Finding Aid to the Robert S. Basker Papers, 1931-2001 Coll2013.076

Danielle Perez-Granado
Processing this collection has been funded by a generous grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90007
(213) 821-2771
askone@usc.edu


Language of Material: English
Contributing Institution: ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Title: Robert S. Basker papers
creator: Basker, Robert S. (Robert Sloane)
Identifier/Call Number: Coll2013.076
Physical Description: 4.8 Linear Feet 4 archive boxes, 2 archive cartons.
Date (inclusive): 1931-2001
Abstract: Organizational records, correspondence, handwritten notes, published articles, awards, armed services papers, clippings, and photographs from Robert S. Basker (1918-2001). Born Solomon Sloane Basker in Harlem, Basker dedicated his life to progressive causes. He established or directed numerous gay rights groups including Mattachine Midwest, Gay Activist Alliance of Miami, and the Dade County Coalition for Human Rights. Basker also served as a committee member for numerous human rights organizations.

Biographical Information

Robert S. Basker was born Solomon Sloane Basker in Harlem, New York, 1918, to a Jewish family that had immigrated from Poland. He began his civil and political rights activism as a high school student about 1936. He was involved with progressive organizations, including the National Student League, American Students Union, Young Communist League, American Youth Congress, American League Against War and Fascism, American League for Peace and Democracy, the Civil Rights Congress, and the National Negro Congress.
After high school, Basker sought employment; however he encountered an anti-Semitic climate in New York. He dropped his first name and became Robert Sloane Basker, obtaining a job in the export business. After working in the export business he voluntarily served five years in the Army during World War II. Basker was a Technical Sergeant, Headquarters Company, 13th Port and held certificates for Marksman Carbine, Sharpshooter Rifle, and Sharpshooter Pistol 45 caliber. He was Honorably Discharged on November 27, 1945 and remained in Belgium as a civilian serving in the Engineer Section until he was granted relief on June 13, 1946.
Following his army service, Basker moved to the Midwest and worked as a salesman and district manager for Encyclopedia Britannica. In 1954, while living in Skokie, Illinois, he married Hedda Schmidt, who was fully aware that Basker was gay. He adopted her son and they had two children, a son and a daughter, during their seven years of marriage. They were involved in the Chicago Council of American-Soviet Friendship, as well as the racial integration movement, being directly responsible for the first black family to own a home in Skokie in 1961. Around this time, Basker and Schmidt divorced.
He began his gay activism in 1965, establishing the first Mattachine Society in Chicago under his first and middle names, Bob Sloane.
Basker moved to Miami in 1969 to be closer to his ex-wife and children, visiting them in Cuba for nine months. Returning to Miami, Basker took custody of his biological children. In 1971 he helped start the Gay Activist Alliance of Miami. In 1976 he established the Dade County Coalition for the Humanisitc Rights of Gays (which would become the Dade County Coalition for Human Rights). This organization championed the passing of the Human Rights Ordinance in Miami which protected the rights of lesbians and gays in Dade County. In 1977 the Ordinance was challenged and repealed by the Save Our Children movement started by Anita Bryant.
In 1978 Basker moved to San Francisco where he would live for the remainder of his life. There, he co-founded the Alexander Hamilton Post 448 of the American Legion, catering to gay veterans. He served on numerous committees including the California Legislative Council for Older Americans, the San Francisco National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the Board of the San Francisco In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority. In 1992 Basker changed careers, serving in a clerical position for District Attorney Terence Hallinan. His 1992 resume documents his expansive contributions to civil and political rights including involvement in racial equality, feminist issues, senior rights, prisoners' rights, refugee rights, gay rights, democratic clubs, homeless and community services, and veterans' organizations.
Basker died in San Francisco, on April 6, 2001.
Source:
Box 1, Folder 26; Box 3, Folder 13; Box 3, Folder 18; Box 3, Folder 47; Box 4, Folder 6; Box 4, Folder 8; Robert S. Basker Papers, Coll2013.076, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the ONE Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives at USC Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Acquisition

Donor and date of acquisition unknown.

