Gay History - User contributions [en]

Whyte, John*

2011-09-05T13:11:17Z

HTKjr: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: John Whyte'''*

'''Biography:'''

Picture: (Insert picture if available)

Date of Birth:

Date of Death (delete if non-applicable):

Age at Death (delete if non-applicable):

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended:

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

His friends include: (type your name here, or names of others)Michael Seltzer, Harry Kelly.

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

Gay Coffeehouse

2011-09-05T13:09:03Z

HTKjr: 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, Rusel Silkey.

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:

Lear, Walter, Dr.

2011-09-04T21:11:27Z

HTKjr: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Walter Lear'''

'''Biography:'''

Born in 1923, Lear received his Bachelor of Science degree from Harvard College in 1943 and his M.D. from the Long Island College of Medicine in 1946. In 1948, he received his M.S. in Hospital Administration from the Columbia University School of Public Health. In 1975, while serving as Pennsylvania's Southeast Regional Commissioner for Health Services, Lear came out publicly as a gay man. That year, he became involved in campaigns to promote a proposed Philadelphia law banning discrimination against people because of their sexual orientation. He remained active in that fight until City Council's passage of the Gay Rights Bill in 1982. He has co-founded, co-chaired, served on the Board of Directors or played another key leadership role in dozens of national and local lesbian and gay, medical, peace/anti-war and socialist-left organizations. Lear also has actively supported progressive political issues from official positions within government agencies and commissions.

Walter J. Lear, MD, was recognized today with the Helen Rodriguez-Trias Award for Social Justice at the 134th American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting and Exposition.

Lear is director of the U.S. Health Left History Center at the Institute of Social Medicine and Community Health in Philadelphia. He also is an honorary curator for the U.S. Health Activism History Collection at the University of Pennsylvania Rare Book and Manuscript Library and honorary chair of the Institute of Social Medicine and Community Health Board of Trustees.

Lear has been a health activist for more than 55 years and a founder and leader of politically progressive health organizations such as the Medical Committee for Human Rights.

“He has inspired generations of health activists working for peace and justice,” wrote JoAnne Fischer in a letter nominating Lear for the award. She said Lear’s influence led her to become a feminist health activist and executive director of the Maternity Care Coalition, a group Lear helped found.

Lear has been active in APHA for more than 40 years and was a founding member of both the APHA’s Medical Care Section and the Caucus of Gay and Lesbian Health Workers. The focus of his historical research is health activism in the United States since the 1870s. One of Lear’s current priorities is to document the history of 100 years of efforts to obtain national health insurance in the United States.

Among the causes Lear has spoken out for include minority health issues, social justice and health issues facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, organizing numerous meetings and authoring countless reports and articles.

In 1956 he arranged a reception at the APHA Annual Meeting to honor Deborah Coggins, a young, white health officer from Madison County, Fla., who was fired by county commissioners for having a lunch meeting at a local restaurant with two black nurses from the State Board of Health. He headed the Committee on Income, Housing and Social Environment of the Philadelphia Mayor’s Commission on Health in the Eighties and wrote the committee report “The Effects of Social Environment on Health.”

Picture: (Insert picture if available)

Date of Birth: 5/4/1923

Date of Death (delete if non-applicable): 5/29/2010

Age at Death (delete if non-applicable): 87

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended:

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

His friends include: (type your name here, or names of others) Rusel Silkey, Bob Stewart, Barbara Gittings, Harry Kelly.

Testimonials to him (add a space before a new testimonial):
[[Category:community center]]
[[Category:penguin place]]
[[Category:radical faeries]]
[[Category:age 87]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]

Stewart, Bob *

2011-09-02T21:41:22Z

HTKjr: 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, John Wiles.

Mishkin, Ian

2011-09-02T21:07:26Z

HTKjr: 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: 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]]

Mishkin, Ian

2011-09-02T20:58:58Z

HTKjr: 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), Harry Kelly.

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

Stewart, Bob *

2011-08-31T21:18:09Z

HTKjr: 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, Rusel Silkey, Lewis Rathbone.

