Gay History - User contributions [en]

Baron, Hank*

2011-09-07T22:32:46Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Hank Baron'''*

'''Biography:'''

From [[http://www.queermusicheritage.us/|Queer Music Heritage:]]

Hank Baron is an excellent singer/songwriter who lived in Philadelphia in the late 70s. Thanks to the folks at the [[http:''www.rainbowhistory.org/|Rainbow History Project]], in DC, I'm able to share a couple songs from a concert Baron did as a benefit for a gay radio show in DC called "Friends" on WPFW-FM. I have found a news article on the concert. [[http:''www.queermusicheritage.us/jun2006hb.html|Click to read it]]. And see my August show for more music, and some photos of Baron.

Picture:

[[File:gayhistory/Baron1-21.jpg|298x298px|center]]

Date of Birth:

Date of Death (delete if non-applicable):

Age at Death (delete if non-applicable):

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended: Philadelphia Gay Activist Alliance

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

His friends include: Harry Kelly, Rusel Silkey

Testimonials to him:

Hank was a warm, wonderful talented friend. Cute, too.

Hank was an inspired songwriter whose songs were original and meaningful to his appreciative audiences in the gay community. I remember his singing at the Gay Community Center on Kater Street and one evening at the Allegro.

One song he wrote was occasioned by his discovery of a fossil ammonite about a foot in diameter that he had found at a construction site in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, which he showed us before singing a song with thoughts evoked by the permanence of that fragile, ancient creature. Regrettably, I don't recall the title or more of the theme of that song. However, I do remember being moved by his song about "looking for love in all the wrong places" that predated by several years Johnny Lee's hit song with a similar theme from the 1980 film "Urban Cowboy". I also recall (somewhat) a night we drove to New York for a performance of Richard Strauss' "Die Frau ohne Schatten" at the Metropolitan Opera when Hank baked some "special brownies" for the occasion which we enjoyed by the fountain on Lincoln Center Plaza before entering the opera house and smoking a joint on the balcony just for good measure before the performance. I don't remember much else of the evening after that, - Bob Stewart

Allegro

2011-09-07T21:59:18Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Name of Bar/Club: '''Allegro'''

Location: 1412 Spruce St.

Period in existence: 1948-1980

The Allegro was perhaps the most popular gay bar in Center City. It occupied three floors of a brick building that may originally have been a townhouse. While it was popular and often crowded, there were times in the early 1970s when it was also the object of some protests and boycotting by members of the gay community for two particular reasons that I recall. One was a "dress code" that forbade wearing hats or open-toed shoes or high heels, the former ban aimed at excluding African Americans, many of whom were accustomed to wearing hats in that era, and the latter aimed at excluding women and male transvestites. Another serious concern was one of safety, as periodic examination of the fire escape doors on the upper floors found that they were at times chained and padlocked, creating a dangerous hazard in the event of fire. A campaign to see that these doors were kept unlocked did succeed for a time. -- Bob Stewart

Philadelphians who spent time at this bar or club:

Schwartz, Fritz

2011-09-07T21:48:22Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Schwartz, Frederick R. ("Fritz")'''

'''Biography:'''

Picture:

[[File:https://secure.associationsonline.com/amo/nasig/uploaded_documents/Photos/schwartz.jpg|156x198px|right]]

Date of Birth: April 15, 1950

Date of Death: August 15, 1997

Age at Death: 47

Employment: Fritz worked at the Fine Arts Library of the University of Pennsylvania, then in the Boston area for library technical information services at which he became an expert.

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended:

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

His friends include: (type your name here, or names of others): Bob Stewart

Testimonials to him (add a space before a new testimonial):

Fritz lived in West Philadelphia somewhere near Baltimore Avenue. He was enthusiastically interested in many subjects, including music and botany. I remember his inviting me and some other friends to his apartment one evening to witness the flowering of a night-blooming cereus while we enjoyed wine and listened to Ella Fitzgerald recordings. - Bob Stewart

The NASIG (North American Serials Interest Group) Fritz Schwartz Education Scholarship was named in honor of Fritz Schwartz, who was a well-known and highly respected authority on Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), the Internet, and library standards. A frequent speaker at NASIG annual conferences, his last NASIG appearance was to conduct a highly rated workshop at the 10th Conference at Duke University in 1995. He actively participated in the National Information Standards Organization (NISO) and the International Committee on EDI for Serials (ICEDIS). At the time of his death, Fritz was Manager of Electronic Services and Standards at the Faxon Company. NASIG is pleased to offer this scholarship in memory of Fritz's many contributions to the library profession and to honor his energy, warmth, humor, and passion for standards.

Schwartz, Fritz

2011-09-07T21:46:51Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Schwartz, Frederick R. ("Fritz")'''

'''Biography:'''

Picture:

[[File:https://secure.associationsonline.com/amo/nasig/uploaded_documents/Photos/schwartz.jpg|156x198px|right]]

Date of Birth: April 15, 1950

Date of Death: August 15, 1997

Age at Death: 47

Employment: Fritz worked at the Fine Arts Library of the University of Pennsylvania, then in the Boston area for library technical information services at which he became an expert.

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended:

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

His friends include: (type your name here, or names of others): Bob Stewart

Testimonials to him (add a space before a new testimonial):

Fritz lived in West Philadelphia somewhere near Baltimore Avenue. He was enthusiastically interested in many subjects, including music and botany. I remember his inviting me to his apartment one evening to witness the flowering of a night-blooming cereus while we listened to Ella Fitzgerald recordings. - Bob Stewart

The NASIG (North American Serials Interest Group) Fritz Schwartz Education Scholarship was named in honor of Fritz Schwartz, who was a well-known and highly respected authority on Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), the Internet, and library standards. A frequent speaker at NASIG annual conferences, his last NASIG appearance was to conduct a highly rated workshop at the 10th Conference at Duke University in 1995. He actively participated in the National Information Standards Organization (NISO) and the International Committee on EDI for Serials (ICEDIS). At the time of his death, Fritz was Manager of Electronic Services and Standards at the Faxon Company. NASIG is pleased to offer this scholarship in memory of Fritz's many contributions to the library profession and to honor his energy, warmth, humor, and passion for standards.

Mishkin, Ian

2011-09-02T22:08:14Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Mishkin, Ian'''

'''Biography:''' Ian was a young man with a gentle, sweet spirit, a folksinger at coffee houses in the South Street neighborhood where he lived in a second floor apartment on Leithgow Street above a restaurant (now Marrakech).

He sang Scottish and English ballads from the Childe collection, songs by Leonard Cohen, with an affecting baritone voice. He also loved opera, and was a fan of Renata Tebaldi, especially.

He was one of the original group founding the Kater Street Gay Community Center in 1975.

He later moved to San Francisco in the late 1970s where he continued his folk singing, working in medical care, and achieving his degree to become a psychological counselor who was loved and respected. He did all this on his own as his family, from New York, had rejected him after he came out as gay.

Ian's passion for opera led him to "super" in San Francisco Opera productions from 1985 - 1995.

In late summer 1998 he began suffering from a neurological disorder apparently similar to ALS and became

seriously debilitated by August 2003, according to the last information available about him on the Internet

([[http://spearheadnews.com/_baks/Ian.htm.0004.1046.bak]])

Date of Birth: 6/9/1955 [[#htmldiff2]]

Date of Death: 8/30/2003[[#htmldiff4]]

Age at Death: 48

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attended: Kater Street Community Center

His friends included: (type your name here, or names of others) Bob Stewart (who wrote this biography), Harry Kelly, Rusel Silkey.

