January, 2015 Volume 10 Number 1 NEWSLETTER FOR THE FRIENDS OF THE TRETTER COLLECTION LegacyLegacy GrantGrant TeamTeam MakesMakes GreatGreat Progress!Progress!

Inside this issue...... -- Cover Story - (read about it on Page 6) -- In Memory of Harvey Hertz -- HIV/AIDS Healthcare Providers Oral Histories -- Ken Moses e-Clipping Collection Helps Researchers -- Transforming Ourselves: 2015 Upper Midwest Queer People of Color & Indigenous Conference -- Preserving & Protecting to Prevent Bi Erasure -- Major Grant Funds Oral History Project You Can Help! The Tretter Collection relies on the support FROM THE CHAIR of organizations and individuals, like you! Please consider making a charitable donation to the Tretter Collection using the By Anne Hodson, Chair hours of oral history that will be enclosed self-addressed envelope as part of Greetings everyone, and preserved. your giving plan. Your support will help to preserve GLBT history now and for future welcome to the latest edition Archiving LGBT history is generations. of the Tretter Letter. It’s a really a growing field, even the Thank you. exciting time for us here at the Smithsonian has begun to collect Tretter Collection. We had a LGBT objects for display, yet the great time at Pride in the History Tretter Collection continues to be NEWSLETTER FOR THE FRIENDS OF Pavilion again this past year, with one of the largest collections in THE TRETTER COLLECTION many people coming through to the country. https://www.lib.umn.edu/scrbm/tretter Advisory Committee visit and see the exhibit. We’re Long time readers may have Community Representatives already looking forward to next noticed that lately there is more Anne Hodson, Chair year. Eric Colleary Trans* content in the newsletter, James Garlough The cataloging project is going which is intentional as we Jay Hansen well, with over half of the project diversify the collection and Martha Hardy Frankie Jader goal complete (see become more inclusive Jean-Nickolaus Tretter, Founder center spread article). of Trans* identities. Stewart Van Cleve We are also expanding Stef Wilenchek We are proud to University Library Representatives receive a grant to our Bi, Pan, Fluid, and Kris Kiesling hire an Oral Historian Omni materials. Kathy McGill Lisa Vecoli, Curator who will conduct The Tretter Board Sodlis Emeriti, Ex-Officio interviews and welcomed three new Jim Bones research for our members this year, Shamey Cramer Jesse Field Transgender Oral Stef Wilenchek, Frankie Greg Gronseth History Project. The Jader, and Martha Ralph Hanson project will include Hardy. Be sure to read Christoph Heydemann Angela Nichols oral histories, an the article in this issue, Anne Phibbs online exhibit, and Anne Hodson, Chair “Preserving BTQLG Adam Robbins building relationships History and Preventing Linnea Stenson Phil Willkie between the Trans* and Gender Bi Erasure” by Martha and her Newsletter Editor/Production Queer communities of the wife Sarah Weaver. George Hamm Upper Midwest and the Tretter The University of Minnesota is an equal As I write this, we have learned of opportunity educator and employer.This Collection. There has been the passing of long time pioneer publication can be made available in little work done in the past to and activist Leslie Feinberg. alternative formats for people with disabilities. document the often hidden lives Direct requests or address corrections to Lisa Leslie was an author of several Vecoli, Special Collections, Andersen Library of Trans* and Gender Queer seminal books on gender and Room 111, , MN 55455, 612-624- people and with this grant we culture, “Stone Butch Blues,” 7526, ([email protected]). can begin to explore in greater “Transgender Warriors,” “Trans The University’s mission, carried out on detail the lives of this rich and multiple campuses and throughout the state, is Liberation,” and “Drag King threefold: research and discovery, teaching and diverse community. This is a Dreams.” The Tretter Collection learning, and public service. three year-long project and has a skateboard that signed by © 2015 by the Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. will be a collection of great Leslie in the archive. significance with up to 400

2 Tretter Letter January, 2015 Thanks to the generous support of our donors......

We gratefully acknowledge the • Ken Moses - Stillwater, MN From the following individuals for their support • Colin de la Motte-Sherman - Germany and give thanks to countless others • Len Olds & Hugh Rouse - CA field.... whose generous spirits have made our work possible. • ONE Archives - CA • Quatrefoil Library - Minneapolis, MN • Earl Austin - Duluth, MN • Raymond Rea - Moorhead, MN • Sanford Berman - Minneapolis, MN • Julie Redpath - Chisago City, MN What’s happening in national & • David Bjork & Jeff Bengtson international circles..... - Minneapolis, MN • Robert Reed - Minneapolis, MN • Timothy M Bonham - Minneapolis, MN • Estate of Ankha Shamin - Minneapolis,MN The HIV/AIDS Healthcare • John Burnside - Minneapolis, MN • Laurie R Simon - Maplewood, MN Providers Oral History Project • Calliope Women’s Chorus • Marlene Somers - MN - Minneapolis, MN By Barb Sommer, Emil Angelica and Peter Carr • Lyn Crosby - West St Paul, MN • TC Pride - Twin Cities, MN • Andrew Eddy - FL • Jean Tretter - St Paul, MN (In memory of Harvey Hertz) On August 14, 2014, the HIV/AIDS • David J Edy & Jason Lue - CA • Jean Tretter - St Paul, MN (In memory of Healthcare Providers Oral History • GLBT Historical Society - CA the parents of Michael Welch) Project team, Emil Angelica, Peter • Bob Jansen - Superior, WI • Lisa Vecoli - Minneapolis, MN Carr, and Barb Sommer, delivered the • Maria Kochaver - CA first ten project interviews to the Jean- • Robert Werner - Rochester, MN • Peter Koeleman - Minneapolis, MN Nickolaus Tretter Collection in Gay, • Beth Zemsky - Minneapolis, MN Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender • LGBT Therapists Network • Li Zhu - Minneapolis, MN Studies. The purpose of this grant - Minneapolis, MN supported project1 was to begin • June Mazer Archives - CA to document Minnesota’s response • Dr John W McConnell - Minneapolis, MN to HIV/AIDS from first identification • Michael McConnell & Jack Baker of the disease in the state through - Minneapolis, MN ongoing focus on prevention and • Tom McNaron - Minneapolis, MN care. • Richard E Madigan - St Paul, MN Through project interviews, the team (In memory of Paul Richard) began to document how Minnesota healthcare providers, broadly defined, responded to HIV/AIDS during the first decades of the epidemic. Project information includes: early identification of the disease; responses to HIV/AIDS by members of the Twin Cities medical community and leaders of community-based organizations; changes/transitions in responses; interactions – competing and complementing responses; disease trends and impact on responses; and lessons learned. Voices of our interviewees illustrate these points: [describing hearing about HIV/AIDS] “…things hadn’t even been described yet … but you could hear a certain drumbeat that this [HIV/AIDS] was ready to explode and was going to be

From the Field, Continued on Page 12

Tretter Letter January, 2015 3 Transgender Oral History Project Grant!

(The following is a slightly edited version done so much in so many diverse volunteers with the Tretter of our press release on the project.) areas to spread enlightenment Collection, said she’s thrilled to be Tawani Foundation has generously and education,” said COL (IL) contributing her story. awarded a major multi-year grant Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Ret.), “My story, and all of the others, to the Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Founder, Pritzker Military Museum will add to the diversity of voices Collection in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Library. “I particularly wish to and experiences for people and Transgender Studies at the use this as an opportunity to salute in the future,” Atchison said. University of Minnesota Libraries and honor fellow veteran Jean- “Volunteering in the archive gave for the purpose of documenting Nickolaus Tretter, Founder of the me the opportunity to learn and the historic and contemporary Tretter Collection at the University, take courage from those who experience of transgender for his scholarship and most of came before and now I can pass individuals in the Upper Midwest. all for his years of valuable and that gift on.” distinguished service in the United This will be done through the States Navy.” The project is hiring now and collection of up to 400 hours of expects to begin gathering oral oral histories involving 200 to 300 Other project goals include: histories in early 2015. Anyone individuals over the next three • Increasing awareness and use interested the Transgender Oral years. A major effort will be the of the archives in the Tretter History Project or the Tretter recruitment of individuals of all Collection Collection in GLBT Studies is ages and experiences for the oral • Adding to the holdings of the encouraged to contact Lisa Vecoli histories. Tretter Collection through the oral at [email protected]. You may also This project will support the Upper histories and the addition of other follow the project on our Facebook Midwest transgender community materials, such as journals and page: Transgender Oral History and empower individuals to photographs Project – Tretter Collection UMN. tell their story, while providing • Documenting the role of the The Transgender Oral History students, historians, and the public Program in Human Sexuality at the Project is a collaboration of the with a more rich foundation of University of Minnesota Medical Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection primary source material about the School in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual transgender community. and Transgender Studies at • Making information about the The Tretter Collection at the the University of Minnesota transgender community accessible University of Minnesota Libraries is Libraries, University of Minnesota online to researchers and the collaborating on this project with Foundation, and the Program in public the Program in Human Sexuality Human Sexuality at the University at the University of Minnesota “This is an important project of Minnesota Medical School. It is Medical School. Materials will primarily because we want to funded with a grant from Tawani be housed within the Tretter make sure that transgender Foundation established by Colonel Collection at the University’s Elmer experiences are represented, (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG L. Andersen Library. recognized, and preserved for (Retired), founder of the Pritzker current and future generations,” Military Museum and Library. “As a member of the Leadership said Lisa Vecoli, curator of the Council for the Program in Human Tretter Collection in Gay, Lesbian, Sexuality at the University of Bisexual, and Transgender Studies. Minnesota Medical School, and “These voices are missing and who as Founder and Chairwoman better to share that experience and of the Pritzker Military Museum tell that story than the people who and Library, I am very glad to lived it.” be a partner and contributor to a prestigious institution like the Emily Atchison, a senior at the University of Minnesota that has University of Minnesota who

4 Tretter Letter January, 2015 Preserving BTQLG History and Preventing Bi Erasure By Martha Hardy and Sarah Weaver lesbians? Och’s own words explain The Tretter Collection wants to quite well, “’My identity is hard- collect that more accurate story, Archives like the Jean-Nickolaus won — I worked very hard and for a whether someone is a famous bi Tretter Collection protect, preserve, very long time to come to a place of person or not. In the case of a well- and make accessible primary sources comfort and pride about who I am, known person like Robyn Ochs this that document the lives of queer and it matters to me that people see is more easily achieved. For the rest communities. We highlight the me accurately.’”3 This example of bi of the bi community it will take a “B” in BTQLG because too often erasure matters to the bi community more deliberate process of making bisexuals and other non-monosexual because many of us were deeply sure the materials that document our communities are subject to a lives and community are collected phenomenon called bisexual erasure. and documented properly. For this Bisexual erasure is the tendency for to happen, bisexual people need to to be denied an existence donate our papers and photos and by refusing to believe it is a valid help identify them in order to provide orientation, or by omitting it as an crucial context. If you or someone identity in history and media.1 With you know has materials that will the support of community members, bring bisexual life forward please the Tretter Collection can play an consider donating those materials. important role in correcting the And if you see an adorable wedding problem of bisexual erasure simply photo of a same-sex couple, don’t by doing what the best archives do automatically assume they are lesbian well, collecting a diverse array of or gay. What is now known as the primary source materials, describing “Bisexual Manifesto”, originally them appropriately to make them published in the front matter of the findable, and making these materials magazine Anything That Moves in accessible to users. 1991 and widely redistributed since This may sound simple, but the mere then, reminds us all to be wary of fact of bisexual erasure in media and such assumptions for good reason: other sources can pose significant involved with the fight for same- “Monosexuality is a heterosexist challenges. In one prominent sex marriage rights. In fact we have dictate used to oppress homosexuals been there all along in struggles and to negate the validity of example, Robyn Ochs, internationally 4 prominent bisexual activist, author, for acceptance and equal rights for bisexuals.” Let’s make sure that no and speaker, married her partner same-sex loving human beings, but one’s story in the BTQLG community of seven years, Peg Preble, in because of bisexual erasure you gets erased by the dominant Massachusetts in 2004 right after the might not have seen us. heteronormative culture. state’s ban on same-sex marriage was Archive collections can grow in a 1 Bowles, Emily. “Bisexuality.” overturned. They were one of the willy-nilly fashion as individuals Encyclopedia of Women in Today’s World. Ed. Mary Zeiss Stange, Carol K. Oyster, first same-sex couples to be married donate materials. With strategic and Jane E. Sloan. 1st ed. Thousand Oaks, in the state. Their lovely wedding forethought, deliberate acquisitions, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011. 157-63. photos were printed in many national and intentional donations, we can SAGE knowledge. Web. 3 Nov. 2014. news outlets. Even though Robyn grow a collection that well represents 2 Cruz, Eliel. “When Bisexual People Get Ochs openly identifies as bisexual, bisexual communities. It would be Left Out of Marriage.” Advocate.com. 26 the media frequently labeled them easy when collecting articles and Aug. 2014. Web. 2 Nov. 2014. as a lesbian couple, beginning with pictures about Robyn Ochs’ wedding 3 Cruz. the headline of an article about them to reify the original erasure, but in 4 “Bay Area Bisexual Network. “About Our in the Washington Post.2 Why does fact the paper trail in a wide range of Name.” Anything That Moves Summer. it matter that they were labeled as public media collected together tells 1991: [front matter]. Print. a more accurate and complex story. Tretter Letter January, 2015 5 Legacy Grant Continues to Make