Gay Activists Alliance

2011-08-30T15:49:14Z

HTKjr: Imported from Wikispaces

Name of Organization: Gay Activists Alliance

Location(s):

Period in existence:

Philadelphians who participate/d in this organization:Tommi Avicolli Mecca, Harry Langhorne, Rusel Silkey, Harry Kelly, Mark Segal, Tom Wilson Weinberg.

Kohn, Barry

2011-08-29T13:57:00Z

HTKjr: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Barry Kohn'''

'''Biography:'''

'''Barry and Alice: Portrait of a Bisexual Marriage'''.

Barry Kohn & Alice Matusow [1980. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:Prentice-Hall/Simon & Schuster. ISBN:0130561509 0130561509]

Barry and Alice called themselves a "bisexual couple," though in reality Kohn was a gay man and Matusow a political lesbian. The couple divorced soon after the publication of this book. Barry went on to lead an openly gay life and died of AIDS-related complications a few years ago.

Picture: (Insert picture if available)

Date of Birth: 1/31/1943

Date of Death (delete if non-applicable): 6/1987

Age at Death (delete if non-applicable): 44

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended:

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

His friends include: (type your name here, or names of others) Harry Kelly, Mark Segal, Tommi Avicolli Mecca, Harry Langhorne.

Testimonials to him (add a space before a new testimonial):
[[Category:age 44]]
[[Category:1987 deaths]]
[[Category:Community Legal Services]]

Silkey, Rusel

2011-08-28T16:08:37Z

HTKjr: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Rusel Silkey'''

'''Biography:'''

Picture: (Insert picture if available)

[[File:silkeyrj.jpg]]

Date of Birth: May 11, 1945

Date of Death: June 15, 1992

Age at Death: 47

1. The Rusel Silkey Prize in the Humanities and Social Sciences at Widener University is awarded to an outstanding student majoring in the humanities

or social sciences who contributed to our understanding of

minority or women’s issues.

2. The Weekly Gayzette was founded and edited by singer/songwriter Tom Wilson Weinberg. The Gayzette staff included Dan Martin, Joe DeMarco (editor of New Gay Life), '''Rusel Silkey''', Harry Langhorne, and Tommi Avicolli Mecca. (from Gay and Lesbian Philadelphia, by Thom Nickels).

Employment: Rare Books Department, Free Library of Philadelphia

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended: Many gay and civil rights groups

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

His friends include: (type your name here, or names of others)Michael Seltzer, Harry T. Kelly, Jr., Lewis Rathbone, Harry Langhorne, Simeon Meadows White.

Testimonials to him (add a space before a new testimonial):
[[Category:1992 deaths]]
[[Category:age 47]]
[[Category:free library]]

White, Simeon Meadows

2011-08-28T16:06:40Z

HTKjr: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Simeon Meadows White'''

'''Biography:'''

[[http://www.realitycheckonline.org/?p=197|One of her sons, my uncle Simeon Meadows White would, in his teenage years, become the leading organizer of the Civil Rights Movement in Kinston, North Carolina. He always said he was just “enraged at the injustice of it all” and that he “felt the urgent need to act.” As he engaged in his organizing, a popular local radio show host would rail on his show about my uncle’s efforts, spewing filth about a “local communist nigra boy” stirring up trouble. The talk show host would go on to be the five-term United States Senator from North Carolina, Jesse Helms. My grandmother would allow the mostly teenaged organizers to meet in her home. While many in her generation were intimidated, she said she was tired of waiting for a change – something needed to be done. The teenagers would protest the laws of segregation at local stores, protest the pool that would not allow my father, the all-state swimmer, to enter, protest the movie theater that relegated the Black patrons to the balcony seats. My grandmother’s brothers, my great-uncles, would refuse to go downtown to the protests, because as they said, “If I see someone dragging one of my nephews or nieces down the street, I’m gonna see red, and I’m gonna shoot somebody.” My grandmother walked the line though, maintaining nonviolence in keeping with the mode of the Movement. But one day, when a teenage boy ran up on the line, and cleared his throat and drew up some phlegm to spit on her as she protested the Jim Crow laws, she stepped back and met his eyes: “Careful sucka, we ain’t all nonviolent.” He walked away.]]