Testimonials to him (add a space before a new testimonial):

Ian was unfailingly kind, gentle, and sharing. I have fond memories of his singing ballads at home and in coffeehouses, and his playing recordings of Renata Tebaldi. We attended two Judy Collins concerts together, one in Philadelphia, and another in San Francisco just before her 40th birthday in 1979. -- Bob Stewart.
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:age 48]]

Mishkin, Ian

2011-09-02T22:02:55Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Mishkin, Ian

2011-09-02T22:00:44Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Mishkin, Ian'''

'''Biography:''' Ian was a young man with a gentle, sweet spirit, a folksinger at coffee houses in the South Street neighborhood where he lived in a second floor apartment on Leithgow Street above a restaurant (now Marrakech).

He sang Scottish and English ballads from the Childe collection, songs by Leonard Cohen, with an affecting baritone voice. He also loved opera, and was a fan of Renata Tebaldi, especially.

He was one of the original group founding the Kater Street Gay Community Center in 1975.

He later moved to San Francisco in the late 1970s where he continued his folk singing, working in medical care, and achieving his degree to become a psychological counselor who was loved and respected. He did all this on his own as his family, from New Jersey, had rejected him after he came out as gay.

Ian's passion for opera led him to "super" in San Francisco Opera productions from 1985 - 1995.

In late summer 1998 he began suffering from a neurological disorder apparently similar to ALS and became

seriously debilitated by August 2003, according to the last information available about him on the Internet

([[http://spearheadnews.com/_baks/Ian.htm.0004.1046.bak]])

Date of Birth: 6/9/1955 [[#htmldiff2]]

Date of Death (delete if non-applicable): 8/30/2003[[#htmldiff4]]

Age at Death (delete if non-applicable): 48

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attended: Kater Street Community Center

His friends included: (type your name here, or names of others) Bob Stewart (who wrote this biography), Harry Kelly, Rusel Silkey.

Testimonials to him (add a space before a new testimonial):
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:age 48]]

Gay Coffeehouse

2011-09-02T21:56:05Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Name of Organization: Gay Community Center of Philadelphia (Gay Coffeehouse)

Known familiarly as the "Gay Coffeehouse", the original Gay Community Center was founded in 1975, and was the predecessor of Penguin Place and the William Way Community Center in a direct line of succession.

The Center held its grand opening event on Sunday afternoon, August 24, 1975, which was broadcast live on a local alternative radio station operating on the Penn Campus.

A group of 25 members of the community formed a Steering Committee that developed the Center, and raised funds to rent and renovate a two-story brick building at 324 Kater Street that had been a stable for horses of the mounted patrols of the Philadelphia Police,

A ramp to the second floor was replaced with stairs leading to offices for meeting rooms and a library of donated books.

A new concrete floor was poured on the first floor that was devoted primarily to a space for a Coffeehouse, community gatherings, and meetings of several gay and Lesbian organizations in Philadelphia at that time.

The original group who organized the Center included Hank Baron, Joseph DeMarco, Jeff Dunn, Peter Dunning, Harry Eberlin, Jeffrey Escoffier, Rich Grzesiak, Bob Hass, Ed Hermance, Harry Kelly, Dr. Walter Lear, Steve Mirman, Ian Mishkin, Arleen Olshan, William Phillips, Lee Robbins, Bob Stewart.

The Center was legally incorporated as a non-profit organization in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The Center was also granted 501(c)3 tax exempt status by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit educational organization. The application was initially rejected by the IRS, then approved after appeal, one of the first community centers in that era to be approved. Other centers in the U.S. had had their applications denied since, at that time, the IRS was concerned about organizations "advocating homosexuality" and the application stressed planned educational activities such as public lectures and a library of educational materials presenting "different points of view."

Location: 324 Kater Street, Philadelphia

Period in existence: 1975 to 19?? at that location, continuing as Penguin Place and the present William Way Community Center.

Philadelphians who participate/d in this organization:

Stewart, Bob *

2011-09-02T21:37:19Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Bob Stewart''' *

Biography: Lived in Philadelphia from August 1968 to February 1979.

Elected in 1975 as one of the first "co-coordinators" of the Gay Community Center of Philadelphia, along with Arleen Olshan, and a Steering Committee of some 25 persons. This was at a time in the mid-1970s when gay and Lesbian community centers were being established in many cities. I became involved in organizing the one in Philadelphia after having attended with Peter Dunning and Hank Baron and others a national conference in Washington, D.C. on gay community center development.

I was responsible for obtaining incorporation as a non-profit organization with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and prepared the application to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for 501(c)3 tax exempt status as a non-profit educational organization. The application was initially rejected by the IRS, then approved after appeal, one of the first community centers in that era to be approved, I believe.

Other centers had had their applications denied since, at that time, the IRS was concerned about organizations "advocating homosexuality" and the application stressed planned educational activities such as public lectures and a library of educational materials presenting "different points of view."

For many months in the mid-1970s, including at Independence Mall on July 4, solicited signers of a petition for a gay rights ordinance to be introduced in City Council.

Worked with Barbara Gittings, a dear friend and neighbor on West Spruce Street, in the compilation of editions 4 and 5 of her "Gay Bibliography" for the American Library Association's Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

Participated for a time with the collective that wrote and edited The Gay Alternative, and compiled a comprehensive index to all previous issues that was printed in the 10th or 12th issue.

Date of Birth: April 20, 1941

Employment: August 1968 - December 1974, employed as Librarian at Van Pelt Library, University of Pennsylvania,

January 1975 - February 1979, first Executive Director of PALINET (Pennsylvania Area Library Network), now Philadelphia Regional office of Lyrasis.

Social/Political Groups attended: Gay Community Center on Kater Street, Gay Activists Alliance, Gay Media Project, The Gay Alternative journal

Bars/Clubs visited: Allegro (original location on Spruce St.), Westbury (original location)

Friends included: Hank Baron, Joe DeMarco, Peter Dunning, Harry Kelly, Dr. Walter Lear, Ian Mishkin, Bill Phillips, Rusel Silkey, Lewis Rathbone.

Gay Coffeehouse

2011-09-02T21:35:20Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Name of Organization: Gay Community Center of Philadelphia (Gay Coffeehouse)

Known familiarly as the "Gay Coffeehouse", the original Gay Community Center was founded in 1975, and was the predecessor of Penguin Place and the William Way Community Center in a direct line of succession.

The Center held its grand opening event on Sunday afternoon, August 24, 1975, which was broadcast live on a local alternative radio station operating on the Penn Campus.

A group of 25 members of the community formed a Steering Committee that developed the Center, and raised funds to rent and renovate a two-story brick building at 324 Kater Street that had been a stable for horses of the mounted patrols of the Philadelphia Police,

A ramp to the second floor was replaced with stairs leading to offices for meeting rooms and a library of donated books.

A new concrete floor was poured on the first floor that was devoted primarily to a space for a Coffeehouse, community gatherings, and meetings of several gay and Lesbian organizations in Philadelphia at that time.

The original group who organized the Center included Hank Baron, Bob Hass, Joseph DeMarco, Jeff Dunn, Peter Dunning, Harry Eberlin, Jeffrey Escoffier, Rich Grzesiak, Ed Hermance, Harry Kelly, Dr. Walter Lear, Steve Mirman, Ian Mishkin, Arleen Olshan, William Phillips, Lee Robbins, Bob Stewart.

The Center was legally incorporated as a non-profit organization in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The Center was also granted 501(c)3 tax exempt status by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit educational organization. The application was initially rejected by the IRS, then approved after appeal, one of the first community centers in that era to be approved. Other centers in the U.S. had had their applications denied since, at that time, the IRS was concerned about organizations "advocating homosexuality" and the application stressed planned educational activities such as public lectures and a library of educational materials presenting "different points of view."

Location: 324 Kater Street, Philadelphia

Period in existence: 1975 to 19?? at that location, continuing as Penguin Place and the present William Way Community Center.