By Lisa Vecoli We are well under way in our on Gay Lifestyles and Attitudes folder names read like a Who’s work to transform the Tretter Towards Homosexuality. This Who of the early movement for Collection. We received a grant work was part of his job as LGBT rights. with funds provided by the State the “Gay Coordinator” at the • Twin Cities Goodtimes Softball of Minnesota from the Arts and Alternative Lifestyle Office. League Records, 25 linear feet. Cultural Heritage Fund through • Sen. D. Scott Dibble Papers, 35 Growing out of a softball contest the Minnesota Historical Society linear feet. The collection includes between patrons of the Saloon to process materials in the archive. personal items, his legislative Bar and the Minneapolis Police These are materials Department, we had in the the TCGSL archive but were records contain not processed. scrapbooks dating We are sorting, back to 1979 (The identifying and Saloon won the creating finding first contest!) aids that make the collections usable • Outfront by researchers. Minnesota Records, 71 We set an linear feet. This ambitious goal collection dates of processing back to 1970 1,600 linear feet of and includes material during the organizational grant. The boxes records of the lined up side by main GLBT side would stretch organizing body over 1/3 of a mile. in Minnesota Some boxes may spanning from have 50 magazines, Legacy staff member Andrea Hoff processes a mixed box of material from archive Gay Community others may have founder, Jean-Nickolaus Tretter. Services in the 3-4,000 pages of early 1970s, to paper. For an idea of Lesbian and Gay the challenge, using a conservative work and his work on numerous Community Services, to Gay estimate of 2,500 items in the campaigns such as the 1980 and Lesbian Community Action average box, we are processing an election of Rep. Karen Clark. Council and finally to Outfront estimated 4,000,000 items during • Barbara Gittings Papers, 1 MN. this grant! linear foot. Barbara was one • Minnesota Men of Color A few of the collections we have of the foremothers of the LGBT Records (MMC), 35 linear feet. processed during the first half of movement and we were fortunate MMC operated from 1998 to 2003, the grant are: to have her visit the Tretter focusing largely on HIV/AIDS • Jim Chalgren Papers, 9 linear Collection in 2006. Barbara gave education within communities of feet. This collection includes us some materials then and color. surveys Jim Chalgren did at her partner, Kay Tobin, sent us additional materials after Barbara • Robert “Bob” Jansen Papers, Minnesota State University, 26 linear feet. Bob Jansen is Mankato, in the early 1980s died in 2007. This small collection has remarkable items and the deeply involved in the GLBT

