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 Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.
Learn how to contribute documents, images, or artifacts to this project.
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LGBT History Project
Date: June 1979
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 issues, discussion on Governor Richard Thornburgh's decision to keep the Governors Counscil on Sexual Minorities is discussed, as well as Pride '79, and an update on Dan Manevla's neighborhood harrasment concerns.
Collection: LGBT-008 - Maneval
Topics:
Organizations: Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW), PA Lesbian/Gay Support Network (PALGSN)
View Item: Here's How (Williamsport, PA) - June 1979
Date: 2018
The Keystone Conference is a program for transgender individuals and their allies that has been held annually in Pennsylvania since 2009. The items in this collection include programs from previous conferences and vendor materials from the 2018 conference.
Collection: LGBT-077 - Keystone Conference
Topics:
Organizations:
View Item: LGBT History Project: LGBT-077 Keystone Conference Collection
Date: 2007-2012
This collection contains chapter information regarding the Southern Eastern Pennsylvania chapter of the Renaissance Education Association, Inc. (ROSE), a non-profit transgender support organization. This collection also includes newsletters published between 2007 – 2012.
Collection: LGBT-059 - ROSE
Topics:
Organizations: Renaissance Education Association, Inc.
View Item: LGBT History Project: LGBT-059 Renaissance of Southern Eastern PA Collection
Date: 1998-2008
This collection contains newsletters published between 1998 and 2004 by the Lower Susquehanna Valley Chapter of the Renaissance Education Association, Inc., a non-profit transgender support organization. These materials also include programs from Miss Stallions and Miss Gay Harrisburg events from 1999 and 2001.
Collection: LGBT-039 - Davidson
Topics:
Organizations: Renaissance Education Association, Inc.
View Item: LGBT History Project: LGBT-039 Ellen Davidson Collection
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.
Collection: LGBT-029 - Leshner
Topics:
Organizations: Dignity/Central PA
View Item: LGBT History Project: LGBT-029 Steven Leshner Collection
Date: May 1979
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.
Collection: LGBT-008 - Maneval
Topics:
Organizations: Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW), Homophiles of Penn State (HOPS), PA Lesbian/Gay Support Network (PALGSN)
View Item: Here's How (Williamsport, PA) - May 1979
Date: April 1979
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.
Collection: LGBT-008 - Maneval
Topics:
Organizations: Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW), Homophiles of Penn State (HOPS)
View Item: Here's How (Williamsport, PA) - April 1979
Date: February/March 1979
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.
Collection: LGBT-008 - Maneval
Topics:
Organizations: Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW), PA Lesbian/Gay Support Network (PALGSN)
View Item: Here's How (Williamsport, PA) - February/March 1979
Date: November/December 1978
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, the lack of member participation is addressed and ideas on moving forward are expressed.
Collection: LGBT-008 - Maneval
Topics: Harassment
Organizations: Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW)
View Item: Here's How (Williamsport, PA) - November/December 1978
Date: October 1978
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, Dan Maneval shares the harassment he is experiencing after the Bloomberg State Fair rally, which will impact future HOW meetings.
Collection: LGBT-008 - Maneval
Topics: Harassment
Organizations: Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW), National Organization for Women (N.O.W.)
View Item: Here's How (Williamsport, PA) - October 1978
Date: August 1978
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.
Collection: LGBT-008 - Maneval
Topics:
Organizations: Northeastern PA Coalition for Human Rights (NPCHR)
View Item: Here's How (Williamsport, PA) - August 1978
Date: May 1978
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, HOW disscusses the possibility of working with the local NOW Chapter for upcoming events and fundraisers.
Collection: LGBT-008 - Maneval
Topics:
Organizations: Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW), PA Rural Gay Caucus, National Organization for Women (N.O.W.)
View Item: Here's How (Williamsport, PA) - May 1978
Date: March 1978
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.
Collection: LGBT-008 - Maneval
Topics:
Organizations: Homophiles of Williamsport (HOW), Gay Persons of Bloomsburg (GPB)
View Item: Here's How (Williamsport, PA) - March 1978
Date: undated
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.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations:
View Item: History of the Lavender Letter - undated
Date: June 2006
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.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations: Common Roads
View Item: Lavender Letter (Harrisburg, PA) - June 2006
Date: April 2006
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.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations: Women's Circle
Date: March 2006
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.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations: Women's Circle, Common Roads
Date: February 2006
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.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations:
Date: January 2006
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.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations: Common Roads
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.
Collection: LGBT-043 - Lily White & Company
Topics: HIV/AIDs
Organizations: Lily White & Company
View Item: LGBT History Project: Lily White & Company Collection
Date: circa 2000
Melinda Eash is a child psychologist and LBGTQ+ rights ally. After encountering a gay patient in her psychologist practice, Eash began teaching herself about LGBTQ+ youth. She contacted and began attending the local LGBTQ+ youth group, and became an integral ally and leader of Bi, Gay, Lesbian Youth Association of Harrisburg (Bi-GLYAH), which later was renamed Common Roads.
Collection: LGBT-040 - Eash
Topics:
Organizations: Bi, Gay, Lesbian Youth Association of Harrisburg (Bi-GLYAH), Common Roads
View Item: LGBT History Project: LGBT-040 Melinda Eash Collection
Date: undated
This collection holds two rainbow chains donated by an anonymous donor.
Collection: LGBT-035 Anonymous Collection
Topics:
Organizations:
View Item: LGBT History Project: LGBT-035 Collection
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.
Collection: LGBT-034 - Stoner
Topics:
Organizations: Pink Triangle Coalition (PTC)
View Item: LGBT History Project: LGBT-034 Mark Stoner Collection
Date: December 2005
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.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations:
Date: November 2005
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.
Collection: LGBT-009 - Lavender Letter
Topics:
Organizations: