Here's How (Williamsport, PA) - September 1980

Number of Pages
2
Date
September 1980

Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW) was founded in 1975 to be an educational outreach and social group for members of the LGBTQ+ community in the Williamsport, PA area, through monthly meetings, social events, and discussion sessions. The newsletter, Here’s How, was a way to keep group members up-to-date on news and events.

In this issue, it is addressed that because of lack of participation over the summer, no meetings were held. This led to no newsletters going out. It is also mentioned that there has been an increase of LGBTQ+ and straight people moving away from the Williamsport area (however no reason is given as to why).

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Gift of Dan Maneval
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LGBT-008 Dan Maneval Collection

Here's How (Williamsport, PA) - May 1980

Number of Pages
3
Date
May 1980

Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW) was founded in 1975 to be an educational outreach and social group for members of the LGBTQ+ community in the Williamsport, PA area, through monthly meetings, social events, and discussion sessions. The newsletter, Here’s How, was a way to keep group members up-to-date on news and events.

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Gift of Dan Maneval
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LGBT-008 Dan Maneval Collection

Here's How (Williamsport, PA) - March 1980

Number of Pages
2
Date
March 1980

Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW) was founded in 1975 to be an educational outreach and social group for members of the LGBTQ+ community in the Williamsport, PA area, through monthly meetings, social events, and discussion sessions. The newsletter, Here’s How, was a way to keep group members up-to-date on news and events.

In this issue, it was shared the HOW has decided to continue on, and that participation will be key in the upcoming months.

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Gift of Dan Maneval
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LGBT-008 Dan Maneval Collection

Here's How (Williamsport, PA) - February 1980

Number of Pages
2
Date
February 1980

Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW) was founded in 1975 to be an educational outreach and social group for members of the LGBTQ+ community in the Williamsport, PA area, through monthly meetings, social events, and discussion sessions. The newsletter, Here’s How, was a way to keep group members up-to-date on news and events.

In this issue, it is shared that unless HOW an form a steering committee, the organization is planning to dissolve, and that the last meeting will be in March if the steering committee is not able to be formed.

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Gift of Dan Maneval
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LGBT-008 Dan Maneval Collection

LGBT History Project: LGBT-029 Steven Leshner Collection

Number of Pages
6
Date
1985-1999

Steven Leshner became a member of Dignity/Central PA, a Catholic organization for LGBTQ+ individuals that has been active in the Harrisburg, PA area since 1976, in the 1970s, where he participated in events and activities, as well as became part of the social committee. The materials in this collection document the activities of this group. Leshner is still active in the Dignity community today.

Organizations
General Subjects
Year
Time Period
Origin
Gift of Steven Leshner
Collection
Location
LGBT-029 Steven Leshner Collection

LGBT History Project: LGBT-043 Lily White & Company Collection

Number of Pages
19
Date
1982-1997
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 and performances throughout central Pennsylvania and the United States with the intent of raising funds for HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ+ organizations in the 1980s and 1990s. They performed their last production in the late 1990s.
Topics
People
Organizations
Year
Time Period
Origin
Gift of Paul Foltz
Location
LGBT-043 Lily White & Company Collection

LGBT History Project: LGBT-034 Mark Stoner Collection

Number of Pages
1
Date
undated
Mark Stoner was born in 1959, grew up, and currently lives in Lancaster, PA, where he has worked as a graphic designer for the past 30 years. He came out as gay early in his college years at Penn State University and became involved in Lancaster’s gay community. He was among the founders of the Pink Triangle Coalition, was involved with establishing the Central Pennsylvania Pride and Lancaster Pride celebrations. He also helped found the Lancaster-area gay publication Inqueery, and served on the Lancaster City Human Relations Commission’s protections against anti-LGBT discrimination.
People
General Subjects
Year
Time Period
Origin
Gift of Mark Stoner
Collection
Location
LGBT-035 Mark Stoner Collection

LGBT History Project: LGBT-093 Paul Foltz Collection

Number of Pages
2
Date
1987, 2008

Paul Foltz grew up in Steelton, PA. After college, Foltz began studying theatre in England. It was here that Foltz discovered a strong and open LGBTQ+ community. When he returned to the United States, he became involved in Pennsylvania’s LGBTQA community by helping to establish the Harrisburg Men’s Chorus and Dignity Philadelphia. Additionally, he founded a theatre company, Lily White and Company, to raise awareness and funds for local HIV/AIDS initiatives. Foltz has also served as a costume designer at Theatre Harrisburg and taught theatre at the Bradley Academy for the Visual Arts [later known as the Art Institute of York] for over twenty years and at Harrisburg Area Community College.

People
General Subjects
Year
Time Period
Origin
Gift of Paul Foltz
Collection
Location
LGBT-093 Paul Foltz Collection

LGBT History Project: LGBT-086 Marie DiFava Collection

Number of Pages
12
Date
1987-2019

Maria DiFava was born in Lebanon County, PA in 1953. She graduated from high school and attended nursing school and ultimately became an EMT volunteer. She later worked as a mail carrier for the US Postal Service. Marie married and had three children with her husband, whom she later divorced.

When she came out, DiFava started to look for gay organizations to join in her area. After travelling throughout Central PA, DiFava became frustrated at the lack of a lesbian community in Lebanon, thus the Lebanon County Lesbians organization was formed. The group met in DiFava’s home starting in June of 1997, and for the next few years, she hosted meetings in her home until she was able to have help planning events and meetings. DiFava advertised through Lebanon County initially, but eventually turned toward the entirety of Central PA.

