Guide to the Arthur Lazere Papers, 1979-1993

Processed by Paula Jabloner; machine-readable finding aid created by Gabriela A. Montoya
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society
989 Market Street, Lower Level
San Francisco, California 94103
Phone: (415) 777-5455, #2
Email: info@glbthistory.org
URL: http://www.glbthistory.org/
© 1999
The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society. All rights reserved.

Guide to the Arthur Lazere Papers, 1979-1993

Accession number: 1993-09

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society



San Francisco, California

Contact Information:

  • Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society
  • 989 Market Street, Lower Level
  • San Francisco, California 94103
  • Phone: (415) 777-5455, #3
  • Email: info@glbthistory.org
  • URL: http://www.glbthistory.org/
Processed by:
Paula Jabloner
Date Completed:
December 1995
Encoded by:
Gabriela A. Montoya
© 1999 The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Summary

Title: Arthur Lazere Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1979-1993
Accession number: 1993-09
Creator: Lazere, Arthur
Repository: The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society.
San Francisco, California.
Language: English.

Administrative Information

Acquisition

The papers were donated to the GLBT Historical Society (#1993-09) by Arthur Lazere in 1993.

Access

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Copyright to unpublished manuscript materials has been transferred to the GLBT Historical Society of Northern California.

Audio-Visual Materials

Two cassette tapes and photographs.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Arthur Lazere Papers, 93-9, The GLBT Historical Society of Northern California.

Biographical Sketch

Arthur Lazere is a journalist and certified public accountant currently residing in San Francisco, California. In 1961, he received a degree in economics from the University of Michigan. He went on to receive a Master of Business Administration in accounting from Columbia University in 1963.
Lazere started his professional career working for the accounting firm of Price, Waterhouse & Co in New York City. In 1970 he turned for a time to teaching and worked as assistant professor at Fordham University, Brooklyn College, and Columbia University. In 1977 Lazere opened his own accounting firm in San Francisco.
Starting in 1981, Lazere also became a freelance journalist writing a monthly syndicated column, On the Job, for many gay publications. The column highlighted the work of many lesbian and gay individuals. The column ran until 1989. In addition to On the Job, much of Lazere's other work was published in a number of periodicals throughout the country.
Lazere is very active in many community service organizations including serving on the Board of Directors of the Gay and Lesbian Historical Society (1993-1996) and serving as the first openly gay trustee of the (San Francisco) Bay Area United Way. From 1981 to 1987, Lazere was instrumental in compelling the United Way to cater to the needs of the gay and lesbian community, whether in the pursuit of an anonymous donor plan or targeting funding for lesbian and gay organizations. Though not represented in this collection, Lazere played a significant role in the formation of the Golden Gate Business Association and the National Association of Gay Businesses.
For a more complete list of Lazere's accomplishments please consult the resume in the miscellaneous series.

Scope and Content

The one linear foot of papers documents Lazere's journalism from 1981 to 1993 and some of his community service work especially with the United Way. The records are divided into four series; journalism, community service work, miscellaneous, and audio visual.
The On the Job columns is the most well represented material in the journalism series. The columns are arranged chronologically. The first folder, lists the title of each column. The files contain, photocopies of the publication in its final format, a manuscript copy and frequently notes taken by Lazere during interviews. In the audio visual series is located photographs by Lazere of many of the individuals interviewed. The columns focus on the work and working environments of many queer individuals or various queer business enterprises. At certain times, Lazere would run a series on individuals in the same profession such as his series on Gays and Lesbians in Academia Series (1987). The journalism series also contains other work done by Lazere, with each folder indicating the title of each piece written. These pieces written between 1986 and 1993, vary in content from shopping in Puerto Vallarta to a piece on Dan Schmidt providing AIDS services in New Mexico. Please consult the folder listing for a complete list of Lazere's articles.
The community service work series is arranged alphabetically by organizational title. The bulk of the series includes materials on the United Way from 1979 through 1988. These files are an excellent source of documents outlining the fight to get lesbian and gay organizations on their donation lists. The documents include minutes and reports of the Lesbian and Gay Leaders Group who spearheaded this campaign through the board of trustees.
The miscellaneous series contains, Lazere's resume and a folder of articles quoting him. The audio visual series contains photographs of the individual portrayed in On the Job. Also included are two cassette tapes recorded by Lazere at the Gay and Lesbian Business Conference, 1991.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Gay men
Journalism

Related Collections

Golden Gate Business Association - Records 90-6
National Association of Business Councils - Records 90-16

Materials Removed from the Collection

Printed ephemera related to many of the articles Lazere wrote was transferred to the ephemera collection at GLHS.

 

Journalism

Box Box 1

List of Columns for On the Job, 1981-1989

 

On the Job Columns

 

1981

 

1982

 

1983

 

1984 (2 folders)

 

1985 (3 folders)

 

1986, Doctors Series

 

1986

 

1987, Gays and Lesbians in Academia Series

 

1987

 

1988 (folders)

 

1989

 

1989, Andrew Meltzer follow-up

 

1989, Miller Brewing follow-up

 

Other Writings

 

Dealers in the Desert: The Art Galleries of Santa Fe, 1986

 

Don Schmidt: New Mexico AIDS Services, 1986

 

Making a Home in the Briarpatch: Some Businesses aren't out to make a lot of money, 1987

 

Pearl Jemison-Smith, 1987

 

San Francisco's Small Business Advisory Commission: Poised for Success, 1987

 

Dutch Publications, 1987-1988

 

Norm Nickels Articles, 1987-1988

 

Where the Dollar Still Stretches: Shopping in Puerto Vallarta, 1988

 

AIDS Article Materials, 1989

 

Pure Oxygen [T.J. Anthony], 1989

 

Rude Awakening, Book Review of, 1989

 

First Major Confab on Corporate Lesbians and Gays, 1991

 

More than Just a Store, 1993

 

Community Service Work

Box Box 1

Industrial Development Authority, 1985

 

Jobpower - Community Transitions Program, 1980-1982

 

United Way

 

Board of Directors, 1981-1984

 

Board of Directors Nominations, 1981-1982, 1984

 

Donor Options Plan Committee, 1979-1983

 

Lesbian and Gay Leaders Group, 1982-1984

 

Lesbian and Gay Leaders Group, 1984-1987

 

Lesbian and Gay Issues, Taskforce on, 1988

 

World Airlines Boycott, 1979-1981

 

Miscellaneous

Box Box 1

Article quoting Lazere

 

Resume

 

Audio-Visual

Box Box 1

2 cassette tapes recorded at the Gay and Lesbian Business Conference, 1991

 

1 box of photographs (6½" x 4 ½")