Describing Archives: A Content Standard

1200 SW Park Avenue Portland, Oregon 97205 Phone: 503-306-5240 Fax: 503-219-2040 E-mail: libreference@ohs.org

Finding aid encoded by Stewart Van Cleve 2011 November 15 Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard) Oregon Historical Society, Davies Family Research Library Research Library

1200 SW Park Avenue Portland, Oregon 97205 Phone: 503-306-5240 Fax: 503-219-2040 E-mail: libreference@ohs.org

Coll 256 Portland Town Council Portland Town Council Records 1974-1982 6 cubic feet 13 document cases Records of the Portland Town Council, a gay/lesbian organization headquartered in Portland Oregon, that included political, social, and community development components. Most of the materials date from the 1970s and early 1980s and were collected by John E. Baker. Included is correspondence, minutes of meetings, and subject files on issues relating to lesbian and gay political action. Materials in the collection are inEnglish Historical Note

The Portland Town Council (PTC) existed as an informal organization in the early 1970s, and formally organized as a nonprofit organization in 1975. In the 1970s, the PTC functioned as Oregon's first statewide gay rights organization. It instigated a proposal for gay rights legislation in Oregon, Senate Bill 603, which did not pass. The group also conducted extensive surveys of state legislators, asking their opinions regarding various legal issues raised by the developing LGBTQ population. Perhaps most notably in terms of national politics, the PTC produced a Legislative Guide to Gay Rights (1976). That document identified a variety of legal issues that queer people contended with, and the PTC offered it to local legislators and queer community organizations in other localities across the nation.

In terms of community development, the PTC worked with and supported various community organizations, serving as a catalyst for new ideas and groups. It organized a Gay Pride event on Portland's South Park Blocks in 1975, offered its support to new organizations such as Growing Alternative Youth (GAY)--a queer youth organization in Eugene, and struggled to refute the negative image of sexual minorities in local media. The PTC was also instrumental in the 1978 Eugene referendum measure to repeal the city's fledgling gay rights ordinance. That measure, which was supported by Anita Bryant, a national antigay figure, was repealed by a wide margin.

In its later years, the Portland Town Council maintained its political role while attempting to shift its community development focus to queer woman and people of color. Establishing the Diversity Alliance, the PTC contacted local civil rights organizations and made statements against local racism, sexism, and homophobia. But these efforts did not salve growing rifts in the LGBTQ community, and the council disbanded in 1982.

This collection was the Portland Town Council's office files. It contains: internal correspondence and financial information; subject files on Oregonian and national LGBTQ organizations in the 1970s and early 1980s; and political files that include answered gay rights surveys, completed by local politicians.

Materials are arranged into four series: Administrative, Subject, Political Files, and Portland Town Council Foundation records. Subject files are arranged alphabetically, as are documents within the subseries "Political Personalities."

The collection is open to the public.

The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library prior to any use of reproductions. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use of reproductions may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright holders.

Portland Town Council records, Coll 256, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

Materials were collected by John E. Baker.

Acquired January 2008, Library Accession 26423.

Additional materials may be added to the collection.

One folder of records of Right to Privacy Political Action Committee have been separated to an individual collection in the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

Additional materials relating to the Portland Town Council can be found in the collections of the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest, housed at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Baker, John E. Goldschmidt, Neil E., 1940- Portland Town Council. Oregon--Politics and government--1951- Gay liberation--Oregon. Gays--Oregon. Oregon Gays and Lesbians Political Campaigns Letters (correspondence) Minutes. Printed ephemera.

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series A Administrative Files 1975-1982 1/1 "PTC--Organization" 1975-1980

1/2 Legal Resource Project 1976-1978 1/3 Board Meeting Minutes (1 of 2) 1975-1978 1/4 Board Meeting Minutes (2 of 2) 1976-1981 1/5 Bowling League 1976 1/6 Bylaws Circa 1977 1/7 "General PTC Meeting" 1977-1978 1/8 "Board Applications and Resignations" 1979-1982 1/9 Financial Records (1 of 2) 1976-1978 1/10 Financial Records (2 of 2) 1977-1978 2/1 Media Files (1 of 2) 1977-1979 2/2 Media Files (2 of 2) 1977-1979 2/3 "Job Applicants" 1978 2/4 Mailing Lists/Correspondence 1976-1977 2/5 Miscellaneous 1975-1982 Series B Subject Files 1974-1982 2/6 "Abortion" Circa 1970s 2/7 The Advocate 1975-1977

Contains correspondence regarding advertisements

2/8 "Anti-Gay Religious" 1976-1980

Includes mailers from antigay religious organizations that include "The Blighted Eye That is Never Satisfied," a small comic book that depicts numerous sterotypes of gay male life in the 1970s.

