGLCC) was established in 2007. It grew out of The Business Association of Gays and Lesbians (BAGAL), which was established in the 1990s by Dan Miller. Miller wanted to create an association that brought together professionals of the LGBTQ+ community to network. After Miller stepped down from leadership, the group evolved into more of a social network over the years. In 2007, new leadership reshaped BAGAL with the rebrand to CPGLCC. A business affiliate of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, CPGLCC began building partnerships between gay-owned and gay-friendly businesses, professionals, and students of business. Today, their mission is to “support diversity and assist Central Pennsylvania’s business community in pursuit of an ideal workplace, marketplace, industry, and region.”

Collection: LGBT-057 - Central PA Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce

Topics:

Organizations: Central PA Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (CPGLCC), Business Association of Gays and Lesbians (BAGAL)

View Item: Central PA Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Brochures and Programs

Date: 1994, circa 2004

Deb Fulham-Winston served as the director of development for South Central AIDS Assistance Network (SCAAN) from January 1992 until June 1995. This collection contains materials from SCAAN promoting HIV/AIDS awareness.

Collection: LGBT-055 - Fulham-Winston

Topics: HIV/AIDs

Organizations: South Central Aids Assistance Network (SCAAN)

View Item: LGBT History Project: LGBT-055 Deb Fulham-Winston Collection

Date: 1994, circa 1995

This collection was donated by Anonymous donors and houses two pins dealing with HIV/AIDs awareness in the mid-1990s. The AIDSWAlK was an annual fundraiser in Harrisburg, PA sponsored by the South Central Aids Assistance Network (SCAAN), and the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt was a national organization that served as a memorial to celebrate the lives of people who have died of HIV/AIDS.

Collection: LGBT-056 - Anonymous

Topics: AIDS Memorial Quilt

Organizations: The Names Project

View Item: LGBT History Project: LGBT-056 Anonymous Collection

Date: 1980 - 1986

Richard H. Hause was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, on May 21, 1947, and moved to Harrisburg after he graduated from high school in 1965. After coming out to his family when he was eighteen, Richard began working for the State Government in the Department of Highways. He was an active member in the Dignity Chapter of Central Pennsylvania, which was one of the first LGBT organizations started in the area. Dignity/Central PA is a forum for human concerns, a place of seeking for greater self, knowledge, and wisdom, an affirmation of one's sexual orientation in faith, and personal ministry.

Collection: LGBT-053 - Hause

Topics:

Organizations: Dignity/Central PA

View Item: LGBT History Project: LGBT-053 Richard Hause Collection

Date: 1976

Statement proposed by Joseph W. Burns in representation of the PA Rural Gay Caucus against the PA House of Representatives for rejecting Governor Shapp's Proclamation of Gay Pride Week, June 12 -19, 1976.

Collection: LGBT-001 - Burns

Topics:

Organizations: PA Rural Gay Caucus, Gay Coordinating Society of Berks County, Reading (GCS Berks)

View Item: PA Rural Gay Caucus statement on Gay Pride Week Proclamation - 1976

Date: 1979

Flyer for the annual Reading Spring Picnic.

Collection: LGBT-001 - Burns

Topics:

Organizations:

View Item: Reading Spring Picnic Flyer - 1979

Date: January 28, 1976

Letter to the National Gay Task Force asking for resource materials for planning workshops in preperation for Gay Lobby Day, held on March 23, 1976. 

Collection: LGBT-001 - Burns

Topics:

Organizations: PA Rural Gay Caucus

View Item: Letter to the National Gay Task Force (NGTF) from the Gay Lobby Day Committee - January 28, 1976

Date: November 27, 1975

Letter from Sam Deetz to members of the Susquehanna Valley Gay Organization (SVGU) about Gay Lobby Day planning.

