Finding aid to the Lesbian and Gay Academic Union records, 1973-1987
Coll2011-041
Marc LaRocque and Cooper Moll
Processing this collection has been funded by a generous grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources.
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
© 2014
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90007
askone@usc.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Title: Lesbian and Gay Academic Union records
creator:
Gay Academic Union
creator:
Berzon, Betty
creator:
DeCrescenzo, Teresa
creator:
Steele, Gary L.
Identifier/Call Number: Coll2011-041
Identifier/Call Number: 181
Physical Description:
3 Linear Feet
3 boxes.
Date (inclusive): 1973-1987
Abstract: Correspondence, meeting minutes, manuscripts, publicity material, notes, financial records, photographs, membership records,
conference administrative records, grant applications, bylaws, articles of incorporation, and other records documenting activities
of the Lesbian and Gay Academic Union (LGAU), 1973 to 1987. Founded in 1973 in New York, New York, the Gay Academic Union
consisted of a national network of college and university chapters. In 1978, the national headquarters moved to Los Angeles,
California.
Administrative History
The Gay Academic Union (GAU) was founded in New York, New York, in 1973, "to promote and disseminate research on homosexuality
and gay people." The GAU consisted of a national network of college and university chapters, totaling a dozen chapters by
1979. In 1978 the GAU's Board of Directors, as well as its annual conference, moved from New York to Los Angeles, California.
In the early 1980s, GAU changed its name to the Lesbian and Gay Academic Union (LGAU). The Los Angeles chapter and National
office of the LGAU ceased operations, circa 1987. However, some chapters of LGAU continued into the 1990s.
Access
The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.
Publication Rights
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.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder #, or item name] Lesbian and Gay Academic Union Records, Coll2011-041, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC
Libraries, University of Southern California.
Processing Information
A basic collection-level finding aid was created in 2011 for this collection as part of a project funded by the National Endowment
for the Humanities. Processing of this collection and publication of a folder-level finding aid was completed in December
2014 as part of a project funded by the Council on Library and Information Sciences. This collection was processed by Cooper
Moll, December 2014.
Scope and Content
This collection comprises correspondence, meeting minutes, manuscripts, publicity material, notes, financial records, photographs,
membership records, conference administrative records, grant applications, bylaws, articles of incorporation, and other records
documenting activities of the Lesbian and Gay Academic Union (LGAU), 1973 to 1987. Materials in the collection document activities,
including Board of Directors meetings, annual LGAU conferences, public events, and distribution of scholarships. The bulk
of the collection comprises scrapbooks and administrative records of the Los Angeles chapter of LGAU, particularly from the
period after LGAU's national board of directors moved from New York to Los Angeles in 1978. This collection also includes
administrative records and publicity material from other chapters of LGAU.
Arrangement
This collection is divided into two series:
Series 1. National LGAU and Los Angeles chapter records
Series 2. Other chapter administrative records.
Related Materials
Betty Berzon Papers, Coll2011-004, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, Los Angeles, California.
Teresa DeCrescenzo Papers, Coll2015-006, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.
Gary L. Steele Papers, Coll2014-032, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.
Separated Materials
The following have been separated to the ONE Archives periodical collection:
About Our Children (1978)
Books Bohemian, Catalogue No. 5 (April 1979)
Books Bohemian, Catalogue No. 6 (June 1979)
California Human Rights Advocates "From the Lobby" (undated)
Gay Academic Union, Inc.,Los Angeles Chapter, Newsletter (undated)
Grove Press (Fall 1979)
Newsletter of the Interdisciplinary Clearinghouse of Gay Research, No. 1 (May 1974)
Lesbian and Gay Academic Union, Los Angeles Chapter, Newsletter (Winter 1982)
The L.O.V.E.R. Home Companion Vol. 2 No. 7 (September 1978)
The L.O.V.E.R. Home Companion Vol. 2 No. 8 (October 1978)
Making a Difference, National Association of Gay Gerontologists, Vol. 1 No. 1 (July 1978)
Open Quest Calendar (May-June 1979)
Open Quest Calendar (November-December 1979)
Professional Advisory Council calendar (July 1978)
Professional Advisory Council calendar (September 1978)
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Gay and lesbian studies
Gays -- Education
Gays in higher education
Homosexuality and education -- United States
Lesbians -- Education
National LGAU and Los Angeles chapter records Series 1
1975-1985
Scope and Contents
This series comprises scrapbooks, minutes, correspondence, articles of incorporation, bylaws, photographs, publicity material,
clippings, manuscripts, conference schedules, financial records, membership records, workshop material, surveys, and other
administrative records from the Los Angeles chapter of the LGAU (LGAU/LA), which also became the LGAU's national office in
1978. Notably, the scrapbooks include photographs documenting gay and lesbian activists at events organized by LGAU/LA, including
conference presentations, women's committee programs, and general membership meetings.
