Finding aid of the American Civil Liberties Union of
Southern California Lesbian & Gay Rights Chapter Records
Loni Shibuyama
ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90007
Phone: (213) 741-0094
Fax: (213) 741-0220
Email: askone@onearchives.org
URL: http://www.onearchives.org
© 2007
ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives. All rights reserved.
Finding aid of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern
California Lesbian & Gay Rights Chapter Records
Collection number: Coll2007-013
ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives
Los Angeles,
California
- Processed by:
- Loni Shibuyama
- Date Completed:
- October 16, 2007
- Encoded by:
- Loni Shibuyama
© 2007 ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives. All rights reserved.
Processing this collection has been funded by a generous grant
from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Descriptive Summary
Title: American Civil Liberties Union of Southern
California Lesbian & Gay Rights Chapter records
Dates: 1970-2004
Bulk Dates: (bulk
1976-1995)
Collection number: Coll2007-013
Creator:
American Civil Liberties Union of Southern
California Lesbian & Gay Rights Chapter
Collection Size: 25 archive boxes + 1 oversize
archive box. 13 linear feet.
Repository:
ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives.
Los Angeles, California 90007
Abstract: This collection comprises minutes, meeting
agendas, financial records, correspondence, memoranda, reports, press releases,
newsletters, publications, legal papers, subject files, notes, photographs,
ephemera, and a videocassette relating to the on-going activities of the
Lesbian & Gay Rights Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union
Foundation of Southern California (ACLU-LGRC), in Los Angeles. The LGRC is the
first ACLU chapter in the United States to address the civil rights of gay men,
lesbians, bisexual and transgender people. The earliest materials in the
collection date before the founding of the LGRC and document the gay- and
lesbian-related activities of the ACLU--including the Rights of Homosexuals
Committee (1973 - 1976) and the Gay Rights Panel (1975 - 1976). The collection
spans the founding of the LGRC in August 1976 up to 2004. However, the bulk of
the materials come from the years 1976 to 1995.
Languages: Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
The collection is open to researchers. There are no access
restrictions.
Publication Rights
Researchers wishing to publish materials must obtain permission in
writing from ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives as the physical owner.
Researchers must also obtain clearance from the holder(s) of any copyrights in
the materials. Note that ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives can grant
copyright clearance only for those materials for which we hold the copyright.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain copyright clearance for
all other materials directly from the copyright holder(s).
Preferred Citation
American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California Lesbian & Gay
Rights Chapter records, Coll2007-013, ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives,
Los Angeles, California.
Acquisition Information
Donor and date of gift unknown.
Processing Information
Formerly housed in box 103-356 and ONE subject files. Collection
processed by Loni Shibuyama,
October 16, 2007.
Processing this collection has been funded
by a generous grant from the National Historical Publications and Records
Commission.
Administrative History
Since the early and mid-1960s, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
affiliates took on the cases of founders of the Mattachine Society, members of
the Daughters of Bilitis, and publishers of gay and lesbian publications such
as
One Magazine to challenge the federal
government's exclusions of lesbians and gay men from civil service jobs, to
fight police entrapment and bathhouse raids, and to end post office censorship.
In 1966, the ACLU Foundation of Southern California formally affirmed that the
right to privacy in sexual relations is a basic constitutional right and
defended a public school teacher threatened with the loss of his teaching
credentials after he was acquitted of charges of illegal homosexual conduct. In
1970, the ACLU of Southern California went on to obtain an injunction that
permitted the first Christopher Street West parade to take place.
In 1973, the ACLU of Southern California began the formation of the
Rights for Homosexuals Committee--the first of its kind in the United States.
These activities and the organization of the Gay Rights Panel in 1975
ultimately led to the founding of the ACLU of Southern California Gay Rights
Chapter on August 16, 1976 with its first president, Peter Thomas Judge. In
January 1984, the Chapter officially changed its name to its current one, the
Lesbian & Gay Rights Chapter.