Philadelphians who participate/d in this organization:

Gay Coffeehouse

2011-09-02T21:33:54Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Name of Organization: Gay Community Center of Philadelphia (Gay Coffeehouse)

Known familiarly as the "Gay Coffeehouse", the original Gay Community Center was founded in 1975, and was the predecessor of Penguin Place and the William Way Community Center in a direct line of succession.

The Center held its grand opening event on Sunday afternoon, August 24, 1975, which was broadcast live on a local alternative radio station operating on the Penn Campus.

A group of 25 members of the community formed a Steering Committee that developed the Center, and raised funds to rent and renovate a two-story brick building at 324 Kater Street that had been a stable for horses of the mounted patrols of the Philadelphia Police,

A ramp to the second floor was replaced with stairs leading to offices for meeting rooms and a library of donated books.

A new concrete floor was poured on the first floor that was devoted primarily to a space for a Coffeehouse, community gatherings, and meetings of several gay and Lesbian organizations in Philadelphia at that time.

The original group who organized the Center included Hank Baron, Bob Hass, Joseph DeMarco, Jeff Dunn, Peter Dunning, Harry Eberlin, Jeffrey Escoffier, Rich Grzesiak, Ed Hermance, Harry Kelly, Dr. Walter Lear, Steve Mirman, Ian Mishkin, Arleen Olshan, William Phillips, Lee Robbins, Bob Stewart.

The Center was legally incorporated as a non-profit organization in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The Center was also granted 501(c)3 tax exempt status by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit educational organization. The application was initially rejected by the IRS, then approved after appeal, one of the first community centers in that era to be approved. Other centers in the U.S. had had their applications denied since, at that time, the IRS was concerned about organizations "advocating homosexuality" and the application stressed planned educational activities such as public lectures and a library of educational materials presenting "different points of view."

Location: 324 Kater Street, Philadelphia

Period in existence: 1976 to 19?? at that location, continuing as Penguin Place and the present William Way Community Center.

Philadelphians who participate/d in this organization:

Gay Coffeehouse

2011-09-02T21:27:44Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Name of Organization: Gay Community Center of Philadelphia

Known in popular gay history as the "Gay Coffeehouse", the original Gay Community Center was founded in 1975, and was the predecessor of Penguin Place and the William Way Community Center in a direct line of succession.

The Center held its grand opening event on Sunday afternoon, August 24, 1975, which was broadcast live on a local alternative radio station operating on the Penn Campus.

A group of 25 members of the community formed a Steering Committee that developed the Center, and raised funds to rent and renovate a two-story brick building at 324 Kater Street that had been a stable for horses of the mounted patrols of the Philadelphia Police,

A ramp to the second floor was replaced with stairs leading to offices for meeting rooms and a library of donated books.

A new concrete floor was poured on the first floor that was devoted primarily to a space for a Coffeehouse, community gatherings, and meetings of several gay and Lesbian organizations in Philadelphia at that time.

The original group who organized the Center included Hank Baron, Bob Hass, Joseph DeMarco, Jeff Dunn, Peter Dunning, Harry Eberlin, Jeffrey Escoffier, Rich Grzesiak, Ed Hermance, Harry Kelly, Dr. Walter Lear, Steve Mirman, Ian Mishkin, Arleen Olshan, William Phillips, Lee Robbins, Bob Stewart.

The Center was legally incorporated as a non-profit organization in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Location: 324 Kater Street, Philadelphia

Period in existence: 1976 to 19?? at that location, continuing as Penguin Place and the present William Way Community Center.

Philadelphians who participate/d in this organization:

Gay Coffeehouse

2011-09-02T21:23:13Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Name of Organization: Gay Community Center of Philadelphia

Known in popular gay history as the "Gay Coffeehouse", the original Gay Community Center was founded in 1975, and was the predecessor of Penguin Place and the William Way Community Center in a direct line of succession.

The Center held its grand opening event on Sunday afternoon, August 24, 1975, which was broadcast live on a local alternative radio station operating on the Penn Campus.

A group of 25 members of the community formed a Steering Committee that developed the Center, and raised funds to rent and renovate a two-story brick building at 324 Kater Street that had been a stable for horses of the mounted patrols of the Philadelphia Police,

A ramp to the second floor was replaced with stairs leading to offices for meeting rooms and a library of donated books.

A new concrete floor was poured on the first floor that was devoted primarily to a space for a Coffeehouse, community gatherings, and meetings of several gay and Lesbian organizations in Philadelphia at that time.

The original group who organized the Center included Hank Baron, Bob Hass, Jeff Dunn, Peter Dunning, Harry Eberlin, Jeffrey Escoffier, Rich Grzesiak, Ed Hermance, Harry Kelly, Steve Mirman, Ian Mishkin, Arleen Olshan, Lee Robbins, Bob Stewart.

The Center was legally incorporated as a non-profit organization in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Location: 324 Kater Street, Philadelphia

Period in existence: 1976 to 19??

Philadelphians who participate/d in this organization:

Stewart, Bob *

2011-09-02T21:18:12Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Bob Stewart''' *

Biography: Lived in Philadelphia from August 1968 to February 1979.

Elected in 1975 as one of the first "co-coordinators" of the Gay Community Center of Philadelphia, along with Arleen Olshan, and a Steering Committee of some 25 persons.

This was at a time in the mid-1970s when gay and Lesbian community centers were being established in many cities. I became involved in organizing the one in Philadelphia after having attended with Peter Dunning and Hank Baron and others

a national conference in Washington, D.C. on gay community center development.

I was responsible for obtaining incorporation as a non-profit organization with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and prepared the application to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for 501(c)3 tax exempt status as a non-profit educational organization. The application was initially rejected by the IRS, then approved after appeal, one of the first community centers in that era to be approved, I believe.

Other centers had had their applications denied since, at that time, the IRS was concerned about organizations "advocating homosexuality" and the application stressed planned educational activities such as public lectures and a library of educational materials presenting "different points of view."

For many months in the mid-1970s, including at Independence Mall on July 4, solicited signers of a petition for a gay rights ordinance to be introduced in City Council.

Worked with Barbara Gittings, a dear friend and neighbor on West Spruce Street, in the compilation of editions 4 and 5 of her "Gay Bibliography" for the American Library Association's Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

Participated for a time with the collective that wrote and edited The Gay Alternative, and compiled a comprehensive index to all previous issues that was printed in the 10th or 12th issue.

Date of Birth: April 20, 1941

Employment: August 1968 - December 1974, employed as Librarian at Van Pelt Library, University of Pennsylvania,

January 1975 - February 1979, first Executive Director of PALINET (Pennsylvania Area Library Network), now Philadelphia Regional office of Lyrasis.

Social/Political Groups attended: Gay Community Center on Kater Street, Gay Activists Alliance, Gay Media Project, The Gay Alternative journal

Bars/Clubs visited: Allegro (original location on Spruce St.), Westbury (original location)

Friends included: Hank Baron, Joe DeMarco, Peter Dunning, Harry Kelly, Dr. Walter Lear, Ian Mishkin, Bill Phillips, Rusel Silkey, Lewis Rathbone.

Gay Coffeehouse

2011-09-02T20:59:48Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Name of Organization: Gay Community Center of Philadelphia

The original Gay Community Center was founded in 1976, and held its grand opening on Saturday, August 24, 1976.

A group of 25 members of the community formed a Steering Committee that developed the Center, and raised funds to rent and renovate a two story building at 324 Kater Street that had been a stable for horses of the mounted patrols of the Philadelphia Police,

Location: 324 Kater Street, Philadelphia

Period in existence: 1976 to 19??