6 Tretter Letter January, 2015 Great Progress Towards Its Goal!

Legacy Grant Team staff members Amanda Wick, Jennifer Shaw, Teresa Tjekpkes and Andrea Hoff are hard to see behind the 70 boxes of material from Outfront Minnesota. community and owns the Main Records; Scott Fearing Papers; processed collections are online Club in Superior, Wisconsin. Ankha Shamin Papers; David on the Tretter website: www.lib. • Queer Student Cultural Leddick Papers; Robert Johnson umn.edu/scrbm/tretter. We have Center (QSCC) Records, 16 Papers; Harold Wells Papers; Barrie also added over 12,000 periodical linear feet. This collection Jean Borich Papers; Linnea Stenson titles to the online catalog of the documents the evolution of Papers; District 202 Records; Lisa University of Minnesota. All of LGBT student organizations on Albrecht Papers; Andrew Eddy this makes the collection more campus, starting with F.R.E.E. Papers; Shamey Cramer Papers; accessible and more useable. (Fight Repression of Erotic Max Gries Papers; Elise Matthesen Expression) which formed before Papers; Wally Swan Papers; the in 1969, and Calliope Women’s Chorus Records; continuing to the contemporary Douglas Dean Goodman Papers; QSCC. Recent additions to the Sanford Berman Papers; Craig Michael McConnell Files also Anderson Papers; Joseph Ward offer remarkable documentation Papers; Toni McNaron Papers; of F.R.E.E. as well as community Lesbian Feminist Organizing organizing from 1969 through the Committee Records; Patrick Scully early 1970s. Papers; Wilde Roast Café Records; and Twin Cities Pride Records. • We have also completed processing the following All told, we have processed over collections: Two Spirit Papers; 900 linear feet of materials. Full finding aids for these and our other Jay Gordon Papers; Project 515 Teresa Tjepkes raises the thermometer to Records; CLCC Records; Bi Women 902 feet of linear material processed.

(All photos property of Tretter Collection.) 7 Tretter Letter January, 2015 Harvey Hertz Addition of Ken Moses Electronic Remembered Clipping Collection Leads to (1941 - 2014)

By Lisa Vecoli Faster and Easier Researching at the Tretter Archive

The Tretter Collection recently received a digital clipping file with over 50,000 entries, beginning in 1990 and continuing until July of 2014. The news reports were collected from local and national newspapers and cover both positive and negative GLBT related news events. Having a clipping file in this form will allow researchers to quickly search, identify and review news accounts of interest. It will also Harvey Hertz with Rev. Troy Perry allow us to ensure that the content remains available into the future. Because of copyright, researchers will need to visit the The Tretter Collection was saddened by the passing of Harvey archive to use the files. Hertz just days before Twin Cities The digital clipping collection is the work of Ken Moses, of Pride in June. Harvey was known Stillwater, Minnesota. Ken has had a lifelong interest in the to much of the gay community theatre and his accomplishments included: teaching drama at as the owner of A Brother’s Touch Syracuse University; a career in professional theatre including Bookstore on Hennepin Avenue. Broadway, Off-Broadway and London’s West End; succeeding the He opened the store in 1983 and it late Larry Berthelson as director of the Pickwick Puppet Theatre; served as a resource and gathering place for the community for the and an original adaptation of Cervantes’ “Don Quixote” with a next 20 years. score by Manuel de Falla. Ken’s collaboration with Berthelson on Stravinsky’s “Pulcinella” was honored in 1975 with a UNIMA Harvey was also a supporter of Citation of Excellence, and he produced and directed Mozart’s the Tretter Collection. He would regularly contact us to have us “Magic Flute” at Lincoln Center. come over and pick up another After four years of around-the-world travel inspired by hosting 150 batch of books, tee shirts, movies foreign visitors between 1984-88, he pursued a second career in and posters. The archive also has Civil Rights advocacy and education, concentrating on disability the original iconic sign from the and GLBT rights. He settled in Stillwater, MN, in 1995, and served bookstore. on the Stillwater Human Rights Commission for two years; in Some of the most notable items 2006, the Stillwater Human Rights Commission presented him its he donated were photographs of first Human Rights Award. Harvey with visiting authors and dignitaries that could be a GLBT He was one of the founding members of Out in the Valley, a GLBT Hall of Fame, including Allison social organization originally organized by OutFront Minnesota Bechdel, David Leavitt, Sasha for people in the St. Croix River Valley, and edited and published Alyson, Paul Monette, Armistead its monthly newsletter for the first six years. A friendship with Maupin, Rev. Troy Perry, Keri Charles Coventry, a Gaelic linguist in Scotland, resulted in a book Pickett, Nancy Manahan and collaboration written by Charles and designed and published by others. Ken, “The Tale of Divarov the Absent-Minded and his Castle.” We will miss Harvey and are We appreciate Ken’s dedicated work to assemble the clipping comforted that his contributions collection and appreciate his generosity in allowing us to make it and spirit live on at the archive. available at the Tretter Collection.