Preferred Citation

[Box/folder #, or item name] Robert S. Basker Papers, Coll2013-076, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Processing Information

Formerly boxes #103-047, 103-228, 103-292, 104-035, 104-124. Collection processed by Danielle Perez-Granado, August 2013.

Scope and Contents

The collection includes organizational records, correspondence, handwritten notes, published articles, awards, armed services records, clippings, and photographs, 1931-2001, from Robert S. Basker. The bulk of the collection consists of records pertaining to human rights organizations and committees including Mattachine Midwest, Freedom of Residence, Gay Activist Alliance of Miami, Gay Community Services of South Florida, Dade County Coalition for Human Rights, National Committee for Sexual Civil Liberties, Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club, Harvey Milk Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Democratic Club, American Civil Liberties Union, National Organization for Women, and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Also included in the collection are Basker's World War II army service records, articles and interview correspondence documenting his life as a gay activist, photographs capturing his involvement with civil rights leaders, organizational paperwork, presentation notes, Encyclopedia Britannica employment correspondence, personal telephone messages, daily schedules, and correspondence regarding charitable contributions.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in the following series:
Series 1. Human rights activism
Series 2. Personal papers

Separated Materials

The following publications have been separated from the Robert S. Basker collection and entered into the ONE Archives' periodical and program collections:
Florida State University Alliance for Gay Awareness. Agape (1:3) May, 1977.
March on Washington. San Francisco Sentinel. Commemorative edition (15:42). October 17, 1987.
Jim Kepner's Song & Dance (2). March 1994.
ONE, Inc. Education Division. Homophile studies. One Institute Quarterly (8). Los Angeles: One, Incorporated, 1970.
Lesbians & Gays of African Descent for Democratic Action. LGADDA celebrates...speaking our colors. Fourth year anniversary event program. June 10, 1995.
Harvey Milk Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Democratic Club. Celebrating Harvey Milk's 65th birthday. Fundraiser event program. May 22, 1995.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Advertising fliers
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
Correspondence
Gay activists -- Florida
Gays -- Civil rights
Gays -- Political activity
Human rights advocacy
Veterans
Basker, Robert S. (Robert Sloane)
American Civil Liberties Union
Bryant, Anita
Dade County Coalition for Human Rights
Gay Activist Alliance
Gay Community Services of South Florida
Mattachine Midwest
National Association of Black and White Men Together
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (U.S.)
National Organization for Women

 

Human rights activism Series 1. 1959-1998

Scope and Contents

This series contains organizational records and correspondence regarding the many civil rights groups and committees Basker participated in throughout his life. The bulk of this series contains his gay activism, specifically the work he did in Florida including the Gay Activist Alliance of Miami, Gay Community Services, and the Dade County Coalition for Human Rights. The remainder of the series contains other civil rights groups and movements with which he was associated.

Arrangement

This series is divided into two subseries: Subseries 1.1, containing gay activism documents; and Subseries 1.2, containing other civil rights documents that are not gay-specific. Both subseries are arranged alphabetically.
 

Gay rights Subseries 1.1.

Box 1, folder 1

Alexander Hamilton Post 448 (San Francisco, California) 1997

Box 1, folder 2

"Are there really any gay male athletes? an empirical survey" by Brian Garner and Richard W. Smith 1976

Box 2, folder 8

Black and White Men Together 1980

Box 1, folder 29-31

Chicago activism

Box 1, folder 29

Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame 1993

Box 1, folder 30-31

Mattachine Midwest 1965-1986

Physical Description: [2 folders]
 

Cuba activism

Box 5, folder 11

Cuba correspondence 1994

Box 5, folder 12

Cuba organizations 1993-1994

Box 5, folder 13

Cuba trip 1994

Box 3, folder 21

Cuba trip fundraising party 1994

Box 1, folder 25

Queers for Cuba 1992

Box 1, folder 32-63

Florida activism

Box 1, folder 32

Alliance for Individual Rights 1975-1976

Box 1, folder 33

Affidavit - State of Ohio regarding aftermath of the Save Our Children campaign undated