Picture: (Insert picture if available)

Date of Birth: 6/30/1944

Date of Death (delete if non-applicable): 3/11/1994

Age at Death (delete if non-applicable): 49

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended:

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

His friends include: (type your name here, or names of others) Walter Lear, Michael Seltzer, Harry Kelly, Rusel Silkey, Lewis Rathbone, Tommi Avicolli-Mecca, Harry Langhorne.

Testimonials to him (add a space before a new testimonial):
[[Category:age 49]]
[[Category:1994 deaths]]

Langhorne, Harry

2011-08-28T16:02:40Z

HTKjr: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Harry Langhorne'''

'''Biography:'''

From the Philadelphia City Paper, 5/2001:

On a more somber note, Mark Segal is suffering the loss of his longtime friend '''Harry Langhorne''', who died of complications of liver failure last Saturday in Virginia. He was 53. Langhorne lived in Philadelphia and had worked for the city’s Criminal Justice Unit, an arm of the Managing Director’s Office, since 1987. He was also the former president of the Gay Activist Alliance of Philadelphia and a member of the Gay Raiders.

Harry's papers are at Cornell University: [[http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/EAD/htmldocs/RMM07304.html|Contents are at this link.]]

Picture: (Insert picture if available)

Date of Birth:

Date of Death (delete if non-applicable): 5/26/2001

Age at Death (delete if non-applicable): 53

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended:

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

His friends include: (type your name here, or names of others) Harry Kelly, Rusel Silkey

Testimonials to him (add a space before a new testimonial):
[[Category:2001 deaths]]
[[Category:age 53]]
[[Category:gay activist alliance]]
[[Category:gay raiders]]

Langhorne, Harry

2011-08-28T16:01:44Z

HTKjr: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Harry Langhorne'''

'''Biography:'''

From the Philadelphia City Paper, 5/2001:

On a more somber note, Mark Segal is suffering the loss of his longtime friend '''Harry Langhorne''', who died of complications of liver failure last Saturday in Virginia. He was 53. Langhorne lived in Philadelphia and had worked for the city’s Criminal Justice Unit, an arm of the Managing Director’s Office, since 1987. He was also the former president of the Gay Activist Alliance of Philadelphia and a member of the Gay Raiders.

Harry's papers are at Cornell University: [[http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/EAD/htmldocs/RMM07304.html|Contents are at this link.]]

Picture: (Insert picture if available)

Date of Birth:

Date of Death (delete if non-applicable): 5/26/2001

Age at Death (delete if non-applicable): 53

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended:

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

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

Testimonials to him (add a space before a new testimonial):
[[Category:2001 deaths]]
[[Category:age 53]]
[[Category:gay activist alliance]]
[[Category:gay raiders]]

White, Simeon Meadows

2010-05-16T12:41:53Z

HTKjr: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Simeon Meadows White

Biography:'''

[[http://www.realitycheckonline.org/?p=197|One of her sons, my uncle Simeon Meadows White would, in his teenage years, become the leading organizer of the Civil Rights Movement in Kinston, North Carolina. He always said he was just “enraged at the injustice of it all” and that he “felt the urgent need to act.” As he engaged in his organizing, a popular local radio show host would rail on his show about my uncle’s efforts, spewing filth about a “local communist nigra boy” stirring up trouble. The talk show host would go on to be the five-term United States Senator from North Carolina, Jesse Helms. My grandmother would allow the mostly teenaged organizers to meet in her home. While many in her generation were intimidated, she said she was tired of waiting for a change – something needed to be done. The teenagers would protest the laws of segregation at local stores, protest the pool that would not allow my father, the all-state swimmer, to enter, protest the movie theater that relegated the Black patrons to the balcony seats. My grandmother’s brothers, my great-uncles, would refuse to go downtown to the protests, because as they said, “If I see someone dragging one of my nephews or nieces down the street, I’m gonna see red, and I’m gonna shoot somebody.” My grandmother walked the line though, maintaining nonviolence in keeping with the mode of the Movement. But one day, when a teenage boy ran up on the line, and cleared his throat and drew up some phlegm to spit on her as she protested the Jim Crow laws, she stepped back and met his eyes: “Careful sucka, we ain’t all nonviolent.” He walked away.]]