Arrangement
Scrapbooks and photographs are at the beginning of this series. The remaining folders are arranged alphabetically.
Box 1, Folder 1-16
Scrapbooks, photographs, and slides
1979-1985
Box 1, Folder 1-2
1979 Scrapbook
1979
Scope and Contents
Scrapbook includes images of GAU/LA steering committee, including Gary Steele, Bob Hodges, Betty Berzon, John A. Cohan, Sal
Licata, Mark Hickey, Larry Lyon, Don Carufo, Teresa DeCrescenzo, and Ben Teller; Women's Committee, including Diane Abbitt,
Roberta Bennett, Janet Johnson, Deborah Ellis Stevenson, Sheridan Thomas, Gail Browne, and Ginger Roth; and GAU speakers,
members, and attendees, including Jay Hayes, Dr. Wayne Wooden, Mike Riley, Dr. Dan Calder, Vitto Russo, Paul Siegel, Jean
O'Leary, Pat Rocco, John Odom, Don Clark, Midge Costanza, Steve Lachs, Don Knutson, Anne Peplau, Christine Padeskey, Susan
Cochran, Pat Berlly, Myra Riddell, Joyce Gonzales, Marty Rochlin, Paul la Riviere, Sheldon Adelson, Jeanne Cordova, Jeanne
Berson, Charlotte Bunch, Meg Christian, Dottie Wine, Ivy Bottini, Pam Parker, Brian Miller, Laud Humphreys, Christopher Isherwood,
Fred DeCanio, Fred Green, Jeff Beane, Sharon McDonald, Jim Long, Bonnie Moore, Eric Lichtman, Bronwyn Anthony, Janet Witkin,
Linda Poverny, Loretta Lotman, Malcolm Boyd, Harry Hay, Rex Reece, and Joe Loundry.
Box 1, Folder 3-4
1980 Scrapbook
1980
Scope and Contents
Scrapbook includes images of GAU speakers, members, and attendees, including Anne Peplau, Bronwyn Anthony, Bonnie Moore, Sharon
Raphael, Brian Miller, James Lipsett, Linda Barone, Lois Bencangen, Mike Riley, Southern California Physicians for Human Rights,
Rose Maly, Jane Patterson, Susan Cochran, Sheila Bob, Jeff Beane, Mina Robinson, Alan Maylon, Michal Gregg, Harry Hay, Travis
Foote, Alcoholism Center for Women, Jane Hoose, Wally Funk, Helene Rosenbluth, Kay Loveland, Amy Erisman, Teresa DeCrescenzo,
Sheila Williams, Lynn Turner, Pam Parker, Johnnie Phelps, and Marny Hall.
Box 1, Folder 5-7
1981 Scrapbook
1981
Scope and Contents
Scrapbook includes images of GAU speakers, members, and attendees, including Morris Kight, Lillian Faderman, the Women's Committee,
the Hollywoodwinds, No Strings Attached (band), Judith Goodman, Rex Reece, Dr. Marilyn Mehr, Teresa DeCrescenzo, Susan McGreivy,
Peter Nardi, Dick Follett, Bob Hodges, Linda Poverny, Gunther Freehill, Bill Rossitar, and Dr. Jane Patterson.
Box 1, Folder 8-10
1982 Scrapbook
1982
Scope and Contents
Scrapbook includes images of GAU speakers, members, and attendees, including Dr. John de Cecco, Professor Betty Brooks, Kay
Loveland, Marty Rochlin, Dr. Jane Haven, Rev. Nancy Wilson, Gunther Freehill, Jim Kelley, Jean Weishaar, Griff Humphreys,
Gay Abarrbanal, Shirley Blue, Susan Gross, Susan McGreivy, Marlene Bram, Carter Wilson, and Dennis Altman.
Box 1, Folder 11-12
1983 Scrapbook
1983
Scope and Contents
Scrapbook includes images of the Lesbian and Gay Academic Union (LGAU) contingent in an unidentified gay pride parade.
Box 1, Folder 15-16
1985 Scrapbook
1985
Scope and Contents
Scrapbook includes images of unidentified attendees at an LGAU monthly meeting.
Box 1, Folder 17
GAU 7 conference, Los Angeles slides
1980
Physical Description: 44 color slides.
Scope and Contents
Includes images of speakers Evelyn Hooker, Jim Kepner, and other unidentified individuals.
Box 1, Folder 19
Unidentified event with Lillian Faderman, negatives and contact sheet
1981
Box 1, Folder 18
Women's meeting photograph with Susan Gross, Shirley Blue and Gay Abarrbanal
circa 1982
Box 2, Folder 1-2
Administrative records
1979-1985
Box 2, Folder 3
Administrative records, chapter records
1977-1985
Box 1, Folder 20
Articles of incorporation and bylaws
1974-1979
Box 2, Folder 5
Board of directors documents
1979-1985
Box 2, Folder 7
Certificate of affiliation
1977-1985
Box 2, Folder 9
Collier Art Corporation fundraising project
1981
Box 2, Folder 10-21
Conference administrative records
Box 2, Folder 16
GAU 7, Los Angeles banquet
1980
Box 2, Folder 17
GAU 7, Los Angeles facilities
1980
Box 2, Folder 18
GAU 7, Los Angeles financial records
1980
Box 2, Folder 19
GAU 4-7 conference programs
1974-1980
Box 2, Folder 20
Gay Academic Unions of California conference 1, San Francisco
1976
Box 2, Folder 21
Conference and workshop information
circa 1975-1985
Box 2, Folder 23
Correspondence, chapter starter packet
1979-1980
Box 2, Folder 24-25
Correspondence and papers, Gunther Freehill
1983-1985
Box 2, Folder 26
Correspondence and papers, James Levin
1975-1977
Box 2, Folder 27
Correspondence and papers, Gary Steele
1978-1980
Box 2, Folder 28
Correspondence to all membership
circa 1978-1985
Box 2, Folder 29
Financial records
1977-1981
Box 2, Folder 34
Gay and lesbian studies, academic papers, and bibliographies
1977-1985
Box 2, Folder 36
Information resources
1977-1985
Box 2, Folder 38
March on Sacramento administrative records
1980
Box 3, Folder 1-2
Minutes, national
1978-1983
Box 3, Folder 3-7
Minutes, steering committee
1978-1985
Box 3, Folder 8-10
Newsletter editorial copy
1981-1983
Scope and Contents
Includes 1 black and white photograph of unidentified woman.
Box 3, Folder 11
Notes and manuscripts, incomplete
1977-1985
Box 3, Folder 14
Scholarship funds publicity material and records
1979-1985
Box 3, Folder 15
Whitman-Brooks, "Developing a Positive Gay Identity" workshop material
1978-1980
Other chapter administrative records Series 2
1973-1987
Scope and Contents
This series comprises correspondence, publicity material, newsletter editorial copy, and other administrative records from
various chapters of LGAU, including foreign affiliates in Canada, Mexico, and Europe.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically.
Box 3, Folder 16
Chicago, Illinois
1977-1982
Box 3, Folder 17
Cincinnati, Ohio
1979-1984
Box 3, Folder 18
Florida Atlantic University
1977-1985
Box 3, Folder 19
Foreign affiliates
1975-1979
Box 3, Folder 20
Las Vegas, Nevada
1985-1987
Box 3, Folder 23
Minneapolis, Minnesota
1979
Box 3, Folder 30
Orange County, California
1978-1979
Box 3, Folder 31
San Bernadino / Riverside, California
1979
Box 3, Folder 32-33
San Diego, California
1979-1985
Box 3, Folder 34
San Francisco Bay Area, California
1976-1983
Box 3, Folder 35
St. Louis, Missouri
1978-1979
Box 3, Folder 36
Santa Fe, New Mexico
1979
Box 3, Folder 38
Washington, D.C.
1981-1982