Box 1, folder 34

Bryant, Anita and Save Our Children 1977

Box 1, folder 35

Campbell, Jack correspondence and clippings 1975-1978

Box 1, folder 36

Chicago Sun-Times articles 1978

Box 1, folder 37

Citizens for Human Rights Educator's Task Force 1977

Box 5, folder 7

Dade anti-discrimination court cases 1973-1977

Box 1, folder 38

Dade County Democratic Executive Committee Minority Concerns Task Force 1973-1976

Box 1, folder 39

Dade County Human Rights Ordinance 1977

Box 1, folder 40

Dade County Coalition for Human Rights 1977

Box 1, folder 41

Dade County Coalition for Human Rights Educator's Task Force 1977

Box 1, folder 42

Dade County Coalition for Human Rights letter heads and envelopes circa

Box 1, folder 43

Dade County Coalition for Human Rights miscellaneous events and correspondence 1972-1977

Box 1, folder 44

Florida commission on human rights 1973-1974

Box 1, folder 45

Florida gay discrimination 1975-1977

Box 1, folder 46

Miscellaneous events and research 1972-1977

Box 1, folder 47

Other organizations circa 1975

Box 1, folder 48-49

Gay Activist Alliance of Miami 1972-1973

Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 1, folder 50

Gay Atheists League of America 1978-1979

Box 1, folder 51-52

Gay Community Services of South Florida 1975-1976

Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 1, folder 53

Gay Community Services committee reports 1975

Box 1, folder 54

Gay Community Services 24-hour telephone information and referral services 1975

Box 1, folder 55

Gay Rights Advocates and National Lobby 1977-1979

Box 1, folder 56

Gay rights speaking engagements 1977

Box 1, folder 57-59

Harvey Milk Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club 1979-1997

Physical Description: [3 folders]
Box 1, folder 60

Letters sent in support of gay rights ordinance 1977

Box 1, folder 61

Miami - gay rights 1976-1977

Box 1, folder 62

Miami - Suncoast Gay Community News 1976

Box 1, folder 63

3rd annual Florida gay conference 1978

Box 1, folder 3

Gay and Lesbian History on Stamps Club 1982-1990

Box 1, folder 4

Gay Fathers Union 1978-1981

Box 1, folder 5

Gay Media Project of Philadelphia pamphlet and event information 1976

Box 1, folder 6

Gays Against Nuclear Power 1979

Box 1, folder 7

Gays and Straights Together 1977

Box 1, folder 8

Gersten, Joe M. correspondence 1974-1977

Box 1, folder 9

Gordon, Elaine correspondence 1974-1979

Box 1, folder 10

Gordon, Jack correspondence 1977

Box 1, folder 11

Homosexual law reform: a second look 1977

Box 1, folder 12

KSAN "The Gay Life" talks to gay dad 1982

Box 1, folder 13

Kunst, Robert - Oral Majority 1981-1982

Box 5, folder 8

Kyper, John correspondence for gay community news article 1979-1983

Box 1, folder 14

Lavender and Red Union 1975

Box 1, folder 15

Lesbians, gays, and bisexuals in Cuba undated

Box 1, folder 16

Gay information clippings 1973-1978

Box 1, folder 17-19

National Committee for Sexual Civil Liberties 1973-1981

Physical Description: [3 folders]
Box 1, folder 20

National committee July meeting 1977

Box 1, folder 21

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force 1974-1986

Box 1, folder 22

Network of Gay Socialists 1979

Box 1, folder 23

ONE, Inc. membership 1962-1964

Box 1, folder 24

ONE, Inc. newsletters and flyers 1971-1979

Box 1, folder 26

Quiet Fire interview 1985

Box 1, folder 27

Society for the Scientific Study of Sex honoree 1998

Box 1, folder 28

Sullivan, Gerard - dissertation 1987

 

Civil rights, not gay-specific Subseries 1.2.