Picture: (Insert picture if available)

Date of Birth: 6/30/1944

Date of Death (delete if non-applicable): 3/11/1994

Age at Death (delete if non-applicable): 49

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended:

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

His friends include: (type your name here, or names of others) Walter Lear, Michael Seltzer, Harry Kelly, Rusel Silkey, Lewis Rathbone, Tommi Avicolli-Mecca

Testimonials to him (add a space before a new testimonial):
[[Category:age 49]]
[[Category:1994 deaths]]

Wilson Weinberg, Tom*

2010-05-16T12:37:53Z

HTKjr: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Tom Wilson Weinberg

Biography:'''

Picture: (Insert picture if available)

Date of Birth:

Date of Death (delete if non-applicable):

Age at Death (delete if non-applicable):

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended:

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

His friends include: (type your name here, or names of others)Michael Seltzer, Rusel Silkey, Harry Kelly

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

Kelly, Harry*

2010-05-15T22:01:35Z

HTKjr: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Harry Kelly*

Biography:'''

Picture: (Insert picture if available)

Date of Birth: September 22, 1943

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended:

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

His friends include: (type your name here, or names of others)Michael Seltzer, Rusel Silkey, Lewis Rathbone, Michael Goldberger, Michael Weltman

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

Cohen, Bill

2010-05-15T21:44:49Z

HTKjr: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Bill Cohen

Biography:'''

Picture: (Insert picture if available)

Date of Birth:

Date of Death (delete if non-applicable):

Age at Death (delete if non-applicable):

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended:

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

His friends include: Harry Kelly, Rusel Silkey

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

Goldberger, Michael

2010-05-15T21:36:34Z

HTKjr: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Michael Goldberger

Biography:'''

Picture: (Insert picture if available)

Date of Birth:

Date of Death (delete if non-applicable): January 15, 1992

Age at Death (delete if non-applicable):

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended:

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

His friends include: (type your name here, or names of others) Tom Wilson Weinberg, John Whyte, Michael Seltzer, Harry Kelly

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

Kelly, Harry*

2010-05-15T21:32:37Z

HTKjr: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Harry Kelly

Biography:'''

Picture: (Insert picture if available)

Date of Birth: September 22, 1943

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended:

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

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

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

Weltman, Michael

2010-05-12T20:11:37Z

HTKjr: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Michael Weltmann

The first openly gay man to speak before the United Nations. His work in foster care--he started the first public adoption process in the United States for placing gay youth with gay couples-- led to this honor.

Biography:''' From Community Center history:

Michael moved from Philadelphia to New York city in order to become a nurse. He subsequently worked as a nurse in a New York hospital, the same one in which he later died.

Member of Policy Council. April 1975 PC Membership List)

Elected Co-coordinator April 1975 w/ Steve Mirman

Signs GCCP letter as Co-coordinator with Steve Mirman. (Letter 10/10/75)

Resigns from Policy Council. (Letter from Policy Council Scribe Bob Hass

acknowledging resignation, 197?)

Picture: (Insert picture if available)

Date of Birth: 2/28/1949

Date of Death (delete if non-applicable): 1/27/1992

Age at Death (delete if non-applicable): 42

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended:

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

His friends include: (type your name here, or names of others)Michael Seltzer. Langston Earley. Hugh Rosen. Harry Kelly.