2/9 "Bars" (In Oregon) Circa 1978 2/10 Boise police scandal 1077 2/11 "Boston" 1977 2/12 Bryant, Anita (1 of 2) 1976-1980

Contains newspaper clippings, magazine articles, correspondence with Bryant as the topic, and a press release from the Florida Citrus Commission.

2/13 Bryant, Anita (2 of 2) 1976-1980

Contains newspaper lcippings, magazine articles, and correspondence.

2/14 Capitol Forum 1977 2/15 Catholic Church 1974-1978 2/16 Citizens for a Decent Oregon 1976 2/17 Cosmopolitan Hotel 1979-1980 2/18 Court system and Portland Forum 1976 3/1 The Dorian Group 1976

A gay rights organization in Seattle. Contains early newsletters, correspondence, and event announcements.

3/2 Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon 1976 3/3 Education 1976 3/4 Full Employment Action Council Not dated 3/5 Eugene Referendum 1978

Conatins pamphlets, correspondence, newsletters from Benefit Eugene and Eugene Citizens for Human Rights, and newspaper clippings.

3/6 Fire Marshal 1977 3/7 "Clara Fraser vs. Seattle City Light (newspaper)" 1980 3/8 "Faggots and Class Struggle" 1970s 3/9 Friends Service Committee (Quakers) 1978 3/10 Fundraising/Promotions 1975 3/11 Gay/Lesbian Bibliographies and Discographies 1970s 3/12 Gay Civil Rights Bill Petition Not Dated 3/13 Gay Nurses Alliance, Portland Forum, Legal Misc 1976-1979 3/14 "Gay Stereotypes" 1978 3/15 "Gay Teachers" 1977-1978 3/16 Gay and Lesbian Pride in Portland 1981

Contains internal documents and a flier expressing discontent with the way the pride festival was organized.

3/17 Los Angeles Gay Community Serivces Center Not Dated

Located in a small envelope.

3/18 Gaysweek 1978 3/19 Barbara Gittings 1977

Correspondence with the famous lesbian activist.

3/20 "Goldschmidt...Recall '77" 1977

Contains correspondence and fliers related to a 1977 "controversy," in which then-mayor Goldscmidt signed a proclamation of Gay Pride day and angered some citizens, who subsequently attempted to orgaize a recall vote.

3/21 Bernice Goodman, "A Matter of Life: Homosexual, Bi-sexual, Heterosexual" 1977 3/22 Growing Alternative Youth (Eugene) 1977 3/23 "Harassment" 1977 3/24 Hate Mail 1980

Contains correspondence from and regarding "Yes on Euthanasia for Sexual Perverts"

3/25 "Heterosexual Molestations" 1975-1979

Contains newspaper clippings from local papers; this collection was likely assembled to refute the claim that more homosexuals were sexual criminals than were heterosexuals.

3/26 "Lesbian/Gay History" 1980 3/27 Shere Hite, Feminist Sexuality Project (NY) Questionnaire Not dated. 3/28 "Homosexuality: Thursday's Child" Not Dated 3/29 HR 5452 Circa 1975 3/30 Insurance 1976 4/1 International Women's Year 1976 4/2 Lane County Action Committee 1988 4/3 Legislative Guide to Civil Rights 1977-1979

Contains promitions and Reviews.

4/4 "Lesbian--General Info" 1970s 4/5 Lesbian Mothers 1977-1978

Contains child custody court case material, newspaper clippings, and correspondence.

4/6 Letters to the Editor 1977-1978

Contains letters to the editors of local newspapers discussing queer issues and stories.

4/7 Libertarian Party 1976 4/8 Link Up USA 1977

An erotic magazine start-up.

4/9 Johnny Lister1976 1976

Contains newspaper clippings and other information regarding a well-known Idahoan astrologer who came out as gay.

