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There are no restrictions

Access restrictions

The collection is open to research.

Preferred Citation

Richmond Gay Documents Collection, Collection Number M317, Special Collections and Archives, James Branch Cabell Library, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va.

Acquisition Information

The microfilm was donated to VCU Libraries by Bob Swisher in December 1988.

Historical Information

Gay Awareness in Perspective (GAP) was Richmond's first fully organized gay rights organization. The group met for the first time in April 1974 and principally concerned itself with a wide range of personal and sociological aspects of homosexuality.

Gay Rights Association (GRA) was formed on 23 October 1977, two weeks after anti-gay crusader and Miss America Anita Bryant visited Richmond. The group's mission was to formulate action programs aimed at the repeal, enactment, and modification of laws and ordinances for the benefit of the gay community in Richmond.

Virginia Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights was a state-wide gay rights organization formed in 1978 intending to unite the various gay and lesbian groups and advocates in Virginia.

Richmond Gay and Lesbian Alliance was originally called the Richmond chapter of the Virginia Gay Alliance and formed in the early 1980's. The organization attempted to bring together the various gay and lesbian groups in the Richmond area into one alliance.

The Richmond Pride was a monthly newspaper edited by Bev Rainey and Mary Dean Carter that served the lesbian and gay community of the greater Richmond area from 1986-1988.

Gay Alliance of Students was a student organization at Virginia Commonwealth University created with support from assistant dean Stephen Lenton and student leaders Walter Foery and Brenda Kriegel in 1974. The organization applied for space and monetary assistance from the university and was denied, sparking a long court fight between the Board of Visitors and the organization. The organization received financial support from both the ACLU and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, ultimately providing it with the opportunity to win a ruling from the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. The ruling ultimately altered law in ten regional states.

Dignity-Integrity, Richmond chapter, advocated for gays within the local Catholic (Dignity) and Episcopal (Integrity) churches. The organization was founded in 1974.

Scope and Contents

The collection, 1974-1988, consists of documents concerning the gay and lesbian community in Richmond, Virginia. Principally contains clippings, correspondence, legal files, minutes, newsletters, and publications, concerning local gay organizations. Organizations represented include Gay Awareness in Perspective (GAP), the Gay Rights Association (GRA), the Virginia Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights, the Richmond Gay and Lesbian Alliance, the Gay Alliance of Students (VCU), and the Richmond chapter of Dignity-Integrity. At the end of the reel, there is a copy of Sodomy in Virginia: Comments on the Statute and the Cases, 1 April 1975.

Arrangement

Arranged in seven series:

Series I. Gay Awareness in Perspective Files, 1974-1978 Series II. Gay Rights Association Files, 1977-ca. 1978 Series III. Virginia Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights Files, 1979 Series IV. Richmond Gay and Lesbian Alliance Files, 1982-1986 Series V. Richmond Pride Newspaper, August 1986-October 1988 Series VI. Gay Alliance of Students v. Alfred T. Matthews, et.al. Case Files, 1974-1976 Series VII. Dignity-Integrity, Richmond Chapter Files, ca. 1981-1983

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Gay Alliance of Students
• Gay Awareness in Perspective
• Gay Rights Association
• Gay liberation movement -- Virginia -- Richmond.
• Gays -- Societies and clubs -- Virginia -- Richmond
• Homosexuality -- Law and legislation -- Virginia -- Richmond.
• Richmond Chapter of Dignity-Integrity
• Richmond Virginia Gay/Lesbian Alliance
• Swisher, Robert
• Virginia Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights
• Virginia Gay Alliance

Reproduction Note

Microfilm.,Richmond, Va. :,Richmond Microfilming,1988.,1 microfilm reel ; 35 mm.