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

=[[http://www.gaycenter.org/community/archive/collection/021|21. MICHAEL WELTMANN PAPERS]]=

'''Archive Number:''' 21'''Date:''' 1968 to 1992'''Size:''' 41 inches

[[File:http://www.gaycenter.org/files/imce/images/archive/archive_c021.jpg|x207px|Archive Photo]]Michael Weltmann Papers

1968 to 1992

'''Provenance'''

Weltmann's father, who had power of attorney at his death, agreed to allow Weltmann's friend and care-giver Rina Malonzo to dispose of his belongings. She decided to make the donation of his paperwork and photographs to the Archive. His family supported the donation, which was confirmed via a phone call between Rina Malonzo and Nicholas Weltmann on April 29, 1993. The processing of the collection was completed in the summer of 1994.

'''Use Restrictions

No personal names or identifying information about any person may be published unless (1)researcher obtains his/her permission (2)he/she is publicly known as gay/lesbian or (3)he/she is deceased. No nude photos or photos of a sexual nature may be copied or published before the year 2050.'''

'''Scope and Content'''

The collection was received by the Archive in five boxes. Each box was assigned a number and the processing of the collection proceeded in that order, albeit arbitrary. Those packets of letters that still had title tabs were appropriately titled when placed in folders. The photographs were not always in accordance with labeling on their albums, the reason for which is unclear.

A large part of the correspondence and photos came from men who were met through advertisements, though Weltmann also had many friends and acquaintances internationally. One truism can be stated: it should not be assumed that a great quantity of material from a particular person signifies quality of either the relationship or the material. Of interest to researchers will be four main things. (1)A fair amount of information about HIV and AIDS is disclosed via the personal testimonies of Weltmann's correspondents. (2)One view of gay male sexual life in the late 1980's can be inferred by viewing the photographs and reading through the bulk of his correspondence. (3)Information about ILGA on a social, interpretive, or possibly gossip-y level can be found scattered throughout the letters and the photos. (4)If one seeks information about Weltmann himself, much can be found through the development of his relationship with Kathy Donohue (notably folders 11, 82 & 89), as well as in a broad scale assessment of the type of letters sent to him.

'''History or Bio'''

Michael Weltmann was born on February 28, 1949, in Trenton, New Jersey, to Louis Nicholas and Jennie Weltmann. He was the eldest of three boys. In 1970 Weltmann earned his BS in Language Arts from Trenton State College(TSC). The years spent at TSC gave birth to his activist career, as he was elected president of the Student Union and also became heavily involved with the Vietnam protests. Weltmann also met Kate Donohue at TSC, and they were married in June of 1970. In 1971 Weltmann and Donohue moved to the Philadelphia area. Weltmann began his twelve year career as a social worker at the Eromin Center, holding positions such as Adolescent Service Director and serving on the Board of Directors. From 1972-75 he advocated for gay children and foster parents, and began a program for them in the Division of Youth and Family Services. From 1973-74 he was involved with the Association of Lesbian and Gay Social Workers. In 1975, Weltmann came out as a gay man, and he and Donohue were divorced.

Weltmann returned to TSC to study nursing in 1984, and graduated in 1987. In August 1987, he moved to New York City and became an RN at New York University Medical Center. He eventually became Assistant Head Nurse, where he remained until 1992. Weltmann's major work began when he became involved with the International Gay Association (later known as the International Lesbian and Gay Association [ILGA]) in 1978. Through his involvement with ILGA he addressed issues ranging from health to international human rights. As co-chair and founder of the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center ILGA Committee in New York City, Weltmann obtained Department of Public Information status for ILGA within the United Nations. He also brought the first openly gay delegation to the U.N. on World AIDS Day of 1991. Shortly after this, on January 27, 1992, Weltmann passed away as a result of AIDS complications.

'''Folder List'''

1. [Memorial booklet for Jean Claude Letist.]

2. [A theater poster; an anti-discrimination poster; wrapping paper.]

3. [Detailed notes taken from Miss Universe pageants 1970-1991. 1".]

4. CANADA.[Letters: 1988-1991 Photos included.]

5. BELGIUM.[Letters: 1985- 1991 Includes ILGA 1990 material.]

6. ITALY.[Letters: 1989-1990; Christmas cards.]

7. SWEDEN.[Letters & notecards: 1981-1991; ILGA news included; letters from D. Murphy 1987-89, from PA, VT, & Sweden were tied separately within this bunch. 3/4"]

8. [Chicago letters. All from Larry of The Nude Exchange 1988-1991.]