8 Tretter Letter January, 2015 New Acquisitions

We cannot highlight all that we have added to the collection in the past months, but a few highlights:

• Toni McNaron Papers – Toni McNaron Papers – Professor Toni McNaron added to the materials in her collection at the archive with her teaching texts and books she wrote and/or contributed to. She also donated the surveys that formed the basis of her book Poisoned Ivy: Lesbian and Gay Academics Confronting Homophobia. With over 300 surveys completed in 1994, the responses form a compelling glimpse into the challenges facing GLBT faculty two decades ago. The collection is fully processed and the finding aid is available on our website.

• Calliope Women’s Chorus Records – Founded in 1976, Calliope Women’s Chorus is one of the oldest feminist choruses in the United States. Their records include member documents, member documents, Calliope board meeting minutes, financial documents, grant information, contracts, diversity training information and collaborations with other organizations. The collection also has choral performance memorabilia (pamphlets, clippings, photo albums, journals, scrapbooks, newsletters) and audio visual materials including official release tapes, rehearsal tapes, VHS, and CDs. The collection is fully processed and the finding aid is available on our website.

• Allan Ginsberg – Sometimes amazing material comes from unexpected places. Li Zhu works for the University of Minnesota Libraries and was recently featured in a news story about her time teaching at Peking University during the Tiananmen Square massacre. The photo that accompanied the news story was of her, a colleague and Allan Ginsberg, who visited her class in 1984. While talking about the story with her she mentioned that in addition to the photo, she had an audio cassette of Allan’s presentation to her class. The audio tape runs for 90 minutes and includes Allan Ginsberg discussing modern American poetry and singing “Father Death Blues,” a song he wrote. Thanks to Li Zhu these unique artifacts are now in the Tretter Collection! (pictured is Li Zhu, left, with Allan Ginsberg, China - 1984.

• Marlene Somers Collection – We recently received a significant donation of print materials by, for and about transgender women from local collector, Marlene Somers. The materials, dating back to the 1950s, document her decades of seeking information and affirmation in the published record. Marlene was forced to keep the materials in a storage locker for family reasons. She was motivated to donate them to the Tretter Collection in the hope that they might offer guidance and support to those seeking to understand their gender identity. The publications fill 7 boxes and the full inventory of titles will soon be available on our website.