Box 2, folder 1

Activists events 1977-1996

Box 2, folder 2

Activist and organizational correspondence 1975-1997

Box 2, folder 3

Adams, Jane research and correspondence 1988-1997

Box 2, folder 4

American Civil Liberties Union 1977-1979

Box 5, folder 9

American Civil Liberties Union human rights bill 1974

Box 5, folder 10

American Civil Liberties Union nazi defense 1977

Box 2, folder 5

American Civil Liberties Union publications 1978-1979

Box 2, folder 6

American Civil Liberties Union - Florida 1974-1977

Box 2, folder 7

Alice B. Toklas club 1979-1996

Box 2, folder 9

California Legislative Council for Older Americans 1997-1998

Box 2, folder 10-13

Charitable contributions 1995-1998

Physical Description: [4 folders]
Box 2, folder 14

Committee on Africa 1976

Box 2, folder 15

Correspondence regarding Ben Chavis 1979

Box 2, folder 16

Death penalty 1976-1978

Box 2, folder 17

Democratic party 1973-1978

Box 2, folder 18

Democratic Women's Forum of San Francisco 1982

Box 2, folder 19

Dunn, Marvin correspondence 1978

Box 2, folder 20

Federal Bureau of Investigation materials 1980

Box 2, folder 21

Feminist Men's Alliance 1987

Box 2, folder 22

Fortune Society 1972-1977

Box 2, folder 23-24

Freedom of Residence 1963-1975

Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 2, folder 25

Freedom of Residence speaking engagements 1963

Box 2, folder 26

Fulani, Dr. Lenora B. 1992

Box 2, folder 28

Haiti trip 1982

Box 2, folder 27

Haitian refugees 1975-1978

Box 2, folder 29

Hamilton, Richard R. MD - committee to halt the advancement of sexually transmitted epidemics correspondence 1982-1983

Box 2, folder 30

Hodge, G. Reid 1976

Box 2, folder 31

Hospitality House 1983-1985

Box 2, folder 32

Human Rights Foundation 1980

Box 2, folder 33

Human rights law 1973

Box 2, folder 34

Lambda legal defense and education fun newsletters and correspondence 1976-1979

Box 2, folder 35

Medical marijuana 1996

Box 2, folder 36

Metropolitan Community Church 1973-1975

Box 2, folder 37

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People of San Francisco 1996-1998

Box 2, folder 38

National Alliance Against Racial and Political Repression 1970-1974

Box 2, folder 39

Northern Californians Against Repressive Legislation 1974-1979

Box 2, folder 40

National Organization for Women - Miami 1972-1976

Box 2, folder 41

People's Party - Miami 1971-1972

Box 2, folder 42

Pitts and Lee correspondence and clippings 1975-1978

Box 2, folder 43

Political correspondence 1974-1997

Box 2, folder 44

Rosenberg case 1974-1978

Box 2, folder 45

S-1 correspondence and clippings for defeating the federal bill 1975-1978

Box 2, folder 46

San Francisco Feminist Democrats 1979-1980

Box 2, folder 47

San Francisco commission hearing on hate speech and talk radio 1996

Box 2, folder 48

Sexual Law Reporter incorporation 1974-1976

Box 3, folder 1

Skokie records and clippings 1959-1963

Box 5, folder 14

Skokie clippings 1961-1963

Box 5, folder 15

Skokie newspaper articles 1961

Box 3, folder 2

Southern Organization Committee 1974-1979

Box 3, folder 3

Supreme Court of Florida brief of applicant Robert Frances Eimers 1977

Box 3, folder 4

Transition, Inc. - Miami 1974-1978

Box 4, folder 7

United Farm Workers - Miami 1976

Box 3, folder 5

United States v. Robert Basker citation #G140661 1988

Box 3, folder 6

Women's International League for Peace and Freedom 1983

Box 3, folder 7

Women's Political Caucus - Florida 1976-1978

 

Personal papers Series 2. 1931-2001

Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence and documentation of Basker including his early life, World War II army documentation, correspondence, awards, photographs, telephone message notes, and handwritten daily schedules. Noteworthy are his 1992 resume, articles written by and about Basker, awards, and photographs.