4/10 Lobbying; Parents Action Team Against Gay Influence; Marriage 1976 4/11 Local Media 1975-1976

Includes Announcements and Correspondence

4/12 Men's Resource Center 1975-1977 4/13 Making it Happen Conference 1977 4/14 Minnesota Committee for Gay Rights 1970s 4/15 National Gay Task Force "Tea Dance" 1977

4/16 Nazis in America 1970s

Contains newspaper clippings about the Ameircan Nazi Party.

4/17 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) 1970s

Contains newspaper clippings.

4/18 Newsletter 1970s 4/19 Neighborfair 1978-1980

Contains fliers and correspondence related to the Portland Neighbor Fair. Also includes an envelope with photographs of the Portland Town Council booth at the fair.

5/1 KGW Radio 1973-1978 5/2 Linn, Marion, and Polk County Capitol Forum 1977/1979 5/3 Military 1977-1979

Contains material from the Portlnd Military and Veterans Counceling Center, newspaper clippings, and "TheGay Serviceman and Servicewoman's Rebuttal," a publication of the American Armed Forces Association.

5/4 Miscellaneous Subjects Various Dates

Includes a letter signed by Harvey Milk.

5/5 Moral Majority Contains mailers and newspaper clippings. 5/6 National Gay Task Force (1 of 4) 1975-1979 5/7 National Gay Task Force (2 of 4) 1975-1979 5/8 National Gay Task Force (3 of 4) 1979 5/9 National Gay Task Force (4 of 4) 1977-1979 6/1 Various National Gay Rights Organizations 1970s 6/2 National Organization of Women 1977-1979 6/3 The Northwest Gay Review 1970s 6/4 Elaine Noble Event 1977

Contains correspondence regarding a visit from one of the United State's first openly LGBTQ legislators.

6/5 Oregon Task Force on Sexual Preference (1 of 2) 1975-1977

Contains correspondence, printed material, and newspaper clippings regarding the Governor's task force, which considered the legal issues of LGBTQ Oregonians.

6/6 Oregon Task Force on Sexual Preference (2 of 2) 1975-1977

Contains correspondence, printed material, and newspaper clippings regarding the Governor's task force, which considered the legal issues of LGBTQ Oregonians.

6/7 Oregon Women's Conference 1977-1978 6/8 Other Localities, Other Support 1977 6/9 Oregon Liquor Control Commission 1978

Located in a small envelope; contains a newspaper clipping regarding the OLCC's treatment of queer bars.

7/1 Parents and Friends of Gays 1975-1980 7/2 Pennsylvania Task Force 1975-1977 7/3 "Primary '76" 1976 7/4 Prison: Monroe Project 1972-1977

Contains material regarding the experiences and legal issues of gay men in Washington State prisons.

7/5 "Portland, City of" 1975-1976 7/6 Portland State University Sociological Study 1974-1976 7/7 "(Gay) Pride 1978" 1978 7/8 Portand Tri-County Community Council 1970s 7/9 Portland Town Council's Advice on Insurance 1970s 7/10 Public Indecency 1979 7/11 Public Interest Lobby, Salem 1970s 7/12 Religious Oreganizations 1970s

Contains material from many Christian denominations.

7/13 "Seattle" 1978

Contains material relating to LGBTQ life in Seattle, WA.

7/14 Public Solicitation Liscence 1977-1980 7/15 Radical Women 1976 7/16 Seattle ordinance undated 7/17 Segal, Mark (GAA Pennsylvania) 1975 8/1 Senate Bill I 1976 8/2 Second Foundation of Oregon 1976-1978

Documents from the final years of the Second Foundation of Oregon.

8/3 Socialist Party 1970s 8/4 Supreme Court 1976 8/5 Tuscon Gay Coalition 1977 8/6 United Farm Workers 1975-1977 8/7 "When Are You Coming Back, Red Ryder?" 1977

Contains material from a benfit for the Portland Town Council.

8/8 Whitman Radclyffe Foundation 1975 8/9 Young Adult Ministries 1975-1977 Series C Political Files 1974-1982 8/10 Book reviews and lists 1975-1979 8/11 Briggs initiative, California 1977-1978 8/12 Bureau of Labor, affirmative action circa 1977 8/13 Candidate information 1975-1977