9. FRANCE.[Letters & notecards: 1977; 1983-1991. Those from Dr. Michel Andre mostly in French; a few pictures included.]

10. HOLLAND.[Letters & notecards: 1983-1991. Included is much discussion of AIDS, particularly in the letters of Maria Pronk; ILGA news; photos; an obituary for Jehuda Sofer. 3/4"]

11. JAPAN.[Letters & cards: 1969-1975; containing extensive information about Weltmann and his wife Kathy Donohue.]

12. ENGLAND & SCOTLAND.[Letters & notecards: 1985-1990; Include information on Letist, AIDS, British gay life, extensive ILGA information, and a mention of the Gay Archives and the Jewish Gay & Lesbian World Conference. 1/2"]

13. [Letters from Binghampton, NY 1989-1991.]

14. NORWAY.[Card and Letter.]

15. [Letters: Harry B. Hungerford of Memphis, TN, and Joe Bishop, the caretaker of the Carrollville, Mississippi House & Gardens, 1988-91. Included are photos; birthday and Christmas cards; extensive mention of nudist groups and leather groups, for example: The Nude Exchange, Naturists Across the Blue Ridge States, Arkansas Bare Society, Gay Atlanta Naturist Group, and more, and of "Chiron Rising" magazine.]

16. [Letters from Decatur, Georgia 1984-1989. Including pictures and references to Donohue.]

17. [Notecards 1986-87.]

18. [Notecards: 1987-90, mailed from NJ, OH, and TX, respectively.]

19. XMAS 1987.[Notecards. 1"].

20. BIRTHDAY 1987.[Notecards].

21. NEW ZEALAND.[Letters and photo 1988.]

22. PENNSYLVANIA.[Notes from Philadelphia 1986-90.]

23. [Groups of letters & notecards in this folder were individually tied. Those dated span the years 1984-1990. All from various locations in New Jersey. 1/2"]

24. SID'S NOTES.[Notes and cards from lover and care-giver Sidney Zweibel.]

25. [Letters from Indianapolis, IN 1989-90. An ILGA notice included.]

26. KENTUCKY.[Letters from Louisville, KY 1990.]

27. [Letters from Wytheville, VA 1990-91. Contain information about Weltmann's AIDS symptoms.]

28. FINLAND.[1983-90. Letters containing information on international gay organizations included.]

29. SPAIN.[Letters 198890; several pictures enclosed.]

30. [Letters from Holladay, Utah 1988-91. Information includes Weltmann's relationship with Zweibel; the European gay scene; and endless letters detailing sexual fantasies, particularly of a father-son nature. 3/4"]

31. [Letters & notecards from Germany 1981-91. Topics include AIDS, AZT, Weltmann's relationships, gay cinema, and German gay political issues. 3/4"]

32. DENMARK.[Postcards: 1983-89.]

33. [Unbound Christmas notecards, apparently 1988.]

34. XMAS 1989.[Notecards.]

35. [Notecards from Brooklyn, NY 1989.]

36. [Letters from New York 1984-87.]

37. [Letters from Carteret, NJ 1987.]

38. FAMILY.[Notecards, invitations, a poem, and notes from his mother and father regarding his homosexuality.]

39. [Groups of letters and notecards, some from New Jersey locations, from mid 1980's to 1990.]

40. 1974-1983 PHILA YEARS JOHN & MICHAEL & LARRY & JEROME [Two folders of letters, originally tied together in small groups within the larger pack. Actual years spanned 1969-1987. Of particular interest are: a memorial program and obituary for Joseph Beam 1989; photographs; letters about Provincetown; references to Donohue; a press release for Giovanni's Room; postcards from Weltmann to his lover/roommate John Edgar; and a very early mention of Letist. 1" each.]

