Descriptive Summary
Administrative Information
Biographical Sketch
Scope and Content
Related Collections
Materials Removed from the Collection
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Copyright to unpublished manuscript materials has been transferred to the GLBT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.