Deetz, Sam

This is a photo of PA Rural Gay Caucus members at the Philadelphia Gay Pride in 1976. Members include Aaron Spicher (with the Dignity Banner), Joe Burns, Richard Hoffman (with GCS Berks Banner), Sam Deetz (turned away from the camera) and Jerry Brennan. This picture is found on page 5 of the PDF of the Dignity/Central PA Scrapbook.

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. This scrapbook was created by Steven Leshner, a member of Dignity/Central PA, and includes mostly photos, unless otherwise noted, of annual picnics, events, and members, like those of founder Jerry Brennan and Father Wallace Sawdy.

Photograph of members of PA Rural Gay Caucus with their banner at the 1976 Philadelphia Gay Pride Parade. Identified members from left to right: Aaron Spicher (with the Dignity Banner), Joe Burns, Richard Hoffman (with GCS Berks Banner), Sam Deetz (turned away from the camera) and Jerry Brennan. Photo by Bari Weaver.

Bari Weaver (left), Sam Deetz (middle), and Joe Burns (right), memebers of the PA Rural Gay Caucus, reunited at dinner circa Christmas 1988.

Members at a PA Rural Gay Caucus Meeting in State College, PA. Members left to right: Pam Erdly, Sam Deetz, Jonathan Smith-Cousins, Tony Silvestre. Photo by Bari Weaver.

Janet Cooper (left) and Sam Deetz (right), members of the PA Rural Gay Caucus, in  late 1975 or early 1976.

Sam Deetz at Gay Education Day, also known as Gay Lobby Day, organized by the PA Rural Gay Caucus and in Harrisburg, PA during March 1976. Photo taken by Bari Weaver.

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.

Minuntes from the meeting of the Steering Committee of the Governor's Council for Sexual Minorities. Minutes include:

• Policy regarding multiple committee membership
• Annual Organization of Council
• Additional Committee Members
• A council vacancy
• Public Information and Education
• Letters on Council Stationary
• Spokesperson for the Council
• Reports on Committee
• Upcoming meetings

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.

Letter from Sam Deetz, a member of the Governor's Council for Sexual Minorities and foudning memeber of Susquehanna Valley Gays United (SVGU), to SVGU informing them of the activies of the Governor's Council for Sexual Minotiries.

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.

This was the agenda and minutes from the May 27, 1976 meeting. The opening of the meeting contained a program on Transsexuality, and was followed by Committee Reports and discussion.

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.

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

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.

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.

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, as well as discussion of Senate Bill 83, the sodomy repeal bill, and an update on the Lebanon High School issue.

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 minutes are reports as well as reports from the Legislative, Communication, and Education committees. 

Minutes from the entirity of Pride'78, a statewide gay rights conference. 

Samuel Deetz was born in Quakertown (Pennsylvania), in 1951, on April 21 and was one of eight children. Sam’s father became a minister, which allowed his family to move from place to place over Sam’s young life. Sam’s family wanted him to continue into the Christian faith, but as Sam continued through Christian schools, he realized he was different. He became a strong advocate in the Susquehanna Valley Gays United (SVGU), worked along Harrisburg Pennsylvania Council members, Senators, and Representatives to form other gay and lesbian groups. He was also instrumental in organizing and arranging meetings in order for other gay and lesbians groups to blossom within their own communities. Sam was influential in creating a social media site and continues to keep blogs current and updated for well-known gay and lesbian advocates to share their experience, strength, and hope. He met the love of his life Jim, thirty-seven years ago, and because of the passing of the Marriage Equality Bill in Delaware was able to marry his best friend and confidante.

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 memo, Sam Deetz is explaining how to get to the location for the next meeting of the Legislative Action Committee.

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 report, the Caucus gives the location for the January meeting and provides the meeting minutes from December. Theses minutes include:

• Legislative Committe Report Communications Committee Report 
• Education Committee Report
• Summary of groups that make up the Rural Gay Caucus
• Notice about the Phone Tree that was put together

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 report, the Caucus provides the location of the December meeting and the minutes from the November meeting.

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus is 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 editor describes the purpose of the newsletter and explains how someone could become involved in the Caucus, as well as the different committee they could be involved in.

The newsletter then gives the meeting minutes from the August, which cover:

• the recognition of the in-house Gay Rights Advisory Committee under the Department of Education and the sensitization sessions in the works for upper members of the Pennsylvania Department of Education
• the scheduling of sensativity sessions for student workers at Bloomsburg State College
• an invitation to join the National Coalition of Gay Activities
• follow-up on the responses from senators and representatives about the letter sent to them in July about Gay Pride Week.

The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus is 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/newsletter was used as outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ community. In this report, the PA Rural Gay Caucus discusses meeting minutes from the January meeting, Gay Lobby Day, and the Christopher Street Liberation Day Parade (New York Pride Parade), for which the Pa Rural Gay Caucus called for participation. 

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:

• In the News (p.3)
• Rural Caucus Report (p.6)
• "James Dean: Was He or Wasn't He?" (p.5)
• Stonewall Remembered (p.10)

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:

• "Wheatland Zapped" (p. 4)
• "Rural Caucus Report" (p. 5)
• "State College [PA]" (p. 5)
• "Reading [PA]" (p. 5)
• "A Personal Expression of Gay Oppression from Lancaster, PA" (p. 12)
• "Northumberland [PA]" (p. 13)

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:

• Gay Health Column (p.5)
• After a Year of Activism (p.6)
• Rural Caucus Meeting (p.7)
• Philadelphia Bill Defeated (p.7)
• Phila. Gay News Begins Publishing (p.7)
• GUL Holds Election of Officers (p.8)
• GUL Co-Sponsors Phila. Conference (p.8)
• Date Set For Gay Lobby Day (p.8)
• Dyke Cooper Comes to Town (p.9)
• Of Interest to Gay Women (W.O.W.) (p.9)
• Plant-Nite at Marietta Avenue (p.19)
• State Police Investigating Blackmail Racket (p.20)
• New Peer Counseling Program Begins (p.20)
• Constructing Gay Pride or Bari's Five Steps to Sainthood (p.23)