People
Year
Origin
Gift of Marie DiFava
Collection
Location
LGBT-086 Marie DiFava Collection

LGBT History Project: LGBT-081 Robert ''Bob'' Deibler Collection

Number of Pages
3
Date
1959-2007

Robert “Bob” Deibler was born on January 20, 1940 in upper Paxton Township in Dauphin County, PA. He graduated from Millersburg Area High School and went on to attend Bloomsburg University with majors in social science and English, and later became a teacher. Deibler was an active member in two men’s clubs, the Pennsmen and the Satyr Men. After meeting his long-term partner, Ronn Fink, in 1985 and retiring from teaching in 1991, Deibler decided to move to Harrisburg, PA. While in Harrisburg, Deibler supported Fink in the running of the Bare Wall, a gift shop and video rental store and local landmark for the gay community in Harrisburg.

Year
Origin
Gift of Robert ''Bob'' Deibler
Collection
Location
LGBT-081 Robert ''Bob'' Deibler Collection

LGBT History Project: LGBT-041 Sam Edmiston Collection

Number of Pages
4
Date
1961-2015

Sam Edmiston was born on July 17, 1945 in Middleburg, PA. In the April of 1963, Edmiston enrolled in the US Navy, and three weeks after his graduation, went to the Keel United States Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois for recruitment training. While in the US Navy, Edmiston was a dispersing clerk until he was dishonorably discharged for being gay in 1966. Edmiston fought to change the discharge, and his papers were later changed to a “general discharge under general conditions.”

After coming home from the Navy, Edmiston worked various jobs until he retired from working for seven years for personal health reasons. After the seven years, Edmiston found a job with the Social Security Administration through Administrative Careers of America. He went on to work for the Social Security Administration for the next 10 years until he finally retired permanently.

Throughout and after college Edmiston was active in the pursuit of gay rights. He started the Susquehanna Valley Gays United in 1976 with friend Sam Deetz, was the secretary for the PA Rural Gay Caucus, contributed to the Lancaster Gay Era Newspaper, and was part of Dignity/Central PA.

People
Year
Origin
Gift of Sam Edmiston
Collection
Location
LGBT-041 Sam Edmiston Collection

LGBT History Project: LGBT-030 Bob Riese

Number of Pages
2
Date
1976-1983
This collection contains monthly newsletters produced by the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg in 1981, and an assortment of buttons documenting LGBTQ+ events and issues.
People
General Subjects
Year
Time Period
Origin
Gift of Bob Riese
Collection
Location
LGBT-030 Bob Riese Collection

LGBT History Project: LGBT-024 Bernie Pupo Collection

Number of Pages
3
Date
1983-1996
Bernie Pupo was born in Kulpmont, Pennsylvania in 1945 and attended Mount Carmel Catholic High School. After working in a factory after high school, Bernie moved to Harrisburg, where he joined SCAAN, the South Central Aids Assistance Network, which is now known as the AIDS Alliance.
People
Year
Time Period
Origin
Gift of Bernie Pupo
Collection
Location
LGBT-024 Bernie Pupo Collection

LGBT History Project: LGBT-019 Nancy Datres & Riitaa Lukkari Collection

Number of Pages
1
Date
1978-1885

These materials document the holy union of Nancy Datres and Riitta Lukkari. They also contain court documents and a photograph dealing with harassment Datres and Lukkari experienced from their neighbors.

Year
Time Period
Origin
Gift of Nancy Datres & Riitta Lukkari
Location
LGBT-019 Nancy Datres & Riitta Lukkari

LGBT History Project: LGBT-008 Dan Maneval Collection

Number of Pages
3
Date
1977-1980
Dan Maneval was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on October 3, 1947. Maneval’s activism included the founding of the Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW), the West Branch Gay Support Network, Susquehanna Lambda, Susquehanna Valley Gays United, and The Gay Switchboard of Williamsport. He also participated in several PA Rural Gay Caucuses, and he was a critical participant in the protest against Anita Bryant, who was the leader of the antigay Protect America’s Children campaign, when she came to the Bloomsburg Fair in 1978.
People
General Subjects
Year
Time Period
Origin
Gift of Dan Maneval
Collection
Location
LGBT-008 Dan Maneval 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

Lavender Letter (Harrisburg, PA) - December 1989

Number of Pages
5
Date
December 1989

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

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LGBT-009 Lavender Letter Collection

Lavender Letter (Harrisburg, PA) - November 1989

Number of Pages
5
Date
November 1989

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

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LGBT-009 Lavender Letter Collection

Lavender Letter (Harrisburg, PA) - October 1989

Number of Pages
5
Date
October 1989

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

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LGBT-009 Lavender Letter Collection

Lavender Letter (Harrisburg, PA) - September 1989

Number of Pages
5
Date
September 1989

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

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Gift of Lorraine Kujawa
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LGBT-009 Lavender Letter Collection

Lavender Letter (Harrisburg, PA) - August 1989

Number of Pages
5
Date
August 1989

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

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Gift of Lorraine Kujawa
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LGBT-009 Lavender Letter Collection

Lavender Letter (Harrisburg, PA) - July 1989

Number of Pages
5
Date
July 1989

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. This also the first newsletter where the format changed, and the publishers increased subscription to cover publication cost. 

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Gift of Lorraine Kujawa
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LGBT-009 Lavender Letter Collection

Lavender Letter (Harrisburg, PA) - June 1989

Number of Pages
3
Date
June 1989

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

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Year
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Origin
Gift of Lorraine Kujawa
Location
LGBT-009 Lavender Letter Collection

Lavender Letter (Harrisburg, PA) - May 1989

Number of Pages
3
Date
May 1989

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

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People
Year
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Origin
Gift of Lorraine Kujawa
Location
LGBT-009 Lavender Letter Collection

Lavender Letter (Harrisburg, PA) - April 1989

Number of Pages
3
Date
April 1989

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

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Origin
Gift of Lorraine Kujawa
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LGBT-009 Lavender Letter Collection