Arrangement

Series 2. Personal papers are arranged alphabetically.
Box 3, folder 8

The 15 Association 1988

Box 5, folder 1

Advocate article on Basker June 15, 1977

Box 5, folder 2

Angola clippings 1975-1976

Box 5, folder 5

Army 201 personal life 1943

Box 3, folder 9

Articles on Basker 1978-1997

Box 3, folder 10

Awards 1963-1995

Box 3, folder 11

Basker, Wayne correspondence and childhood events 1982-1984

Box 3, folder 12

Block, Gil clippings 1991

Box 3, folder 13

Birth certificate copy and high school correspondence 1933-1940

Box 3, folder 14

Birthday events and correspondence 1993-1998

Box 3, folder 15

Chicago records and clippings 1960-1963

Box 3, folder 16

Christmas greeting cards 1985-1995

Box 5, folder 3

Clippings 1975-1996

Box 3, folder 17

Columbia University 1951

Box 3, folder 18

Correspondence with John D'Emilio 1980

Box 3, folder 19-20

Correspondence and miscellaneous papers 1970-1993

Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 3, folder 22-23

Cuba trip 1966-1967

Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 6, folder 1-6

Daily schedules 1988-1994

Physical Description: [6 folders]
Box 3, folder 24

Encyclopedia Britannica correspondence 1958-1960

Box 3, folder 25

Encyclopedia Britannica tele-wats correspondence 1961-1975

Box 3, folder 26

Friends publications and mailers 1975-1976

Box 3, folder 27

Florida International University cultural and human interaction center tri-ethnic bilingual program 1977

Box 5, folder 4

Hate mail 1977

Box 3, folder 28

Ida B. Wells High School dedication 1992

Box 3, folder 29

In-Home Support Services Public Authority 1997

Box 3, folder 30

Invitations to organizational functions 1995-1998

Box 3, folder 31

The League 1976-1979

Box 3, folder 32

Miami-Dade Community College life lab notebook 1975-1976

Box 3, folder 33

New College 1982-1984

Box 3, folder 34

New College coursework 1981-1984

Box 3, folder 35

New York City College transcript 1936-1942

Box 3, folder 36

Nomenus organizational minutes 1985-1992

Box 6, folder 7

Notes and telephone messages 1972-1993

Box 3, folder 37

Obituary of Robert S. Basker 2001

Box 3, folder 38

Organizational pamphlets 1975-1994

Box 3, folder 39

People's World 1982-1987

Box 3, folder 40

Personal friends 1978-1994

Box 3, folder 41

Personal notes 1970-1977

Box 6, folder 8

Phone logs 1979-1980

Box 3, folder 42

Photographs 1944-1995

Box 3, folder 43

Photographs [photocopies] 1931-1994

Box 3, folder 44

Political clippings 1975-1978

Box 3, folder 45

Presentation notes 1976-1991

Box 3, folder 46

Publications correspondence and articles 1963-1983

Box 3, folder 47

Resume 1992

Box 3, folder 48

Rink photos 1981-1992

Box 3, folder 49

Saint Priapus Church 1987

Box 4, folder 1

San Francisco Community Advisory Board 1981-1985

Box 4, folder 2

San Francisco newsletters 1995-1996

Box 4, folder 3

Senior of the year 1995

Box 6, folder 9

Telephone machine messages and miscellaneous notepads undated

Box 6, folder 10-19

Telephone machine messages notepads 1977-1994

Physical Description: [10 folders]
Box 4, folder 4

13th port newsletters and rosters 1963

Box 4, folder 5

Tropic Sales 1974-1975

Box 4, folder 6

The Weekly News article on Basker 1998

Box 4, folder 8

World War II 1938-1950

Box 4, folder 9

World War II 13th port 1942-1948

Box 4, folder 10-11

World War II army papers 1942-1948

Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 5, folder 6

World War II articles and letters 1945

Box 4, folder 12

Zionism 1975