PA Rural Gay Caucus Letter - July 22, 1976

Number of Pages
2
Date
July 22, 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 this letter, the Caucus informs the PA House of Representatives it's disappointment in their action of passing a resolution that rejected Governor Milton J. Shapp's proclamation making June 12-19 as Gay Pride Week.

Organizations
Year
Time Period
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns

PA Rural Gay Caucus Letter - May 10, 1976

Number of Pages
2
Date
May 10, 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 this letter, the Rural Gay Caucus encourages members to participate in a "blitz" campaign to show their support for the passage of the bill repealing the "Voluntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse" section of the PA Crime Code.

Year
Time Period
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns

Identifying the Rural Gay Caucus - June 5, 1976

Number of Pages
3
Date
June 5, 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 this flier, the Rural Gay Caucus is defined, organizations involved in the Caucus are listed, the statement of purpose provided, and the different committees within the caucus are explained.

Year
Time Period
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns Collection

PA Rural Gay Caucus Feedback Form - August 11, 1976

Number of Pages
2
Date
August 11, 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.”

Feedback form created to get community members' opinions on certain issues and involvement opportunities.

Organizations
Year
Time Period
Format
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns Collection

PA Rural Gay Caucus Legislator Visit Evaluation Sheet - 1976

Number of Pages
2
Date
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.”

This a form used to evaluate Legislators.

Organizations
Year
Time Period
Format
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns Collection

PA Rural Gay Caucus Chart - 1976

Number of Pages
2
Date
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."

Flow chart of how information spreads for each Legislative Committee section of the PA Rural Gay Caucus.

Organizations
Year
Time Period
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns Collection

PA Rural Gay Caucus Legislative Committee and Governor’s Council on Sexual Minorities Joint Meeting Minutes - June 12, 1976

Number of Pages
3
Date
June 12, 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 this report, the PA Rural Gay Caucus Legislative Committee and the Governor's Council on Sexual Minorities discus:

  • The Telephone Tree
  • Updates on the Sodomy Law Repeal
  • Fundraising for campaigns of State Legislators 
  • Newspaper Clippings discuss the House Resolution againts Governor Shapp's Gay Pride Week Proclomation
Year
Time Period
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns

LGBT History Project: LGBT-003 John Campbell Collection

Number of Pages
1
Date
2011

This collection contains a campaign poster from John Campbell’s run for Harrisburg City (PA) treasurer as an openly gay candidate in 2011-2012.

General Subjects
Year
Time Period
Origin
Gift of John Campbell
Collection
Location
LGBT-003 John Campbell Collection

LGBT History Project: LGBT-074 Anthony Silvestre Collection

Number of Pages
3
Date
1973 - 1985

Anthony Silvestre was born in 1946 in the Bronx in New York. He finished his final year of college at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, PA, and then attended Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) as a graduate student.

Silvestre was introduced to gay rights while at Penn State. While there, he became active in an organization called the Homophiles of Penn State (HOPS). He became president of HOPS and subsequently met many of Pennsylvania’s leading activists. He was appointed Chair of the Pennsylvania Council for Sexual Minorities and became a leader in the Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus, which provided a forum for collaboration among numerous groups outside of the cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Year
Time Period
Origin
Gift of Anthony Silvestre
Location
LGBT-074 Anthony Silvestre Collection

LGBT Oral History 107: Anthony Silvestre

Number of Pages
22
Date
September 21, 2016

Anthony Silvestre was born in 1946 in the Bronx in New York. He grew up in a working-class, Italian neighborhood and is familiar with stigma. He began identifying as gay in the sixth grade, but went through school still in the closet. After high school, he entered a Catholic religious group in the Boston area called the Holy Cross Brothers. He left after three years due to his disillusionment with the church, not his sexual orientation. He finished his final year at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, PA, and then attended Penn State as a graduate student.

Silvestre was introduced to LGBT rights while at Penn State, where he remained as student for five or six years. While there, he became active in an organization called the Homophiles of Penn State [HOPS], and, as president, met many of Pennsylvania’s leading activists. He was appointed Chair of the Pennsylvania Council on Sexual Minorities and became a leader in the Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus, which supported numerous groups across Pennsylvania. He was appointed Chair of the Pennsylvania State Council and supervised all of the subcommittees, one of which worked with the State Department of Education to create a gay high school in Philadelphia for the young gay kids from the Cuban Mariel Boatlift.

Silvestre worked with the department of Children and Youth Services to ensure that non-straight populations were not short-changed in the bureaucracy. He became executive administrator of the Eromin Center. Eromin [Ero: erotic, and min: minorities] is a center established to provide culturally competent mental health services.

Silvestre discusses how the State Office of Administration during the 80s effectively handled issues related to the AIDs epidemic, including writing policies and conducting sensitivity training around gay issues in various agencies such as the State Police. He interacted with the Governor and made policy with the governor’s aides, adding LGBT language into contracts and policies and requiring reports be generated concerning their efficacy, especially in regard to complaints that were made. He helped establish a community advisory board, probably one of the first in the country dealing with HIV.

Silvestre was hired at the University of Pittsburgh at the Pitt Men’s Study program to supervise their six-month grant sponsored by the NIH—and he still works there, thirty-plus years later. He is now working on non-discrimination policy and education for HIV individuals in nursing homes and home health care.