Philadelphians who participate/d in this organization:

Mishkin, Ian

2011-09-02T20:55:47Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Mishkin, Ian'''

'''Biography:''' Ian was a young man with a gentle, sweet spirit, a folksinger at coffee houses in the South Street neighborhood where he lived in a second floor apartment on Leithgow Street above a restaurant (now Marrakech).

He sang Scottish and English ballads from the Childe collection, songs by Leonard Cohen, with an affecting baritone voice. He also loved opera, and was a fan of Renata Tebaldi, especially.

He was one of the original group founding the Kater Street Gay Community Center in 1976.

He later moved to San Francisco in the late 1970s where he continued his folk singing, working in medical care, and achieving his degree to become a psychological counselor who was loved and respected. He did all this on his own as his family, from New Jersey, had rejected him after he came out as gay.

Ian's passion for opera led him to "super" in San Francisco Opera productions from 1985 - 1995.

In late summer 1998 he began suffering from a neurological disorder apparently similar to ALS and became

seriously debilitated by August 2003, according to the last information available about him on the Internet

([[http://spearheadnews.com/_baks/Ian.htm.0004.1046.bak]])

Date of Birth: Approximately 1955

Date of Death: Approximately late 2003

Age at Death: Approximately 48

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attended: Kater Street Community Center

His friends included: (type your name here, or names of others) Bob Stewart (who wrote this biography)

Testimonials to him (add a space before a new testimonial):
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:age 48]]

Mishkin, Ian

2011-09-02T20:55:13Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Mishkin, Ian'''

'''Biography:''' Ian was a young man with a gentle, sweet spirit, a folksinger at coffee houses in the South Street neighborhood where he lived in a second floor apartment on Leithgow Street above a restaurant (now Marrakech).

He sang Scottish and English ballads from the Childe collection, songs by Leonard Cohen, with an affecting baritone voice. He also loved opera, and was a fan of Renata Tebaldi, especially.

He was one of the original group founding the Kater Street Gay Community Center around 1975.

He later moved to San Francisco in the late 1970s where he continued his folk singing, working in medical care, and achieving his degree to become a psychological counselor who was loved and respected. He did all this on his own as his family, from New Jersey, had rejected him after he came out as gay.

Ian's passion for opera led him to "super" in San Francisco Opera productions from 1985 - 1995.

In late summer 1998 he began suffering from a neurological disorder apparently similar to ALS and became

seriously debilitated by August 2003, according to the last information available about him on the Internet

([[http://spearheadnews.com/_baks/Ian.htm.0004.1046.bak]])

Date of Birth: Approximately 1955

Date of Death: Approximately late 2003

Age at Death: Approximately 48

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attended: Kater Street Community Center

His friends included: (type your name here, or names of others) Bob Stewart (who wrote this biography)

Testimonials to him (add a space before a new testimonial):
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:age 48]]

Mishkin, Ian

2011-09-02T20:41:03Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME:'''

'''Biography:''' Ian was a man with a gentle, sweet spirit, a folksinger at coffee houses in the South Street neighborhood where he lived in a second floor apartment on Leithgow Street above a restaurant (now Marrakech).

Picture: (Insert picture if available)

Date of Birth: Approximately 1955

Date of Death (delete if non-applicable): Approximately late 2003

Age at Death (delete if non-applicable):

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended: Kater Street Community Center

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

His friends include: (type your name here, or names of others)

Testimonials to him (add a space before a new testimonial):
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:age 48]]

Giovanni's Room

2011-08-31T21:05:29Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Name of Organization: Giovanni's Room

Location: 345 South 12th St. (corner of 12th & Pine Sts.)

Philadelphia, PA 19107

Period in existence: 1973 to present (3/08)

Philadelphians who participate/d in this organization:

Founders (1973 - 1975):

Tom Wilson Weinberg, Dan Sherbo, and Bern Boyle (deceased)

Second owner (1975 - 1976):fm

Pat Hill

Third owners:

Arleen Olshan (1976 - 1985)

Ed Hermance (1976 - present)

The first three years the store was staffed entirely by volunteers. Volunteers have continued to play a major role in the life of the store, providing 25% to 30% of the labor in 2008. The store's paid staff has included Jim Baker, who went on to found the largest gay and lesbian publishing company in Germany, and Cheryl Dunye, who wrote, directed, and acted in "Watermelon Woman," among other films.

The store started off in 1973 in a very small storefront on South St. with far fewer than a hundred titles. Inspired by Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop in NYC (founded 1968), Giovanni's Room, the second gay bookstore in the U.S., has always been on a major street (not in an alley) and had windows onto the street so passersby could see that the atmosphere was pretty normal even welcoming, something most people in those days did not assume about gay venues.

The first three years the store was staffed entirely by volunteers. In 1976, when Arleen Olshan and Ed Hermance bought it, we moved the store to larger premises on Spruce St., where the Kimmel Center is now. By that time the store had not only Rita Mae Brown’s 1973 novel ''Rubyfruit Jungle// (1973) to sell but also Jonathan Katz’s //Gay American History'' (1976). Lesbian and gay publishing was expanding quickly, fast enough for the store to pay Arleen and Ed to work.

In 1979 a homophobic suburban family bought the Spruce St. building and immediately told us we had to leave. They later rented the space to a palm reader, so they weren’t looking for a higher rent. In those days no landlord of property not far from Spruce St. between 11th and 17th Sts. would rent to us, one saying bluntly that we would attract too many homosexuals to his building, an apartment building with more than 50% homosexual tenants.

We had never considered buying a building because we did not have any money. But our eviction was drawing near, so we located a building on the corner of 12th and Pine Sts., where we still are, and borrowed the down payment from our customers, which we were able to pay back with interest on time. More than a hundred volunteers helped tear out walls, install a skylight, renovate the windows, install wallboard on the walls and ceilings, rebuild the staircase, and build bookcases and the front counter. At the time we opened the new store, business was so good that we hired a staff person, first Barbara Kerr, then later in the year Skip Strickler, who has been here ever since. Ten years later we expanded into an adjoining building, strengthening our claim to be the biggest, the best, and the most beautiful store of our kind in the U.S. (we don’t say the world, because some lgbt bookstores overseas are our customers).

Those homophobic landlords saved the store by forcing us to buy. We would not be able to afford the normal rent for such a large and beautiful space in what is now a nice neighborhood. The store would have folded ten or fifteen years ago if we did not own our buildings.

There’s no better place to see the breadth and depth of lgbt culture. Our staff has, collectively, more than 70 years’ experience with the books, magazines, movies, and music that we carry. Our regular announcements of new books and movies comprise the most up to date and complete listings of materials in our subjects available anywhere on the Internet. Our website (www.queerbooks.com or www.giovannisroom.com), broken into lesbian, gay, transgender, and bisexual sections, organizes by year and subject (fiction, parenting, etc.) almost all the books we’ve received going back about five years, so if you want to see what’s been published in fiction for young lesbians in recent years, you have a convenient source of information and for the books themselves.

The store hosts about 50 author readings a year. Past guests are a who’s who of the lgbt world: Rita Mae Brown, Kate Millett, May Sarton, Leslie Feinberg, Dorothy Allison, Lillian Faderman, Chrystos, Olga Broumas, Cheryl Dunye, Emma Donoghue, Radclyffe, Armistead Maupin, Edmund White, Andrew Hollinghurst, Jeffrey Weeks, George Whitmore, Felice Picano, Quentin Crisp, Greg Louganis, Colm Toibin, George Chauncey, E. Lynn Harris, Joe Beam (who was working in the store while editing "In the Life," the first collection of work by black gay men), Thomas Glave, James Earl Hardy, Jonathan Ned Katz, Fr. John McNeill, Bishop John Spong, Holly Near, and many hundreds more.