New Acquisition Photos courtesy of the Tretter Collection

Tretter Letter January, 2015 9 Accessing Ourselves: The Inaugural 2015 Upper Midwest Queer People of Color and Indigenous Conference By: Frankie Jader and off campus) and bring will be Jackson’s oral history project; On April 10-12, 2015, the Gay, a voice that challenges the Unheard Voices. Largely created Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, compartmentalization of queer through materials retrieved from Ally (GLBTA) Programs Office justice by centralizing issues of the Tretter Collection, the exhibit will host the first-ever Upper will showcase the lived experiences Midwest Queer People of of queer blacks in the Twin Cities. Color and Indigenous (QPOCI) In addition, this conference will Conference at the University present the Tretter Collection of Minnesota, Twin Cities. The with an opportunity to increase conference is community driven its visibility with indigenous and spearheaded by co-chairs communities and communities of Jason Jackson (GLBTA PO) and color. Board members of the Tretter Xay Yang (Wilder Foundation). Collection will be present and have This monumental event was born a chance to begin conversations out of a need to create spaces with presenters and attendees about for indigenous communities and adding new material to the archive. people of color who also identify This will be the first conference of as queer. Jackson notes, “As LGBTQ its kind in the Upper Midwest and people of color in the Midwest, race, class, gender, indigenous strong efforts are already being we don’t often get the chance to rights, and other inequalities that taken to ensure the conference’s connect with other queer people of exist locally and globally. Yang sustainability. Yang and Jackson color. When we do, often times it’s states, “Too often our issues are have mobilized steering & planning organized by our white allies, where overlooked or misinterpreted and committee members throughout whiteness becomes centralized and even minimized.” Jackson adds, Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and the once again, queer people of color “The conference in many ways Dakotas to move this work forward. find themselves in the margins.” will act as a way for queer people Yang states, “…There is a lot left to At the University of Minnesota, a of color to set their terms of what learn and a lot of work left to do predominantly white institution, it means to be inclusive in the in order to sustain a conference this sentiment rings all too true. workplace, schools, and social like this one. It’s hard work. We’re Many groups and organizations on justice orgs.” Over the course of learning something new every day campus cater to either people of three days, conference attendees and we are lucky to have passionate color or queer identities, but only will have the opportunity to and selfless individuals on both of one group celebrates both of these network, collaborate, and organize our committees. Whatever happens, identities together; Tongues Untied by attending workshops ranging we believe that we are the right – a group by and for people of from community building and people, at the right place and at color who are LGBTQ and/or same- solidarity to artistic expression. the right time to put this event gender loving. Keynote speakers will share their together.” expertise, and entertainment from This year’s conference theme, For more information about the Upper local musicians and artists will also Accessing Ourselves, is intended Midwest Queer People of Color and be available in the evenings. to strengthen the queer people Indigenous Conference, visit: http:// of color movement (both on A featured exhibit at the conference midwestqpocc.wordpress.com 10 Tretter Letter January, 2015 New Finding Aids Archives have two main challenges. First, we Bridegroom Donation have to acquire materials. But having them is By James Garlough the most funded documentary in the not our main purpose. Our goal is to make history of crowd funding, and was material accessible to researchers. We use A few months ago I watched the released in the fall of 2013. finding aids on our website to help connect documentary Bridegroom on Netflix. researchers with material. I was moved by Shane’s incredible For example, there have been several major The description of the film from the journey toward healing in spite of the film’s website states: GLBT Marches on Washington (1979, 1987, obstacles he has faced and even more 1993 and 2000). Using the search box on Bridegroom is a documentary by the courage he displayed growing our website, you would find collections directed by Linda Bloodworth- up gay in Montana. Shane was born about the Marches. You would find the Thomason that (sic) in Kalispell, papers of Ann DeGroot who served on the tells the emotional Montana Board for the Millenium March. You would journey of Shane where my also find materials in the collection of the and Tom, two young grandparents Lesbian and Gay Band Association about their performances at the Marches. You would also men in a loving and had a farm. The find materials in the papers of several people committed relationship extraordinary who attended the Marches. — a relationship that beauty of As part of the Legacy grant (page 6 & 7), we was cut tragically short Montana is only are processing collections, adding details by a misstep off the rivaled by the to existing finding aids and posting new side of a roof. The story bigotry that can ones. Several collections are highlighted in of what happened sometimes be our centerfold article, but among the other after this accidental found there. updated and new finding aids now online are: death– of how people • Twin Cities Pride I have never • Ankha Shamin without the legal seen a more • Joseph (Joe) Ward protections of marriage poignant • MNGALLA can find themselves example of • Gay House completely shut out and • Wilde Roast Café the kinds of • Calliope ostracized– is poignant, challenges • Scott Fearing enraging and opens a that face GLBT • Robert Johnson window onto the issue of marriage people when they lose a partner and • Boulton and Park Society Publications • Shamey (James Allen McCall) Cramer equality like no speech or lecture ever have no legal protections at all. So, will. • District 202 I purchased a copy for the Tretter • Dallas Drake On May 7, 2012, the anniversary Collection. Shane was kind enough • Andrew Eddy of Tom’s death, after a year of to autograph the DVD’s cover for us, • Douglas Dean Goodman and wrote “Tap, Tap, Tap,” a special • Jay Gordon documenting his own grief, Shane • Loring Hayden decided to make a video tribute to his code between him and Tom. I invite • David Leddick partner entitled “It Could Happen To you to watch the film and tell your • Lesbian Feminist Organizing Committee You.” This film, posted on YouTube, friends about it. In the meantime, • Lesbian Resource Center received over 3.4 million views and the autographed copy of the film will • Elise Matthesen • Sanford (Sandy) Berman has been translated into over 20 be present in the Tretter Archive for • Harold Wells different languages. The impact of future researchers to view and learn • Toni McNaron Shane’s YouTube video and the raw from. • Paul Migliorino nerve it touched, tells us this is an • Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra This is one way the Tretter Archive • Patrick Scully important story that needs to be told. gains important material worth • Wally Swan With the incredible support from preserving and future study – • Project 515 influential people like Brad and through individual donations like this • Sioux Empire Gay and Lesbian Coalition • Sri Lanka GLBTIQ Movement George Takei and Neil Patrick Harris, one. I encourage anyone who sees • Two-Spirit Bridegroom was successfully funded something important to LGBT history Every finding aid connects material with on July 19, 2012 by over 6,500 to consider finding a way to obtain a researchers and makes the archive more people on Kickstarter.com becoming copy for the Archive. functional and accessible!