Silvestre is married and a practicing Buddhist. He has created a group for young LGBT Buddhists, and has organized HIV services through the Ball community by supporting SILK, which is a group for African American young, MSM and trans kids who are members of the Ball community.

Topics
Year
Time Period
Origin
Gift of Anthony Silvestre
Collection
Location
LGBT Oral History - Silvestre, Anthony - 107

PA Rural Gay Caucus Report - May 1978

Number of Pages
3
Date
May 1978

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 gives the location of the nest meeting in June and gives the meeting minutes from the May meeting. Minutes to note are: 

  • discussion of formation of a state wide gay support group
  • postive and negative comments of Pride '78
  • update on the Human Relations Ordinance in Allentown, PA
Find Other Issues
People
Places
Organizations
Year
Time Period
Format
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns Collection

PA Rural Gay Caucus Report - March 1978

Number of Pages
3
Date
March 1978

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 gives the location for the next meeting in April and more information on the Rural Conference.

Find Other Issues
Organizations
Year
Time Period
Format
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns Collection

PA Rural Gay Caucus Report - December 1977

Number of Pages
3
Date
December 1977

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 discusses the new board that was elected and the progress of the Rural Conference.

Find Other Issues
Organizations
Year
Time Period
Format
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns Collection

PA Rural Gay Caucus Report - October 1977

Number of Pages
4
Date
October 1977
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 updates on the Rural Conference and Allentown Gay Rights.
Find Other Issues
Places
Year
Time Period
Format
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns Collection

PA Rural Gay Caucus Report - August 1977

Number of Pages
3
Date
August 1977
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 gives the location of the meeting in September and the meeting minutes from August. The minutes discuss the Rural Conference that is being planned and efforts to pass a Human Rights Ordinance in Allentown, PA.
Find Other Issues
Places
Year
Time Period
Format
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns Collection

PA Rural Gay Caucus Report - June 1977

Number of Pages
3
Date
June 1977
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 apologizes for not getting the report out for the month of May. They give the date and location for the July meeting and they provide updates on PA Senate Bill 531 and topics that will be converged at the July Meeting, which includes discussion of a Rural conference/festival.
Find Other Issues
Organizations
Year
Time Period
Format
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns Collection

PA Rural Gay Caucus Report - April 1977

Number of Pages
2
Date
April 1977
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, there is mention of Human Rights Day and the process of both PA Senate Bill 83 and 531. There are no minutes from the April meeting, as they were not available for this report.
Find Other Issues
Organizations
Year
Time Period
Format
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns

PA Rural Gay Caucus Report - March 1977

Number of Pages
6
Date
March 1977

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
Find Other Issues
Year
Time Period
Format
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns

PA Rural Gay Caucus Report - February 1977

Number of Pages
6
Date
February 1977
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 newsletter was used as outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ community. In this report, the Caucus mentions the location of the meeting in March and provides the meeting minutes from February. Minutes to note is the passing of PA Senate Bill 83 in the State Government Committee.
Find Other Issues
Organizations
Year
Time Period
Format
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns Collection

PA Rural Gay Caucus Report - January 1977

Number of Pages
6
Date
January 1977

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 outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ+ community. In this report, the Caucus mentions the location of the February meeting and provides the meeting minites from the previous January meeting.

Meeting minutes of note are: 

  • Deputy State Attorney General addressed the Caucus and discussed the "Sodomy Repeal Bill," as well as the concern about PA Senate Bill 83, which would bar gay or lesbian individuals from certain employment positions
  • Report on the Lebanon High School student who committed sucide and how the Caucus Education Committee was to proceed with outreach and support
  • Report on the Telephone Tree that was established 
  • Discussion of the status of other organizations that are part of the Rural Gay Caucus
Find Other Issues
Year
Time Period
Format
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns

PA Rural Gay Caucus Report - December 1976

Number of Pages
6
Date
December 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.” 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
Find Other Issues
Year
Time Period
Format
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns Collection

PA Rural Gay Caucus Report - November 1976

Number of Pages
2
Date
November 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.” 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.

Find Other Issues
Year
Time Period
Format
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns

PA Rural Gay Caucus Report - March 1976

Number of Pages
4
Date
March 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.” The newsletter was used as outreach to the Central PA LGBTQ community. Highlights of this report include:

  • Plans for Gay Lobby Day
  • Dyketactics group protests film "The Snuff"
  • Efforts to pass Human Relations Act in Reading, PA
Find Other Issues
Places
Events
Year
Time Period
Format
Origin
Gift of Joseph W. Burns
Collection
Location
LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns Collection

Lavender Letter (Harrisburg, PA) - September 1992

Number of Pages
9
Date
September 1992

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

Find Other Issues
Places
Year
Time Period
Format
Origin
Gift of Lorraine Kujawa
Location
LGBT-009 Lavender Letter Collection

Lavender Letter (Harrisburg, PA) - December 1991

Number of Pages
7
Date
December 1991

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.

Find Other Issues
Year
Time Period
Format
Origin
Gift of Lorraine Kujawa
Location
LGBT-009 Lavender Letter Collection