The Giovanni’s Room Women’s Book Group meets once a month. The book they are reading now (3/08) is Amber Hollibaugh’s “My Danderous Desires.”

One of our proudest periods was during the early days of the AIDS epidemic. The federal, state, and local governments were unwilling to make any effort at distributing public health information for fear of being accused and convicted of promoting homosexuality. In those days lesbians came forward in huge numbers to support gay men in this awful situation. The community produced, paid for and distributed the only safer sex brochures available anywhere in the country, and still Jesse Helms (R, NC) couldn’t resist waving a copy on the floor of the U.S. Senate and denouncing the people who had produced this “filth” and implying that the Democrats had gotten the federal government to pay for it. If only! Staff from the city VD clinic three blocks from the store, at the risk of losing their jobs, came to the store and stuffed their pockets with the infamous brochures and took them back to the clinic to give to patients whom they thought would benefit from the information.

This year (2008) a retired school teacher in South Jersey asked his friends to give him money to buy books for a bookmobile that he would drive once a week from each school in his area that has a GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) for the students. To date he has bought over $800’s worth of books and is making his rounds. The store helped him select the books and gave him a wholesale discount, to make his money go as far as possible.

Stewart, Bob *

2011-08-31T20:36:41Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Bob Stewart''' *

Biography: Lived in Philadelphia from August 1968 to February 1979.

The first "co-coordinator" of the Kater Street Community Center, along with Arleen Olshan,

and a Steering Committee of some 25 persons, including Harry Kelly, Steve Mirman, Ed Hermance, Lee Robbins,

Bob Hass, Peter Dunning, Hank Baron, Ian Mishkin, and others.

This was around 1975 when gay and Lesbian community centers were being established in many cities. I became involved in organizing the one in Philadelphia after having attended with Peter Dunning and Hank Baron and others

a national conference in Washington, D.C. on gay community center development.

I was responsible for obtaining incorporation as a non-profit organization with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and prepared the application to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for 501(c)3 tax exempt status as a non-profit educational organization. The application was initially rejected by the IRS, then approved after appeal, one of the first community centers in that era to be approved, I believe.

Other centers had had their applications denied since, at that time, the IRS was concerned about organizations "advocating homosexuality" and the application stressed planned educational activities such as public lectures and a library of educational materials presenting "different points of view."

For many months in the mid-1970s, including at Independence Mall on July 4, solicited signers of a petition for a gay rights ordinance to be introduced in City Council.

Worked with Barbara Gittings, a dear friend and neighbor on West Spruce Street, in the compilation of editions 4 and 5 of her "Gay Bibliography" for the American Library Association's Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

Participated for a time with the collective that wrote and edited The Gay Alternative, and compiled a comprehensive index to all previous issues that was printed in the 10th or 12th issue.

Date of Birth: April 20, 1941

Employment: August 1968 - December 1974, employed as Librarian at Van Pelt Library, University of Pennsylvania,

January 1975 - February 1979, first Executive Director of PALINET (Pennsylvania Area Library Network), now Philadelphia Regional office of Lyrasis.

Social/Political Groups attended: Gay Community Center on Kater Street, Gay Activists Alliance, Gay Media Project, The Gay Alternative journal

Bars/Clubs visited: Allegro (original location on Spruce St.), Westbury (original location)

Friends included: Hank Baron, Joe DeMarco, Peter Dunning, Harry Kelly, Dr. Walter Lear, Ian Mishkin, Bill Phillips.

Gay Media Project

2011-08-31T02:01:49Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Name of Organization: Gay Media Project

The Gay Media Project was formed by John Wiles, Bob Schoenberg, and others, including an approximately equal number of women since gender parity was a concern and objective of the group. Bob Stewart was a member and was involved in crafting bylaws for the group.

The Group's mission was to monitor media coverage concerning Lesbians and gay people, to promote accurate, realistic and positive coverage of gay issues and persons in print, radio, and television.

GMP subscribed to a press clipping service to receive all news items related to gays and Lesbians and matters related to homosexuality.

GMP also organized opposition to negative and stereotypical portrayals of gays and Lesbians in television programming, initiating letter writing campaigns to national networks and local affiliates.

In late 1974 there was a spate of negative portrayals of Lesbians and gays that incited much opposition and GMP organized protest campaigns decrying the following:

A September 10, 1974 NBC TV movie entitled "Born Innocent" starring Linda Blair as a 14-yearold runaway who, when held in a center for delinquents is sexually brutalized by a character depicted as Lesbian.

[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071240/|"Born Innocent" TV Movie (1974)]]

An October 8, 1974, episode of ABC's "Marcus Welby, M.D.", starring Robert Young, entitled "The Outrage", about a teenage boy sexually assaulted by his male teacher, which equated homosexuality with pedophilia, and sparked nationwide protests. See [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Outrage_(Marcus_Welby)|Wikipedia article: "The Outrage" (Marcus Welby)]] for an account of the development of the episode, nationwide protests, and critical reaction to this and the other two programs described here.

A November 8, 1974, episode of NBC's "Policewoman" starring Angie Dickinson, entitled "Flowers of Evil" which depicted a trio of homicidal Lesbians.

[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0676421/|Police Woman "Flowers of Evil"]]

GMP also met with representatives of KYW-TV and attended public meetings at KYW-TV studios regarding some aspects of media coverage of gay and Lesbian issues in Philadelphia.

Location(s): Gay Media Project held regularly scheduled meetings in the basement of what was then identified as "The Christian Association" on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.,

Period in existence: 1974 - 19??

Philadelphians who participate/d in this organization: John Wiles, Bob Schoenberg, Bob Stewart, Joe DeMarco, Bill Phillips

Gay Media Project

2011-08-31T01:24:47Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Name of Organization: Gay Media Project

The Gay Media Project was formed by John Wiles, Bob Schoenberg, and others, including an approximately equal number of women since gender parity was a concern and objective of the group. Bob Stewart was a member and was involved in crafting bylaws for the group.

The Group's mission was to monitor media coverage concerning Lesbians and gay people, to promote accurate, realistic and positive coverage of gay issues and persons in print, radio, and television.

GMP subscribed to a press clipping service to receive all news items related to gays and Lesbians and matters related to homosexuality.

GMP also organized opposition to negative and stereotypical portrayals of gays and Lesbians in television programming, initiating letter writing campaigns to national networks and local affiliates.

In late 1974 there was a spate of negative portrayals of Lesbians and gays that incited much opposition and GMP organized protest campaigns decrying the following:

A September 10, 1974 TV movie entitled "Born Innocent" starring Linda Blair as a 14-yearold runaway who, when held in a center for delinquents is sexually brutalized by a character depicted as Lesbian.

[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071240/|"Born Innocent" TV Movie (1974)]]

An October 8, 1974, episode of "Marcus Welby, M.D.", starring Robert Young, entitled "The Outrage", about a teenage boy sexually assaulted by his male teacher, which equated homosexuality with pedophilia, and sparked nationwide protests. See [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Outrage_(Marcus_Welby)|Wikipedia article: "The Outrage" (Marcus Welby)]]

A November 8, 1974, episode of "Policewoman" starring Angie Dickinson, entitled "Flowers of Evil" which depicted a trio of homicidal Lesbians.

[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0676421/|Police Woman "Flowers of Evil"]]

GMP found an ally in John J. O'Connor, who wrote an eloquent article published in The New York Times, December 29, 1974, denouncing this trend in television programming.

GMP also met with representatives of KYW-TV and attended public meetings at KYW-TV studios regarding some aspects of media coverage of gay and Lesbian issues in Philadelphia.

Location(s): Gay Media Project held regularly scheduled meetings in the basement of what was then identified as "The Christian Association" on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.,

Period in existence: 1974 - 19??

