Date: Thu, 27 Apr 1995 06:44:11 -0800 From: jessea@uclink2.berkeley.edu (Jessea Greenman) Subject: Brochure for posting October, 1995 The Second Annual Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual History Month Where did the idea of October as Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual History Month originate? Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual History Month ("History Month" henceforth) began with an original concept by Rodney Wilson, a St. Louis high school history teacher who was appalled at the failure of his 800 page textbook to mention any gay, lesbian, or bisexual history whatsoever. He organized a grass-roots network of teachers and community members across the country who began working to see October recognized as History Month. Inspired by such existing celebrations as Black History Month (February) and Women's History Month (March), organizers sought to create a time when special attention could be focused on the contributions of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people to world history. October was chosen as the month in which to celebrate this history to have the celebration in order to build on existing traditions like National Coming Out Day (October 11), which already take place in October and to honor the October anniversaires of the first two marches on Washington organized by gay, lesbian, and bisexual activists (in 1979 and 1987). What happened last year? Organizations like the Human Rights Campaign Fund, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation quickly endorsed the idea A volunteer national coordinating council, with representatives from across the nation, began work over the summer to plan activities in their communities. In October, political leaders such as Senator Barbara Boxer (California), Governors William Weld (Massachusetts) and Lowell Weicker (Connecticut) and Mayors Richard Daley (Chicago) and Thomas Menino (Boston) also issued proclamations to celebrate this inaugural event. Local coordinating councils in areas as diverse as Boston, Chicago, San Antonio, San Francisco, and St. Louis staged a myriad of events, and numerous media outlets covered the story, raising the public's awareness of this history to a higher level throughout the nation. Over 300 curriculum and organizing packets were distributed to individuals and organizations around the country who requested help in planning events. These accomplishments become all the more impressive when one realizes that all work was done by volunteers who had no independent budget to support these activities. What kind of specific activities were staged in communities last year? History Month can be celebrated in a number of ways. Among events staged last year were: -- A gay/lesbian history film festival in St. Louis, MO -- A "birthday party" reception for Karl Heinrich Ulrichs, who gave the first public speech on behalf of gay rights in Germany in 1867, in Jacksonville, FL -- A conference featuring over a dozen workshops, attended by two hundred community members, teachers, and students, sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian, and Sraight Teachers Network, in Boston, MA -- A slide show on local gay and lesbian history sponsored by the Gerber/Hart Gay & Lesbian Library & Archives, in Chicago, IL -- Special proclamations were issued by elected officials in California, Connecticut, Illinois, and Massachusetts What's planned for this year? The bulk of the work for History Month is done on a local level. The National Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual History Month Project, established by the 1994 coordinating council and administered by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Teachers Network, provides resources, support, and ideas to local activists so that they can be more effective organizers in their communities. What can our organization or community do this October? -- arrange book displays at local bookstores and public libraries -- write columns and letters to the editor in local newspapers recognizing the month and educating the public about contributions made by local lesbian, gay, and bisexual figures -- donate history books to local public and school libraries -- laying of wreaths on the graces of local lesbian, gay, and bisexual people who made a significant contribution to the community as a way of raising media and public awareness of this history -- organize a reading group that focuses on gay, lesbian, and bisexual history books -- advocate with your state and local school boards for inclusive curricular policies so that full, fair, and factual information about lesbian, gay, and bisexual history is included in textbooks What kinds of things can we do on our campus? First, make sure your school (or your town's schools) know that October is Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual History Month! Help them plan appropriate activities similar to those many schools sponsor for Black and Women's History Months. Some specific ideas include: -- establishing bulletin boards or posting flyers to educate the community about lesbian, gay, and bisexual history -- inviting scholars to give lectures on their work to students -- inviting older lesbian, gay, and bisexual members of the local community to come to share their own experiences in classes or public forums -- asking college presidents or school principals to officially endorse the Month and to make plans for redressing the current lack of information on lesbian, gay, and bisexual history in your curriculum or library How can I help? The National Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual History Month Project needs two things: time and money! If you can support this effort with donations of these crucial resources, we can reach a much broader audience than ever before and end once and for all the invisibility of the lesbian, gay, and bisexual past. Please check the appropriate boxes below and get involved with this national movement. ___ Yes, I want to do some work to see Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual History Month become an institution in my community. Contact me about working on the local level to promote activities. My particular skills include: ___ Yes, I want to work for change in my school system. Please send me copy(ies) of the LGBHM Curriculum Packet ($5 each). ___ Yes, I want to support the work of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual History Month Project. Enclosed is my tax-deductible contribution to become a __Member ($25-49 annually or $10-24 for student/limited income -- entitles you to a semi-annual newsletter updating you on the work of the Project) __Supporter($50-99 annually -- entitled you to the above plus a free copy of the LGBHM Curriculum packet) __Patron ($100-249 annually- entitles you to the above plus a signed copy of Becoming Visible: A Reader in Gay and Lesbian History for High School and College Students by Kevin Jennings) __Benefactor ($250-499 annually-- entitles you to the above plus a signed copy of Making History: The Struggle for Gay and Lesbian Equal Rights 1945-1990, An Oral History by Eric Marcus) __Sponsor ($500-999 annually -- entitled you to the above signed copy of Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in 20th Century America by Lillian Faderman) __Angel ($1000 plus annually -- entitles you to the above plus a signed copy of Stonewall by Martin Duberman) Amount Enclosed:____ Send to: History Month c/o GLSTN 2124 Broadway Box 160 New York, NY 10023--1722 212-387-2098 A FEW RESOURCES The following are *by no means* comprehensive but do give you some starting points. A more complete list appears in the Curriculum Packet (see above for ordering information). A Few Good Books Chauncey, George, Duberman, Martin, and Vicinus, Martha. Hidden from History: Reclamiing the Gay and Lesbian Past. A mutilcultural collection spanning over two millenia of history. Duberman, Martin. Stonewall. Details the organizing and events leading up to the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York, a key event in modern gay history. Faderman, Lillian. Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in 20th Century America. Surveys the lesbian experience in U.S. during this century. Jennings, Kevin. Becoming Visible: A Reader in Gay and Lesbian History for High School and College Students. A comprehensive reader with ideas for teachers to use when incorporating this material into their classes. Katz, Jonathan Ned. Gay American History. A definitive collection of primary documents covering the entire scope of the subject. Marcus, Eric. Making History: The Struggle for Gay and Lesbian Equal Rights 1945-1990, An Oral History. Fascinating interviews with well-known and not so well-known individuals who played important roles in the modern gay movement. Miller, Neil. Out of the Past: Gay and Lesbian History from 1869 to the Present. A good survey of primarily Western gay history. A Few Good Films. Before Stonewall. Covers the history of America's gay community from the Twenties until the Sixties. Coming Out Under Fire: The History of Gay Men and Women in World War Two. Details the role of the war in shaping early gay communities. Common Threads: Stories form the Quilt. The 1990 Academy Award-winning documentary which explains the early years of the AIDS epidemic through stories from the Names Project Quilt. Last Call at Maud's. Explains the development of lesbian communities in mid-twentieth century America through the story of a San Francisco lesbian bar. The Times of Harvey Milk. The 1984 Academy Award-winning documentary on the life of Harvey Milk, who in 1978 became the first openly gay man to be elected to a municipal post in America. A Few Good Institutions The Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies at the City University of New York. The nation's pre-eminent higher education research institution on the subject. 33 W. 42 St., Nw York, NY 10036-8099 (212) 642-2924 Frameline. An important film distributor for the gay, lesbian, and bisexual community. 346 9th St., San Francisco, CA 94103 (415) 703-8650. Gerber/Hart Gay & Lesbian Library & Archives. Provides resources and support to community members and researchers. 3352 N. Paulina, Chicago, IL 60657 (312) 883-3003 (fax) (312) 883-3078 International Gay and Lesbian Archives. The pre-eminent archive on the West Coast. Box 69679, W. Hollywood, CA 90069 (310) 854-0271 Lesbian Herstory Archives & Educational Foundation. The leader in resources relating specifically to lesbian herstory. Box 1258, New York, NY 10116 (718)-768-3953 (fax) (718) 768-4663 Project 21. Advocates with state school boards and education agencies for inclusive curricular policies so that full, fair, and factual information about lesbian, gay, and biseuxal history is included in textbooks. Also provides materials such as a "Famous Lebsian, Gay, and Bisexual People in History" poster. c/o Jessea Greenman, 586 62 St. Oakland, CA 94609 (510) 601-8883 "jessea@uclink2.berkeley.edu" *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+ PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CROSS POST WITH ATTRIBUTION Jessea Greenman Co-Founder, Project 21 ph/fax: 510-601-8883 586 62nd St. Oakland, CA 94609-1245