Tretter Letter January, 2015 11 Nonprofit Org U.S. Postage PAID

NEWSLETTER FOR THE FRIENDS OF THE Twin Cities, MN TRETTER COLLECTION Permit No. 90155 The Tretter Collection Special Collections and Rare Books University of Minnesota Libraries 111 Elmer L. Andersen Library 222 21st Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55455 https://www.lib.umn.edu/scrbm/tretter Misspelled? Two copies? Please send corrections to [email protected]

From the Field, Continued from Page 3 “I remember trying to get the can and move forward. “ Sharon Day [Minnesota AIDS Project - MAP] Board really terrible...” Keith Henry, MD “A man [employee] … from years ago to have some discussions about how at MAP said, ‘I just want to turn out “I thought, ‘I’m a nurse. I need to do do we want to allocate our resources the lights. I want to be the last guy something with this.’ So I started … between prevention and services for out the door and turn out the lights.’ trying to learn what I could about people living with HIV. They are very Nobody thought it [HIV/AIDS] was AIDS then. HIV. … I remember doing different kinds of things at that time going to go this long.” Rob Yaeger CE courses. You would get this course, [late 1980s/early 1990s].” Lorraine a correspondence course, and it was Teel Recently, the Ramsey County three pages long because that is all Historical Society (RCHS) was awarded “AIDS was a test. It was a test of, a significant Minnesota Legacy grant that was known then about HIV at the you know, how humans respond to time.“ Brian Goodroad to complete another twenty HIV/ humans. It was a test of how public AIDS healthcare providers’ oral history “I remember many times I’d be health can or can’t be effective. It was interviews. Interviews will cover the introduced as a physician in the a test about how government can do time period up to the passage of hospital and someone would say, good things and government can do the Affordable Care Act. The Tretter ‘This is Frank Rhame and he is from bad things. “ Michael T. Osterholm Collection also will be the repository the HIV Clinic.’ People would make “…the spiritual message would be for these interviews. a little joke and step back.” Frank ‘How am I caring for my brother? Rhame, MD 1 The project was supported by a grant to How am I caring for my sister?’ ‘What the Hennepin History Museum through “What has always impressed me about kind of a God do I believe in, do I Legacy funding from the Arts and Cultural the whole Minnesota response was want to let other people know about?’ Heritage Fund established by the vote of the organic nature of it. Everything Not by speaking about it, but because Minnesotans on November 4, 2008, and was so grassroots. “ James Maurer we care, this is what our beliefs are administered by the Minnesota Historical Society. “We had to keep moving. This was about.” Joanne Lucid a fast-moving thing and we had to “You try to lift up as many people be movers. It wasn’t a comfortable, [as you can] and take them with you. sit-around-in-the-living room thing. “ That’s what we try to figure out with Linda Brandt the [Indigenous Peoples’] Task Force. Take as many people with us as we