Philadelphians who participate/d in this organization: John Wiles, Bob Schoenberg, Bob Stewart, Joe DeMarco, Bill Phillips

Gay Media Project

2011-08-31T01:24:16Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Name of Organization: Gay Media Project

The Gay Media Project was formed by John Wiles, Bob Schoenberg, and others, including an approximately equal number of women since gender parity was a concern and objective of the group. Bob Stewart was a member and was involved in crafting bylaws for the operation of the group.

The Group's mission was to monitor media coverage concerning Lesbians and gay people, to promote accurate, realistic and positive coverage of gay issues and persons in print, radio, and television.

GMP subscribed to a press clipping service to receive all news items related to gays and Lesbians and matters related to homosexuality.

GMP also organized opposition to negative and stereotypical portrayals of gays and Lesbians in television programming, initiating letter writing campaigns to national networks and local affiliates.

In late 1974 there was a spate of negative portrayals of Lesbians and gays that incited much opposition and GMP organized protest campaigns decrying the following:

A September 10, 1974 TV movie entitled "Born Innocent" starring Linda Blair as a 14-yearold runaway who, when held in a center for delinquents is sexually brutalized by a character depicted as Lesbian.

[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071240/|"Born Innocent" TV Movie (1974)]]

An October 8, 1974, episode of "Marcus Welby, M.D.", starring Robert Young, entitled "The Outrage", about a teenage boy sexually assaulted by his male teacher, which equated homosexuality with pedophilia, and sparked nationwide protests. See [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Outrage_(Marcus_Welby)|Wikipedia article: "The Outrage" (Marcus Welby)]]

A November 8, 1974, episode of "Policewoman" starring Angie Dickinson, entitled "Flowers of Evil" which depicted a trio of homicidal Lesbians.

[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0676421/|Police Woman "Flowers of Evil"]]

GMP found an ally in John J. O'Connor, who wrote an eloquent article published in The New York Times, December 29, 1974, denouncing this trend in television programming.

GMP also met with representatives of KYW-TV and attended public meetings at KYW-TV studios regarding some aspects of media coverage of gay and Lesbian issues in Philadelphia.

Location(s): Gay Media Project held regularly scheduled meetings in the basement of what was then identified as "The Christian Association" on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.,

Period in existence: 1974 - 19??

Philadelphians who participate/d in this organization: John Wiles, Bob Schoenberg, Bob Stewart, Joe DeMarco, Bill Phillips

Gay Media Project

2011-08-31T01:23:28Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Name of Organization: Gay Media Project

The Gay Media Project was formed by John Wiles, Bob Schoenberg, and others, including an approximately equal number of women since gender parity was a concern and objective of the group. Bob Stewart was a member and was involved in crafting bylaws for the operation of the group.

The Group's mission was to monitor media coverage concerning Lesbians and gay people, to promote accurate, realistic and positive coverage of gay issues and persons in print, radio, and television.

GMP subscribed to a press clipping service to receive all news items related to gays and Lesbians and matters related to homosexuality.

GMP also organized opposition to negative and stereotypical portrayals of gays and Lesbians in television programming, initiating letter writing campaigns to national networks and local affiliates.

In late 1974 there was a spate of negative portrayals of Lesbians and gays that incited much opposition and GMP organized protest campaigns decrying the following:

A September 10, 1974 TV movie entitled "Born Innocent" starring Linda Blair as a 14-yearold runaway who, when held in a center for delinquents is sexually brutalized by a character depicted as Lesbian.

[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071240/|"Born Innocent" TV Movie (1974)]]

An October 8, 1974, episode of "Marcus Welby, M.D.", starring Robert Young, entitled "The Outrage", about a teenage boy sexually assaulted by his male teacher, which equated homosexuality with pedophilia, and sparked nationwide protests. See [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Outrage_(Marcus_Welby)|Wikipedia article: "The Outrage" (Marcus Welby)]]

A November 8, 1974, episode of "Policewoman" starring Angie Dickinson, entitled "Flowers of Evil" which depicted a trio of homicidal Lesbians.

[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0676421/|Police Woman "Flowers of Evil"]]

GMP found an ally in John J. O'Connor, who wrote an eloquent article published in The New York Times, December 29, 1974, denouncing this trend in television programming.

GMP also met with representatives of KYW-TV and attended public meetings at KYW-TV studios regarding some aspects of media coverage of gay and Lesbian issues in Philadelphia.

Location(s): Gay Media Project held regularly scheduled meetings in the basement of what was then identified as "The Christian Association" on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.,

Period in existence: 1974 - 19??

Philadelphians who participate/d in this organization:

Gay Media Project

2011-08-31T01:22:46Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Name of Organization: Gay Media Project

The Gay Media Project was formed by John Wiles, Bob Schoenberg, and others, including an approximately equal number of women since gender parity was a concern and objective of the group. Bob Stewart was a member and was involved in crafting bylaws for the operation of the group.

The Group's mission was to monitor media coverage concerning Lesbians and gay people, to promote accurate, realistic and positive coverage of gay issues and persons in print, radio, and television.

GMP subscribed to a press clipping service to receive all news items related to gays and Lesbians and matters related to homosexuality.

GMP also organized opposition to negative and stereotypical portrayals of gays and Lesbians in television programming, initiating letter writing campaigns to national networks and local affiliates.

In late 1974 there was a spate of negative portrayals of Lesbians and gays that incited much opposition and GMP organized protest campaigns decrying the following:

A September 10, 1974 TV movie entitled "Born Innocent" starring Linda Blair as a 14-yearold runaway who, when held in a center for delinquents is sexually brutalized by a character depicted as Lesbian.

[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071240/|"Born Innocent" TV Movie (1974)]]

An October 8, 1974, episode of "Marcus Welby, M.D.", starring Robert Young, entitled "The Outrage", about a teenage boy sexually assaulted by his male teacher, which equated homosexuality with pedophilia, and sparked nationwide protests. See [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Outrage_(Marcus_Welby)|Wikipedia article: "The Outrage" (Marcus Welby)]]

A November 8, 1974, episode of "Policewoman" starring Angie Dickinson, entitled "Flowers of Evil" which depicted a trio of homicidal Lesbians.

[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0676421/|Police Woman "Flowers of Evil"]]

GMP found an ally in John J. O'Connor, who wrote an eloquent article published in The New York Times, December 29m, 1974, denouncing this trend in television programming.

GMP also met with representatives of KYW-TV and attended public meetings at KYW-TV studios regarding some aspects of media coverage of gay and Lesbian issues in Philadelphia.

Location(s): Gay Media Project held regularly scheduled meetings in the basement of what was then identified as "The Christian Association" on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.,

Period in existence: 1974 - 19??

Philadelphians who participate/d in this organization:

Gay Media Project

2011-08-31T01:21:42Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Name of Organization: Gay Media Project

The Gay Media Project was formed by John Wiles, Bob Schoenberg, and others, including an approximately equal number of women since gender parity was a concern and objective of the group. Bob Stewart was a member and was involved in crafting bylaws for the operation of the group.

The Group's mission was to monitor media coverage concerning Lesbians and gay people, to promote accurate, realistic and positive coverage of gay issues and persons in print, radio, and television.

GMP subscribed to a press clipping service to receive all news items related to gays and Lesbians and matters related to homosexuality.

GMP also organized opposition to negative and stereotypical portrayals of gays and Lesbians in television programming, initiating letter writing campaigns to national networks and local affiliates.

In late 1974 there was a spate of negative portrayals of Lesbians and gays that incited much opposition and GMP organized protest campaigns decrying the following:

A made for television movie September 10, 1974, entitled "Born Innocent" starring Linda Blair as a 14-yearold runaway who, when held in a center for delinquents is sexually brutalized by a character depicted as Lesbian.