Collection: LGBT-001 - Burns

Topics:

Organizations: Susquehanna Valley Gays United (SVGU), PA Governor's Council for Sexual Minorities

View Item: Letter to Susquehanna Valley Gay Organization (SVGU) from Sam Deetz - November 27, 1975

Date: October 7, 1971

Letter from Williams James stating his opinion on the American O. Church. 

Collection: LGBT-001 - Burns

Topics: Sodomy Laws

Organizations: American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) District of Columbia

View Item: Letter to St. Mary Magdalen Parish from William James - October 7, 1971

Date: May 24, 1977

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

Collection: LGBT-001 - Burns

Topics: PA Senate Bill 531

Organizations:

View Item: Human Rights Day Announcement and Flyer - May 24, 1977

Date: September 1978

A list of Gay Pride Slogans created by Citizens Concerned for a Better Community (CCBC).

Collection: LGBT-001 - Burns

Topics:

Organizations: Lehigh Valley Citizens Concerned for a Better Community (CCBC)

View Item: Citizens Concerned for a Better Community (CCBC) Gay Pride Slogans - September 1978

Date: February 12, 1976

This is an update on the planning progress of Gay Lobby Day, which was held on March 23, 1976. There is information on upcoming workshops on lobbying, recruitment, educational packets, and what to expect on Gay Lobby Day itself.

Collection: LGBT-001 - Burns

Topics:

Organizations:

View Item: Gay Lobby Day Update - February 12, 1976

Date: April 11, 1976

This is the formal report from Gay Lobby Day, held on March 23, 1976 in Harrisburg, PA at the State Capitol. The repot includes results of Gay Lobby Day and suggestions for future events.

Collection: LGBT-001 - Burns

Topics: PA Senate Bill 743

Organizations: PA Rural Gay Caucus, PA Governor's Council for Sexual Minorities

View Item: Gay Lobby Day Report - April 11, 1976

Date: 1976

This is a copy of the informal report of Gay Lobby Day that was held on March 23, 1976 in Harrisburg, PA. There are also two correspondences included between William F. Hollabaugh to Artemis House, asking about lobbying suggestions and if the Gay Lobby Day Informal Report could be housed there.

Collection: LGBT-001 - Burns

Topics: PA House Bill 196, PA Senate Bill 743

Organizations:

View Item: Gay Lobby Day Informal Report Packet - 1976

Date: 1976

This is a collection of recruitment flyers and letters created by the Gay Lobby Day Committee for Gay Lobby Day held on March 23, 1976.

Collection: LGBT-001 - Burns

Topics: PA Senate Bill 743, PA House Bill 196

Organizations:

View Item: Gay Lobby Day Committee Recruitment Flyers - 1976

Date: 2010

A wooden and metal plaque awarded to the 2nd Runner Up of the 2010 Studs Magazine Nubian Studd & Femme Pageant. On the plaque are two rectangular, bronze metal plates, the top one has the STUDs logo along with "STUDS Magazine Handsomely, Beautiful, Women." The Lower plate has a black background with gold lettering that says "2010 Studs magazine Nubian Studd & Femme Pageant 2nd Runner-Up."

Collection: LGBT-032 - Snowden

Topics:

Organizations: STUDS Magazine

View Item:

Date: 1987

The Harrisburg Hustler's volleyball team received this Charm City Invitational Baltimore (MD) trophy in 1987.

Collection: LGBT-010 - Wilson

Topics:

Organizations: Harrisburg Hustlers Volleyball Team

View Item:

Date: 1985

The Pennsmen is a leather and Levi men's group in Central Pa. This item is a round, metal belt buckle with the Pennsmen logo on the front. The Logo consists of a sword pointing into the Harrisburg Capital Dome, cross by two arrows, which are chained together at the bottom, with "Pennsmen" arching over where all three cross.

Collection: LGBT-028 - Twaddle

Topics:

Organizations: Pennsmen Inc.

View Item:

Date: 1985

A gay trivia game in a pink, black and white box. It has questions about politics, romance, history, fads, entertainment, arts, people and places. The game includes score cards, two pencils, a die, instructions, and 1800 trivia questions.

Collection: LGBT-016 - O'Leary

Topics:

Organizations:

View Item:

Date: 1983 - 1984

This trophy was received by the Harrisburg Hustlers volleyball team. It is labelled as the L.P. Rec. "B" Division League 2nd place trophy for 1983-84.

Collection: LGBT-010 - Wilson

Topics:

Organizations: Harrisburg Hustlers Volleyball Team

View Item:

Date: 2004 - 2007

This collection contains documents from the Gay and Lesbian Switchboard of Harrisburg (GLSH). Items include a Fall Achievement Benefit Program, information on the Alternative Central (a LGBTQ+ positive publication published by the GLSH), GLSH organizational maps and website information, a program and fundraiser letter for Pride 2005, and a series of Central PA Gay and Lesbian FilmFest posters. Digital copies of these items are held on the thumb drive in this collection.

Collection: LGBT-052 - Anonymous

Topics:

Organizations: Gay and Lesbian Switchboard of Harrisburg

View Item: LGBT History Project: LGBT-052 Anonymous Collection

Date: circa 2008 & 2010

Marlene Kanuck was born in 1949 in Hazleton, PA. Kanuck was a founder of the LGBT Center of Central PA, served as Vice President of the Central Pennsylvania Womyn’s Chorus, and was involved in a Harrisburg-area lesbian group called the Professional Women’s Organization. Currently Kanuck works at the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Collection: LGBT-050 - Kanuck

Topics:

Organizations: Gay and Lesbian Switchboard of Harrisburg

View Item: LGBT History Project: LGBT-050 Marlene Kanuck Collection

Date: circa 1970 - circa 1993

This collection contains an informational flyer on The Lesbian Connection, LGBTQ+ and feminist activist buttons and pins, and LGBTQ+ artist vinyl records.

Collection: LGBT-051 - Laughlin

Topics:

Organizations: The Lesbian Connection (TLC)

View Item: LGBT History Project: LGBT-051 Mary Jo Laughlin Collection

Date: 1973

Julia “Julie” Lobur was born in New Kensington, Pennsylvania in 1955 and moved to Harrisburg in 1970. She received her bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) and received a master’s degree in Computer Science in 2003. Lobur briefly served in the military in 1983, eventually being discharged for being a lesbian, but it was also where she met her wife Marla.

For Lobur, her introduction to the LGBTQ+ community was influenced by the Commerce Diner. Located across the street from the then 400 Club, a LGBTQ+ bar of the time, and adjacent to State Street in Harrisburg, PA, the Commerce Diner catered to LGBTQ+ clientele in the 1970s. The diner eventually closed, and the building was demolished in the late 1980s.

Lobur currently works as a computer architect for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is an adjunct professor of computer science for Penn State. She resides in Central PA today.

Collection: LGBT-049 - Lobur

Topics:

Organizations:

View Item: LGBT History Project: LGBT-049 Julia ''Julie'' Lobur Collection

Date: 2015

Nancy Helm was born in Lancaster, PA and graduated from Manheim Township High School in 1981. After graduating, she worked for a printing company and had other odd jobs before opening a hair salon with her partner. In 1991, she decided to open a bookstore cattycorner from the salon on Prince Street: The Closet. Helm started the bookstore as an outlet for the gay community of Lancaster so they could meet, hang out, and shop. The bookstore became the target of anti-gay crime that same year, including bombings and multiple threats, and because of that closed in 1992.

Helm was also a member of the Pink Triangle Coalition (PTC). Created in 1991 the coalition was instrumental in getting sexual orientation non-discrimination protection added to the Human Relations Ordnance in the City of Lancaster. Helm was the key spokesperson for the group. Helm still resides in Central Pa today.

Collection: LGBT-048 - Helm

Topics:

Organizations: Pink Triangle Coalition (PTC)

View Item: LGBT History Project: LGBT-048 Nancy Helm Collection