Since these early days, due to the work and support of the Lesbian &
Gay Rights Chapter and gay and lesbian rights Attorney Susan McGrievy, the ACLU
Foundation of Southern California has been at the forefront of the nation's
legal battles for lesbian and gay rights. The ACLU/SC has challenged
discrimination against lesbians and gay men in public and private employment,
in housing, in public accommodations; has fought college campuses' refusals to
recognize lesbian and gay student groups; has attacked vague loitering and lewd
conduct laws and other forms of police harassment of lesbians and gay men; has
battled for lesbian and gay custody and visitation rights; has challenged
exclusions of lesbian and gay aliens by the INS; has secured better treatment
for lesbian and gay prison inmates; and has required the licensing of lesbian
and gay-operated foster homes.
As of October 2007, the Lesbian & Gay Rights Chapter of the ACLU of
Southern California continues to operate.
Source: ACLU of Southern California Lesbian & Gay Rights Chapter
Records, Coll2007-013, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, Los Angeles,
California.
Scope and Content of Collection
The collection comprises minutes, meeting agendas, financial records,
correspondence, memoranda, reports, press releases, newsletters, publications,
legal papers, subject files, notes, photographs, ephemera, and a videocassette
relating to the activities and operations of the Lesbian & Gay Rights
Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Southern California
(ACLU-LGRC), in Los Angeles. Materials in this collection date from before the
founding of LGRC in August 1976 through 2004. However, the bulk of materials
come from the years 1976 to 1995. The collection is divided into six series:
(1) Administration, (2) Programs and Events, (3) Publications, (4) Subject
Files, (5) Photographs, and (6) Ephemera.
The first series, Administration, consists of materials related to the
general day-to-day administrative activities of the Lesbian & Gay Rights
Chapter of the ACLU and is divided into six subseries: (1) General, (2)
Committees and Board of Directors, (3) Publicity/Public Relations, (4)
Services, (5) Correspondence, and (6) Memoranda. The first subseries, General,
consists of contracts, bylaws, resumes, financial records, bequests, personnel
files, documents, handwritten notes and miscellany pertaining to the general
day-to-day operations of the LGRC. Included in this subseries are the Chapter's
mission statement, organizational history and bylaws; its IRS status;
treasurer's reports; and information about the organization's personnel, real
estate, finances and general office operations. The second subseries,
Committees and Board of Directors, consists of minutes, agendas and reports
from meetings for the committees and board of directors of the LGRC. It is this
subseries that contains the earliest materials in the collection, including
records from the Gay Rights Panel and the Rights of Homosexuals Committee of
the ACLU of Southern California. The third subseries, Publicity / Public
Relations, consists of press releases, press listings, notes and a pamphlet
design draft pertaining to LGRC's publicity and media relations. The content of
the press releases range from notices for LGRC's special events to
announcements about current events significant to the gay and lesbian
community. The fourth subseries, Services, consists of administrative papers
and microfiche pertaining to general services of the LGRC, which includes legal
and community resource referral information. Also included in this subseries
are information about LGRC's membership, complaint intake logs (1989 - 1994),
surveys, and questionnaires. The fifth subseries, Correspondence, consists of
letters, notes and faxes sent or received by LGRC, its officers, or the ACLU of
Southern California. Arranged chronologically by year, it includes--but is not
limited to--personal correspondence of Peter Thomas Judge, Charlotte Innes,
Michael Reynolds, and Susan McGrievy; complaint intake letters; and general
letters to the LGRC membership at large. The sixth and last subseries,
Memoranda, consists of internal memoranda of the LGRC, its officers, and/or the
ACLU of Southern California. They are also arranged chronologically by
year.
The second series, Programs and Events, consists of press releases,
correspondence, memoranda, graphic design drafts, program books, flyers, notes,
financial records, award certificates and miscellany related to public programs
and events of the LGRC or ACLU. Included in this series are materials related
to the LGRC's monthly General Meeting and its annual event, the Human Rights
Awards. Also included in this series are reports and documents from the ACLU's
National Biennial Conferences.