[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071240/|"Born Innocent" TV Movie (1974)]]

An October 8, 1974, episode of "Marcus Welby, M.D.", starring Robert Young, entitled "The Outrage", about a teenage boy sexually assaulted by his male teacher, which equated homosexuality with pedophilia, and sparked nationwide protests. See [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Outrage_(Marcus_Welby)|Wikipedia article: "The Outrage" (Marcus Welby)]]

A November 8, 1974, episode of "Policewoman" starring Angie Dickinson, entitled "Flowers of Evil" which depicted a trio of homicidal Lesbians.

[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0676421/|Police Woman "Flowers of Evil"]]

GMP found an ally in John J. O'Connor, who wrote an eloquent article published in The New York Times, December 29m, 1974, denouncing this trend in television programming.

GMP also met with representatives of KYW-TV and attended public meetings at KYW-TV studios regarding some aspects of media coverage of gay and Lesbian issues in Philadelphia.

Location(s): Gay Media Project held regularly scheduled meetings in the basement of what was then identified as "The Christian Association" on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.,

Period in existence: 1974

Philadelphians who participate/d in this organization:

Gay Media Project

2011-08-31T00:49:40Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Name of Organization: Gay Media Project

The Gay Media Project was formed by John Wiles, Bob Schoenberg, and others, including an approximately equal number of women since gender parity was a concern and objective of the group. Bob Stewart was a member and was involved in crafting bylaws for the operation of the group.

The Group's mission was to monitor media coverage concerning Lesbians and gay people, to promote accurate, realistic and positive coverage of gay issues and persons in print, radio, and television.

GMP subscribed to a press clipping service to receive all news items related to gays and Lesbians and matters related to homosexuality.

GMP also organized opposition to negative and stereotypical portrayals of gays and Lesbians in television programming, initiating letter writing campaigns to national networks and local affiliates.

In late 1974 there was a spate of negative portrayals of Lesbians and gays that incited much opposition and GMP organized protest campaigns decrying the following:

A made for television move September 10, 1974, entitled "Born Innocent" starring Linda Blair as a 14-yearold runaway who, when held in a center for delinquents is sexually brutalized by a character depicted as a Lesbian

A November 8 1974 episode of "Policewoman" starring Angie Dickinson, entitled "Flowers of Evil" which depicted a trio of homicidal Lesbians.

[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0676421/|Police Woman "Flowers of Evil"]]

The other involved an episode of "Marcus Welby, M.D."

GMP also met with representatives of KYW-TV and attended public meetings at KYW-TV studios regarding some aspects of media coverage of gay and Lesbian issues in Philadelphia.

Location(s): Gay Media Project held regularly scheduled meetings in the basement of what was then identified as "The Christian Association" on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.,

Period in existence: 1974

Philadelphians who participate/d in this organization:

Gay Media Project

2011-08-31T00:34:37Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Name of Organization: Gay Media Project

The Gay Media Project was formed by John Wiles, Bob Schoenberg, and others, including an approximately equal number of women since gender parity was a concern and objective of the group.

The Group's mission was to monitor media coverage concerning Lesbians and gay people, to promote accurate, realistic and positive coverage of gay issues and persons in print, radio, and television.

GMP also organized opposition to negative and stereotypical portrayals of gays and Lesbians in television programming, initiating letter writing campaigns to national networks and local affiliates.

Two such campaigns involved a November 8 1974 episode of "Policewoman" starring Angie Dickinson, entitled "Flowers of Evil" which depicted a trio of homicidal Lesbians.

[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0676421/|Police Woman "Flowers of Evil"]]

The other involved an episode of "Marcus Welby, M.D."

Location(s):

Period in existence:

Philadelphians who participate/d in this organization:

Gay Media Project

2011-08-31T00:28:41Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Name of Organization: Gay Media Project

The Gay Media Project was formed by John Wiles, Bob Schoenberg, and others, including an approximately equal number of women since gender parity was a concern and objective of the group.

The Group's mission was to monitor media coverage concerning Lesbians and gay people, to promote accurate, realistic and positive coverage of gay issues and persons in print, radio, and television.

GMP also organized opposition to negative and stereotypical portrayals of gays and Lesbians in television programming, initiating letter writing campaigns to national networks and local affiliates.

Two such campaigns involved an episode of "Policewoman" starring Angie Dickinson, entitled "Flowers of Evil" in which a character played by Linda Blair was brutally sexually attacked by three characters depicted as Lesbians.

[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0676421/|Policewoman "Flowers of Evil"]]

The other involved an episode of "Marcus Welby, M.D."

Location(s):

Period in existence:

Philadelphians who participate/d in this organization:

Gay Media Project

2011-08-31T00:25:42Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Name of Organization: Gay Media Project

The Gay Media Project was formed by John Wiles, Bob Schoenberg, and others, including an approximately equal number of women since gender parity was a concern and objective of the group.

The Group's mission was to monitor media coverage concerning Lesbians and gay people, to promote accurate, realistic and positive coverage of gay issues and persons in print, radio, and television.

GMP also organized opposition to negative and stereotypical portrayals of gays and Lesbians in television programming, initiating letter writing campaigns to national networks and local affiliates.

Two such campaigns involved an episode of "Policewoman" starring Angie Dickinson, entitled "Flowers of Evil" in which a character played by Linda Blair was brutally sexually attacked by a character depicted as a Lesbian.

The other involved an episode of "Marcus Welby, M.D."

Location(s):

Period in existence:

Philadelphians who participate/d in this organization:

Gay Media Project

2011-08-31T00:19:25Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

Stewart, Bob *

2011-08-31T00:16:21Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Bob Stewart''' *

Biography: Lived in Philadelphia from August 1968 to February 1979.

The first "co-coordinator" of the Kater Street Community Center, along with Arleen Olshan,

and a Steering Committee of some 25 persons, including Steve Mirman, Ed Hermance, Lee Robbins,

Bob Hass, Peter Dunning, Hank Baron, Ian Mishkin, and others.

This was around 1975 when gay and Lesbian community centers were being established in many cities. I became involved in organizing the one in Philadelphia after having attended with Peter Dunning and Hank Baron and others

a national conference in Washington, D.C. on gay community center development.

I was responsible for obtaining incorporation as a non-profit organization with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and prepared the application to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for 501(c)3 tax exempt status as a non-profit educational organization. The application was initially rejected by the IRS, then approved after appeal, one of the first community centers in that era to be approved, I believe.

Other centers had had their applications denied since, at that time, the IRS was concerned about organizations "advocating homosexuality" and the application stressed planned educational activities such as public lectures and a library of educational materials presenting "different points of view."

For many months in the mid-1970s, including at Independence Mall on July 4, solicited signers of a petition for a gay rights ordinance to be introduced in City Council.

Worked with Barbara Gittings, a dear friend and neighbor on West Spruce Street, in the compilation of editions 4 and 5 of her "Gay Bibliography" for the American Library Association's Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

Participated for a time with the collective that wrote and edited The Gay Alternative, and compiled a comprehensive index to all previous issues that was printed in the 10th or 12th issue.

Date of Birth: April 20, 1941

Employment: August 1968 - December 1974, employed as Librarian at Van Pelt Library, University of Pennsylvania,

January 1975 - February 1979, first Executive Director of PALINET (Pennsylvania Area Library Network), now Philadelphia Regional office of Lyrasis.

Social/Political Groups attended: Gay Community Center on Kater Street, Gay Activists Alliance, Gay Media Project, The Gay Alternative journal

Bars/Clubs visited: Allegro (original location on Spruce St.), Westbury (original location)

Friends included: Hank Baron, Joe DeMarco, Peter Dunning, Harry Kelly, Dr. Walter Lear, Ian Mishkin, Bill Phillips.