41. 1974-1983 PHILA YEARS JOHN & MICHAEL & LARRY & JEROME [Two folders of letters, originally tied together in small groups within the larger pack. Actual years spanned 1969-1987. Of particular interest are: a memorial program and obituary for Joseph Beam 1989; photographs; letters about Provincetown; references to Donohue; a press release for Giovanni's Room; postcards from Weltmann to his lover/roommate John Edgar; and a very early mention of Letist. 1" each.]

Box 2

42. [Miscellaneous found floating throughout collection. 1 3/4"]

43. [Letters from Plymouth, IN 1989. Photos included.]

44. [Letters from Salem, NH 1988.]

45. [Letters from Missoula, MT 1989.]

46. [Letters from Bask, Switzerland 1989. Photos included.]

47. [Letters from Silver Lake, NH 1989-90. Included are Polaroid photos, sexual fantasies, and letters decorated with their author's artwork.]

48. [Letters from St. Charles, Missouri 1989-90. Photos included.]

49. [Letters from Washington DC 1989-1990.]

50. [Letters & notecards from men met through ads 1987-1989.]

51. [Letters from Philadelphia, PA 1989-90. Included are poems, and commentary on the Florida gay scene.]

52. [Miscellaneous found floating throughout collection.]

53. [Letters from Seattle, WA 1988-91. Included are a draft of a story for Foreskin Quarterly; a memoriam for Frank Boyen; photos.]

54. [Letters from various men, United States, 1987-91.]

55. [Party invitations from Brookfield, CT 1989-90.]

56. [Letters from men from the United States 1987-91.]

57. [Letters from men met through ads 1985-89. New Jersey, Pennsylvania, & Minnesota. Photos enclosed.]

58. [Unbound letters and notecards from United States, including NJ, NE, IA, CA. 1976-77, 1980, & 1988-90.]

59. [Letters from Coatesville, PA 1988-89.]

60. [Letters from Drums, PA 1989-90.]

61. [Letters from Bradenton, FL and La Crosse, WI, 1989-1991.]

62. [Letters from Cambridge, MA 1989-90.]

63. [Gay Atlanta Naturist Group material.]

64. [Letters 1990 from Germany, Holland, & Sweden. Photos enclosed.]

65. SWEDISH DIARY 1981.[Weltmann's notes from trip to IGA Conference.]

66. 40TH BIRTHDAY 1989.[Notecards.]

67. AUSTRIA.[Letters & notecards, 1986, 87, 89, 91.]

68. OHIO.[Letters from a friend from The Nude Exchange 1988.]

69. [Notecards from Niko Sotakos, 1986-91.]

70. MARYLAND.[Letters, photos, drawings. 1988-89.]

71. [Letters & notecards from Linda Suydam, 1968-90.]

72. [Letters, notecards, & photos from Jean Claude Letist, 1982-89. Much material related to AIDS.]

73. [Notecards from Pennsauken, NJ, 1979-93. Photos enclosed.]

74. [Notecards 1986 & 88. Included is an old envelope marked, "To Mommy Michael".]

75. GERMANY.[Letters & notecards from various people, 1984-91. Photos & sticker enclosed. Includes early IGA social information.]

76. [Letters, poetry, & photos from Ridgewood, NY, 1979-87. Significant information touches on the US Army and MCC/NY. 1" each.]

77. [Letters, poetry, & photos from Ridgewood, NY, 1979-87. Significant information touches on the US Army and MCC/NY. 1" each.]

78. [Letters, poetry, & photos from Ridgewood, NY, 1979-87. Significant information touches on the US Army and MCC/NY. 1" each.]

Box 3

79. SIGMA THETA TAU-DELTA NU.[National Honor Society of Nursing. Member information.]

80. [Scrapbook of childhood/teenage performance programs, photos, newsclippings, notes.]

81. [Miscellaneous found floating throughout collection.]

82. [Letters from Donohue 1968-70, 1986-91. Wedding invitations and photos included. 1 1/4".]

83. [Letters from Arleen Olshan of Philadelphia 1985-90.]

84. [Letters from Ed Hermance of Philadelphia 1985-91. See for personal reference to Audre Lorde.]

85. [Notecards from Philadelphia 1987-91. Photo included.]

86. [Letters, notecards, and newsclippings from Philadelphia area.]

87. [Letters & notecards from Joan DeForest of Pennsylvania 1985, 86, & 88.]

88. [Notecards from Bill Keeling of Newtown, PA 1989-90.]

89. [All correspondence from 8/91 until death. Includes fliers; get well cards; Berlin ILGA minutes; information on RFSL and ILGA; letters from Donohue. Of interest is a July 1991 letter from Weltmann to Glen Kidder in which Weltmann writes about his illness. 1/2".]

90. THE INVISIBLE MINORITY.[Columns written by Weltmann at Trenton State University 1984-85 in "The Signal". Also included are rough drafts of these works and editorials in response to them.]

91. [Puzzle photo of Weltmann and Donohue on their wedding day.]

92. [Business cards; an origami item with note inside.]

93. [Miscellaneous found floating throughout collection.]

94. [Photos from album. Shots of vacation sites; people; NYC; more. 1/2".]

95. [Photos from loose photo sheets. Shots in Brooklyn; San Francisco; Stockholm ILGA 1990; enlargements of Letist; various people. 1/2".]

96. [Photos from album. Sexually explicit shots of Weltmann as well as others sent to him; a nudist camp; Mardi Gras. 3/4".]

97. [Photos from album. Nudes of young Weltmann and Donohue.]

98. [Photos from album. Sexually explicit shots of Weltmann with friends as well as others sent to him. 1".]

99. [Photos from album. Older shots of friends and family; European touristy shots.]

100. FRIENDS NYC.[Photos from album. Shots of Fire Island; Europe; NYC; various friends.]

101. [Photos from scrapbook. Older photos of Weltmann's family.]

102. 1989 EUROPEAN TRIP VIENNA.[Photos from album. Shots of friends in Europe. 1/2".]

103. [Album put together posthumously for a memorial service. Includes photos and clippings from all phases of Weltmann's life. 3/4".]

104. XMAS-1986 GERMANY/SPAIN/AMSTERDAM, BRUSSELS, KOLN-1986 EASTER/NEW HOPE/1987-GERMANY, HOLLAND, BERLIN. [Photos from album. Shots of friends, some in NYC. Unclear that all places listed in title were contained in the photos. 1/2".]

105. [Miscellaneous photos found throughout the collection. Some sexually explicit. 1".]

106. [Drawing of Letist. Removed from frame.]

<span style="color: #58574b; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal;">Two Trenton State University Diplomas; a framed 5x7 photograph of Weltmann; a framed hand-made birthday card; an album of sexually explicit photographs.</span>
[[Category:community center]]
[[Category:age 42]]
[[Category:1992 deaths]]

Clark, Keith

2010-05-05T22:34:22Z

HTKjr: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Keith Clark

Biography:'''

Picture: (Insert picture if available)

Date of Birth:

Date of Death (delete if non-applicable):

Age at Death (delete if non-applicable):

Employment:

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended: Eromin Center, Philadelphia Gay Activiist Alliance

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

His friends include: Harry Kelly, Rusel Silkey

Testimonials to him (add a space before a new testimonial):
[[Category:eromin center]]
[[Category:GAA]]

Baron, Hank*

2010-05-05T22:28:23Z

HTKjr: 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: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.

Silkey, Rusel

2010-05-05T21:02:47Z

HTKjr: Imported from Wikispaces

'''NAME: Rusel Silkey

Biography:'''

Picture: (Insert picture if available)

Date of Birth: May 11, 1945

Date of Death: June 15, 1992

Age at Death: 47

Employment: Rare Books Department, Free Library of Philadelphia

Social/Political Groups he attends/attended: Many gay and civil rights groups

Bars/Clubs he attends/attended:

His friends include: (type your name here, or names of others)Michael Seltzer, Harry T. Kelly, Jr.

Testimonials to him (add a space before a new testimonial):
[[Category:1992 deaths]]
[[Category:age 47]]
[[Category:free library]]