The third series, Publications, compiles distributed newsletters,
documents and reports created by the LGRC, the ACLU of Southern California or
the national ACLU. The first part of the series contains the monthly
newsletters of the Chapter, which the Chapter began distributing in 1977. The
remaining publications report on the local and national activities of the ACLU,
including those pertaining to AIDS and gay- and lesbian-related legislation.
The fourth series, Subject Files, compiles reports, clippings, court
documents, publications, correspondence, flyers, typescripts, notes, and a
videocassette organized in subject files created by the LGRC. The topics in the
subject files relate to the LGRC's on-going activism involving AIDS,
discrimination, adoption, domestic partnership, legislation, litigation, media,
military policies, police practices, violence, hate crimes, among others.
The fifth series, Photographs, comprises photographs and
negatives--circa 1974 to 1990--taken of programs organized by the LGRC or those
in which the LGRC participated.
The sixth and final series, Ephemera, comprises printed ephemera, a
guestbook, a stamp with the phrase "Gay Flag = Yes," and a "Vehicular Award"
ribbon won in the 1983 Gay Pride Parade.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this
collection in the library's online public access catalog.
ACLU
ACLU Lesbian and Gay Rights
Chapter
ACLU Foundation of
Southern California
American Civil
Liberties Union
American Civil
Liberties Union Foundation
American Civil
Liberties Union of Southern California
Davidson, Jon W.
Gay and lesbian rights
Gay Rights Chapter
Gays--Services for
Gays--Civil rights
Homosexuality--Law and
legislation--California
Homosexuality--Law and
legislation--United States
Judge, Peter Thomas
Lesbian and Gay Rights
Chapter
Lesbians--Services for
Lesbians--Civil rights
McGrievy, Susan
Reynolds, Michael E.
Container List
Box: 1:1 - 12:7 ; 24:1 - 5
Series 1.
Administration
1970-1997
Physical Description: 5.2 linear feet.
Series Scope and Content
This series consists of materials related to the general day-to-day
administrative activities of the Lesbian & Gay Rights Chapter of the ACLU.
It includes minutes, correspondence, memoranda, reports, press releases,
contracts, administrative documents, microfiche and miscellany that date from
before the founding of the LGRC through 1997. The series is divided into six
subseries: (1) General, (2) Committees and Board of Directors, (3)
Publicity/Public Relations, (4) Services, (5) Correspondence, and (6)
Memoranda.
Box: 1:1 - 1:8 ; 5:1 - 5:4 ; 24:1 -
2
Subseries 1.1.
General
1976-1995
Physical Description: 0.4 linear feet.
Subseries Scope and Content
This subseries consists of contracts, bylaws, resumes, financial
records, bequests, personnel files, documents, handwritten notes and miscellany
pertaining to the general day-to-day operations of the LGRC. Included in this
subseries are the Chapter's mission statement, organizational history and
bylaws; its IRS status; treasurer's reports; and information about the
organization's personnel, real estate, finances and general office
operations.
Box 1 : 1
Mission Statement and Organizational History
ca. 1976 -
1991
Box 1 : 3
ACLU Affiliates
1991 -
1995
Box 1 : 4
Personnel Information
1979 -
1995
Box 1 : 5
Personnel - Michael E. Reynolds
1989
Box 1 : 6
Personnel - Charlotte Innes
1990
Box 24 : 2
[Oversize]
California Federal Community Room Agreement
1979 -
1980
Box 1 : 7
Office Administration
ca. 1976 -
1995
Box 5 : 1
Treasurer's Reports
1978 -
1991
Box 5 : 2
General Financial Records
ca. 1976 -
2000
Box 1 : 8
Miscellaneous
ca. 1976 -
1995
Box: 1:9 - 4:15
Subseries 1.2.
Committees and Board of Directors
1970-1995
Physical Description: 1.5 linear feet.
Subseries Scope and Content
This subseries consists of minutes, agendas and reports from
meetings for the committees and board of directors of the LGRC. It is this
subseries that contains the earliest materials in the collection, including
records from the Gay Rights Panel and the Rights of Homosexuals Committee of
the ACLU of Southern California.
Box 1 : 9
General Notes
ca. 1976 -
1981
Box 1 : 10 - 13 ; 2 : 1 -
6 ; 3 : 1 - 6
Board of Directors - Meeting Agendas and
Minutes
1979 -
1995
Box 1 : 11
September
1989 - January 1990
Box 1
: 13
September -
December 1991
Box 2
: 3
September -
November 1992
Box 2 : 4
December
1992 - February 1993
Box 3
: 1
September -
December 1993
Box 4 : 1
Chapter Council - Agenda
1993 -
1994
Box 4 : 3
Gay Rights Panel of ACLU Southern California
1975 -
1976
Box 4 : 4
Legal Committee
ca. 1975 -
1980
Box 4 : 5
Legislative Committee
1976 -
1979
Box 4 : 6
Lesbian Rights Committee
1977 -
1978
Box 4 : 7
Membership Committee
1976 -
1978
Box 4 : 8 - 9
Nomination Committee
1976 -
1995
Box 4 : 10
Police Practices Committee
1977 -
1979
Box 4 : 11
Publicity / Public Relations (and Newsletter)
Committee
1970 -
1978
Box 4 : 12
Rights of Homosexuals / Gay Rights Committee of ACLU
Southern California
1973 -
1976
Box 4 : 13
Speakers Committee
1977 -
1978
Box 4 : 14
Steering Committee
1977 -
1978
Box 4 : 15
Miscellaneous Reports
ca. 1977 -
1995
Box: 5:5 - 5:7 ; 24:3 - 4
Subseries 1.3.
Publicity / Public Relations
1976-1994
Physical Description: 0.2 linear feet.
Subseries Scope and Content
This subseries consists of press releases, press listings, notes
and a pamphlet design draft pertaining to LGRC's publicity and media relations.
The press listings are primarily gay- and lesbian-related publications in the
Los Angeles area, and the content for the press releases range from notices for
LGRC's special events to announcements about current events significant to the
gay and lesbian community.
Box 5 : 5
Press Releases
1976 -
1993
Box 5 : 6
Los Angeles Area Press Lists
ca. 1976 -
1989
Box 5 : 7
CityChannel 8 Bulletin Board Requests
1990 -
1993
Box 24 : 4
[Oversize]
General Notes
1979 -
1994
Box: 5:8 - 6:6
Subseries 1.4.
Services
1980-1994
Physical Description: 0.5 linear feet.
Subseries Scope and Content
This subseries consists of administrative papers and microfiche
pertaining to general services of the LGRC, which includes legal and community
resource referral information. Also included in this subseries are information
about LGRC's membership, complaint intake logs (1989 - 1994), surveys, and
questionnaires.
Box 5 : 8
Membership Services Information
1980 -
1994
Box 5 : 9
Membership Services [Microfiche]
ca. 1990
Box 6 : 1
Legal Referral Information
1992 -
1994
Box 6 : 2
Community Resources
ca. 1980 -
1985
Box 6 : 6
Questionnaires and Surveys
Undated
Box: 6:7 - 11:7 ; 24:5
Subseries 1.5.
Correspondence
1975-1997
Physical Description: 2 linear feet.
Subseries Scope and Content
This subseries consists of correspondence sent or received by
LGRC, its officers, or the ACLU of Southern California. Arranged
chronologically by year, it includes--but is not limited to--personal
correspondence of chapter presidents Peter Thomas Judge and Michael E. Reynolds
and gay rights attorneys Susan McGrievy and Jon Davidson; complaint intake
letters; and general letters to the LGRC membership at large. Also included are
letters on behalf of the LGRC to and from public officials regarding current
events significant to the gay and lesbian community, in California in
particular.
Box 9 : 8 - 9 ; 10 : 1 - 2
Box: 11:8 - 12:7
Subseries 1.6.
Memoranda
1976-1996
Physical Description: 0.6 linear feet.
Subseries Scope and Content
This subseries consists of internal memoranda of the LGRC, its
officers, and/or the ACLU of Southern California. They are arranged
chronologically by year.
Box: 12:8 - 16:12 ; 26:1-2
Series 2.
Programs and Events
1976-1995
Physical Description: 3.4 linear feet.
Series Scope and Content
This series consists of press releases, correspondence, memoranda,
graphic design drafts, program books, flyers, notes, financial records, award
certificates and miscellany related to public programs and events of the LGRC
or ACLU. Included in this series are materials related to the LGRC's General
Meeting held monthly at the Center, which usually featured a talk or discussion
panel highlighting topics relevant to the gay and lesbian community, including
but not limited to discrimination, national and state legislation, health,
police practices, hate crimes, military, child custody and equal rights. The
series also contains administrative and program material for the LGRC's annual
event, the Human Rights Awards--an award dinner held since 1977 in which the
LGRC honors members of the community who have contributed to the advance of
lesbian and gay activism and civil liberties. The LGRC's other regularly-held
events include a leadership retreat and holiday parties. Also included in this
series are reports and documents from the ACLU's National Biennial Conferences.
The materials in this series are categorized by event and arranged
chronologically.
Box 12 : 8 ; 13 : 1 - 6
General Monthly Meetings
1976 - 1995
Box 13 : 7 - 8 ; 14 : 1 - 12 ; 15 : 1 -
12 ; 26 : 1 - 2
Human Rights Awards
1978 - 1994
Box 26 :
1 [Oversize]
1991 Program Book
Materials
Box 16 : 1
Gay Constituency Day
1979
Box 16 : 2
Chapter Activist Award
1986
Box 16 : 3 - 5
Annual Retreat
1990 - 1994
Box 16 : 6 - 9
ACLU Biennial Conference
1991 - 1993
Box 16 : 10
Bill of Rights Bicentennial Dinner
1991
Box 16 : 11
Holiday Rights Party
1994
Box 16 : 12
Miscellaneous Programs and Events
1976 - 1993
Box: 17:1 - 19:7 ; 24:6 - 10
Series 3.
Publications
1976-2004
Physical Description: 1.5 linear feet.
Series Scope and Content
This series compiles publications created by the LGRC, the ACLU of
Southern California or the national ACLU. The first part of the series contains
the monthly newsletters of the Chapter-- arranged chronologically--which the
Chapter began distributing in 1977. Several issues of the newsletters, between
the years 1997 to 2004, are missing. The remaining publications are arranged
alphabetically and report on the local and national activities of the ACLU,
including those pertaining to AIDS and gay- and lesbian-related
legislation.
Box 17 : 1 - 9 ; 18 : 1 - 14 ; 24 : 6 -
10
Newsletter of the Lesbian and Gay Rights
Chapter
1976 - 2004
Box 18 : 15
ACLU - 1989 in Review
1989
Box 19 : 1
AIDS Project Dockets
1991 - 1996
Box 19 : 2 - 3
Anti-gay Ballot Initiatives Briefing Book
1993
Box 19 : 4
Civil Liberties in Crisis: Los Angeles During the
Emergency
1992
Box 19 : 5
International Civil Liberties Report
1992
Box 19 : 6
Lesbian and Gay Rights Project Dockets
1991 - 1996
Box 19 : 7
Of the Community And For the Community: Racial and Gender
Integration in Southern California Police and Fire Departments
1994
Box: 19:8 - 23:5
Series 4.
Subject Files
1976-2001
Physical Description: 1.5 linear feet.
Series Scope and Content
This series compiles reports, clippings, court documents,
publications, correspondence, flyers, typescripts, notes, and a videocassette
organized in subject files created by the LGRC. The topics in the subject files
relate to the on-going activities of the LGRC involving AIDS, discrimination,
adoption, domestic partnership, legislation, litigation, media, military
policies, police practices, violence, hate crimes, among others. This series
also includes materials from organizations with which the LGRC has collaborated
with, such as LIFE: League for Individual Freedom and Equality, the Lawyers for
Human Rights, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights. The subject files are
arranged alphabetically.
Box 19 : 8
Affirmative Action
1990 - 1992
Box 19 : 9 ; 20 : 1 -
2
AIDS Legislation and Litigation
1984 -
1994
Box 20 : 3
AIDS and Women
1990 -
1993
Box 20 : 4
California Department of Health Services: Task Force on
HIV/AIDS
1994
Box 20 : 5
Department of Health and Human Services: AIDS
Discrimination in Employment
1989
Box 20 : 6
Santa Barbara AIDS Advocacy Program
1991
Box 20 : 7
Cable Access: Window to the People
Undated
Box 20 : 8
California State Legislation on Gay and Lesbian Issues
1977 - 1993
Box 20 : 9 - 11
Discrimination
1979 - 1992
Box 20 : 9
Employment Discrimination
1990 -
1992
Box 20 : 10
Employment and Housing Discrimination
1979 -
1990
Box 20 : 11
Curran vs. Mt. Diablo Council (Boy Scouts of
America)
1990
Box 21 : 1
Adoption and Custody Battles
1992 -
1993
Box 21 : 2
Domestic Partnership: Issues and Legislation
1992
Box 21 : 3 - 4
Domestic Partnership and Marriage
1990 -
1994
Box 21 : 5
Gay and Lesbian Parenting
1991 -
1993
Box 21 : 6
Gay and Lesbian History
1980 - 1994
Box 21 : 7
Heterosexual Privilege
1992
Box 21 : 8
Lawyers for Human Rights
1992 - 1994
Box 21 : 10
LIFE: League for Individual Freedom &
Equality
1987 - 1995
Box 22 : 2
Department of Defense and U.S. Military Policies on
Homosexuality
1992
Box 22 : 3
Gay and Lesbian Issues in the U.S. Military
1979 -
1993
Box 22 : 4 - 5
Sexual Orientation and U.S. Military Personnel
Policy
1993
Box 22 : 6 - 7
Stout vs. Westbourne Ventures
1988
Box 23 : 11
Swann/ACLU vs. Department of Navy Video
Highlights
1992 -
1994
Physical Description: 1 videocassette (VHS)
Box 22 : 8
National Center for Lesbian Rights
1993
Box 22 : 9
National Gay and Lesbian Social Surveys
1992 - 1994
Box 23 : 1 - 2
Police Issues
1978 - 1994
Box 23 : 4
Violence and Hate Crimes
1992 - 1994
Box 23 : 5
Miscellaneous Clippings
1976 - 2001
Box: 23:6 - 9
Series 5.
Photographs
ca. 1974-1990
Physical Description: 0.1 linear feet.
Series Scope and Content
This series comprises photographs and negatives--circa 1974 to
1990--taken of programs organized by the LGRC or those in which the LGRC
participated. Events documented in these photographs include "A Conference on
Sex and the Law" in 1981, the 1990 Christopher Street West Gay Pride Parade and
other unidentified LGRC events. In most cases, the people in the photographs
have not been identified.
Box 23 : 6 - 8
Photographs
ca. 1974 -
1990
Box 23 : 9
Black & White Negatives
ca. 1981
Box: 23:10 ; 24:11 ; 25
Series 6.
Ephemera
ca. 1975-1995
Physical Description: 0.6 linear feet.
Series Scope and Content
This series comprises printed ephemera, a guestbook, a stamp with
the phrase "Gay Flag = Yes," and a "Vehicular Award" ribbon won in the 1983 Gay
Pride Parade. The printed materials created by the LGRC or the ACLU include
pamphlets and flyers related to the organization's general activities.
Box 24 : 11
[Oversize]
Flyers and Pamphlets
ca. 1975 -
1995
Box 25
Stamp - "Gay Flag = Yes"
Undated
Box 25
Ribbon - "Gay Pride Parade 1983 Vehicular
Award"
1983