Stewart, Bob *

2011-08-31T00:14:34Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Bob Stewart''' *

Biography: Lived in Philadelphia from August 1968 to February 1979.

The first "co-coordinator" of the Kater Street Community Center, along with Arleen Olshan,

and a Steering Committee of some 25 persons, including Steve Mirman, Ed Hermance, Lee Robbins,

Bob Hass, Peter Dunning, Hank Baron, Ian Mishkin, and others.

This was around 1975 when gay and Lesbian community centers were being established in many cities. I became involved in organizing the one in Philadelphia after having attended with Peter Dunning and Hank Baron and others

a national conference in Washington, D.C. on gay community center development.

I was responsible for obtaining incorporation as a non-profit organization with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and prepared the application to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for 501(c)3 tax exempt status as a non-profit educational organization. The application was initially rejected by the IRS, then approved after appeal, one of the first community centers in that era to be approved, I believe.

Other centers had had their applications denied since, at that time, the IRS was concerned about organizations "advocating homosexuality" and the application stressed planned educational activities such as public lectures and a library of educational materials presenting "different points of view."

For many months in the mid-1970s, including at Independence Mall on July 4, solicited signers of a petition for a gay rights ordinance to be introduced in City Council.

Worked with Barbara Gittings, a dear friend and neighbor on West Spruce Street, in the compilation of editions 4 and 5 of her "Gay Bibliography" for the American Library Association's Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

Participated for a time with the collective that wrote and edited The Gay Alternative, and compiled a comprehensive index to all previous issues that was printed in the 10th or 12th issue.

Date of Birth: April 20, 1941

Employment: August 1968 - December 1974, employed as Librarian at Van Pelt Library, University of Pennsylvania,

January 1975 - February 1979, first Executive Director of PALINET (Pennsylvania Area Library Network), now Philadelphia Regional office of Lyrasis.

Social/Political Groups attended: Gay Community Center on Kater Street, Gay Activists Alliance, Gay Media Project, The Gay Alternative journal

Bars/Clubs visited: Allegro (original location on Spruce St.), Westbury (original location)

Friends included: Hank Baron, Peter Dunning, Harry Kelly, Dr. Walter Lear, Ian Mishkin,

Stewart, Bob *

2011-08-30T23:57:32Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Bob Stewart''' *

Biography: Lived in Philadelphia from August 1968 to February 1979.

The first "co-coordinator" of the Kater Street Community Center, along with Arleen Olshan,

and a Steering Committee of some 25 persons, including Steve Mirman, Ed Hermance, Lee Robbins,

Bob Hass, Peter Dunning, Hank Baron, Ian Mishkin, and others.

This was around 1975 when gay and Lesbian community centers were being organized in many cities. I became involved in organizing the one in Philadelphia after having attended with Peter Dunning and Hank Baron and others

a national conference in Washington, D.C. on gay community center development.

I was responsible for obtaining incorporation as a non-profit organization, and prepared the application to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for 501(c)3 tax exempt status as non-profit educational organization , which was initially rejected by the IRS, then approved after appeal, one of the first community centers in that era to be approved, I believe. Other centers also had their applications denied, at least initially.

At that time, the IRS was concerned about organizations "advocating homosexuality" and the application stressed planned educational activities such as public lectures and a library of educational materials presenting "different points of view."

Date of Birth: April 20, 1941

Employment: August 1968 - December 1974, employed as Librarian at Van Pelt Library, University of Pennsylvania,

January 1975 - February 1979, first Executive Director of PALINET (Pennsylvania Area Library Network), now Philadelphia Regional office of Lyrasis.

Social/Political Groups attended: Gay Community Center on Kater Street, Gay Activists Alliance, Gay Media Project, The Gay Alternative journal

Bars/Clubs visited: Allegro (original location on Spruce St.), Westbury (original location)

His friends include:

Stewart, Bob *

2011-08-30T23:57:03Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Bob Stewart''' *

Biography: Lived in Philadelphia from August 1968 to February 1979.

The first "co-coordinator" of the Kater Street Community Center, along with Arleen Olshan,

and a Steering Committee of some 25 persons, including Steve Mirman, Ed Hermance, Lee Robbins,

Bob Hass, Peter Dunning, Hank Baron, Ian Mishkin, and others.

This was around 1975 when gay and Lesbian community centers were being organized in many cities. I became involved in organizing the one in Philadelphia after having attended with Peter Dunning

a national conference in Washington, D.C. on gay community center development.

I was responsible for obtaining incorporation as a non-profit organization, and prepared the application to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for 501(c)3 tax exempt status as non-profit educational organization , which was initially rejected by the IRS, then approved after appeal, one of the first community centers in that era to be approved, I believe. Other centers also had their applications denied, at least initially.

At that time, the IRS was concerned about organizations "advocating homosexuality" and the application stressed planned educational activities such as public lectures and a library of educational materials presenting "different points of view."

Date of Birth: April 20, 1941

Employment: August 1968 - December 1974, employed as Librarian at Van Pelt Library, University of Pennsylvania,

January 1975 - February 1979, first Executive Director of PALINET (Pennsylvania Area Library Network), now Philadelphia Regional office of Lyrasis.

Social/Political Groups attended: Gay Community Center on Kater Street, Gay Activists Alliance, Gay Media Project, The Gay Alternative journal

Bars/Clubs visited: Allegro (original location on Spruce St.), Westbury (original location)

His friends include:

Stewart, Bob *

2011-08-30T23:56:46Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Bob Stewart''' *

Biography: Lived in Philadelphia from August 1968 to February 1979.

The first "co-coordinator" of the Kater Street Community Center, along with Arleen Olshan,

and a Steering Committee of some 25 persons, including Steve Mirman, Ed Hermance, Lee Robbins,

Bob Hass, Peter Dunning, Hank Baron, Ian Mishkin, and others.

This was around 1975 when gay and Lesbian community centers were being organized in many cities. I became involved in organizing the one in Philadelphia after having attended with Peter Dunning

a national conference in Washington, D.C. on gay community center development.

I was responsible for obtaining incorporation as a non-profit organization, and prepared the application to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for

501(c)3 tax exempt status as non-profit educational organization , which was initially rejected by the IRS, then approved after appeal, one of the first community centers in that era to be approved, I believe. Other centers also had their applications denied, at least initially.

At that time, the IRS was concerned about organizations "advocating homosexuality" and the application stressed planned educational activities such as public lectures and a library of educational materials presenting "different points of view."

Date of Birth: April 20, 1941

Employment: August 1968 - December 1974, employed as Librarian at Van Pelt Library, University of Pennsylvania,

January 1975 - February 1979, first Executive Director of PALINET (Pennsylvania Area Library Network), now Philadelphia Regional office of Lyrasis.

Social/Political Groups attended: Gay Community Center on Kater Street, Gay Activists Alliance, Gay Media Project, The Gay Alternative journal

Bars/Clubs visited: Allegro (original location on Spruce St.), Westbury (original location)

His friends include:

Stewart, Bob *

2011-08-30T23:45:28Z

BobStewart: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Bob Stewart''' *

Biography: Lived in Philadelphia from August 1968 to February 1979.

Date of Birth: April 20, 1941

Employment: August 1968 - December 1974, employed as Librarian at Van Pelt Library, University of Pennsylvania,

January 1975 - February 1979, first Executive Director of PALINET (Pennsylvania Area Library Network), now Philadelphia Regional office of Lyrasis.

Social/Political Groups attended: Gay Community Center on Kater Street, Gay Activists Alliance, Gay Media Project, The Gay Alternative journal

Bars/Clubs visited: Allegro (original location on Spruce St.), Westbury (original location)

His friends include: