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Queer History In The Streets: A Walking Tour Of Portland, Maine, Megan Macgregor

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

The University of Southern Maine’s Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer + Collection preserves the history of LGBTQ+ communities in Maine. The collection contains books, personal papers, photographs, and newspapers documenting the LGBTQ+ activism from 1970s to 1990s.

While three research publications have some out of the collection (one article and two thesis), no overall history about Maine’s LGBTQ+ community has been written. As a result many Mainer’s, queer and straight, know very little of the history. The instruction and outreach librarian and the staff of USM’s Special Collections wanted an opportunity to …

Aa Ms 19 Eugene Jackson Papers, Emily Margaret Newell

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This collection is comprised of family photographs, photo albums, bibles, hymnals, and newspaper from the early 20th century onward. The collection is organized into three series:

Series 1: Photographs

This series includes the personal photographs of Eugene Jackson’s friends and family as far back as the early 1900s. The most common themes and activities found in these photographs are leisure activities such as trips to the beach or the mountains, family get-togethers, professional portraits, and Christmas greeting cards.

Subseries 1.1: Loose Photographs

Loose photographs are organized into topical folders.

Subseries 1.2: Ruby Family Photograph Album

The photograph album includes black-and-white …

Aa Ms 01 Gerald E. Talbot Collection Finding Aid, David Andreasen, Kristin D. Morris, Karin A. France, Marieke Van Der Steenhoven, Caroline Remley, Andrea Harkins, Kara Kralik, Anya O'Meara

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Description:

Gerald E. Talbot was the first African American to be elected to the Maine State Legislature. He served in the Maine House of Representatives from 1972 to 1978, and worked with the Maine chapter of the NAACP and the State Board of Education. He also took part in the struggle for civil rights in other parts of the country, as well as in Maine. The Collection includes Talbot’s personal papers, records of his term in the Maine House of Representatives, of his work with the NAACP in Maine and with the State Board of Education. The Collection contains books, …

Jud Ms 04 Rosalyne S. Bernstein Papers Finding Aid, Susannah Clark

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Description:

Rosalyne (Spindel) Bernstein (b. 1928) grew up in the Bronx, N.Y. and Fall River, MA, the daughter of Jewish immigrants from Poland, and attended Radcliffe College as an economics major. She and her husband, Sumner Thurman Bernstein (a Portland native), moved to Portland in 1949. There, she played an active role in the community and was involved with numerous organizations, such as: National Council of Jewish Women (president); Head Start program in Portland (founder); Bowdoin College; University of Southern Maine; Maine Health Care Finance Commission; Maine Medical Center; American- Israeli Public Affairs Committee; New England Board of Higher Education; …

Jud Ms 05 Sumner T. Bernstein Papers Finding Aid, Susannah Clark

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Description:

Sumner Thurman Bernstein (1924 - 2002) grew up in Portland, Maine, the son of lawyer parents. He served in the South Pacific in the U.S. Army during World War II (achieving the rank of Captain) and attended Harvard University for his undergraduate education and for law school. He returned to Portland after marrying Rosalyne Spindel in 1949, to join his father and uncle’s law practice, which he helped to grow into Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer and Nelson in 1964. He was very engaged with the community, participating in the following organizations, among others, often serving as president or chair of …

Lg Ms 023 Roland Blais Papers Finding Aid, Julie Cismoski

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Description:

Roland Blais was born in Rumford, Maine in 1939, and knew by the time he was in high school that he was "different". He saved money and moved to Los Angeles in 1958, where he got a job with Broadway Department Store, and went to gay bars for the first time. He joined the Navy and served from 1959 to 1963, leaving with an honorable discharge. He then enlisted in the Army, serving 1963-1966, stationed at Walsrode, Germany, working with missiles. He returned to the United States, retrieving the car he bought in Germany from Newark Port, New Jersey, …

Jud Ms 06 Myer Marcus Interview Finding Aid, Katharine Renolds Thomas

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Description:

Myer M. Marcus was born in Portland, Maine in 1914, the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants Saul Marcus, a Portland clothier, and his wife Bertha Marcus, nee Goldstein. As a boy he enjoyed spending his free time at the Portland Boys Club on Plum Street. He attended North School and Portland High School, then spent one year at the University of Virginia before transferring to Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. Marcus earned his LL.B. in 1937 from Boston University School of Law, then returned to Portland to open the Marcus and Marcus law office on Exchange Street with his younger …

Lg Ms 039 Maine Frontrunners Archives Finding Aid, Katharine Renolds Thomas

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Description:

Maine Frontrunners was founded April Fool’s Day, 1995, inspired by the enthusiastic leadership of the legendary runner John Bean. The group has run Saturday mornings since then, through all kinds of weather. The Maine group is part of International Front Runners, an affiliation of GLBT running/walking clubs that have organized in many of the larger cities around the world. Inspired by Patricia Nell Warren's novel The Front Runner, the first Front Runner club began in San Francisco in 1974, and other FR clubs quickly began forming in the United States and then in Canada and abroad.

Date Range:

1994-2003 …

Lg Ms 037 Penny Rich Collection Finding Aid, Katharine Renolds Thomas

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Description:

Records and artifacts documenting the Maine Lesbian Gay Film Festival and Women's Community Project of Portland

Date Range:

1980s-1990s

Size of Collection:

7 ft.

Aa Ms 06 Home Is Where I Make It - Oral History Collection Finding Aid, Marieke Van Der Steenhoven

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Description:

This oral history project was directed by Dr. Maureen Elgersman Lee, of USM, and Rachel Talbot Ross. The interviews were conducted by local high school students. The Collection includes transcripts, photographs and audiotapes from the two phases of the project, which documented African American life in the Greater Portland and Lewiston-Auburn areas.

Date Range:

2001-2003

Size of Collection:

1 ft.

Jud Ms 03 Macabee Club Archives Finding Aid, Marieke Van Der Steenhoven

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Description:

Macabee Club was a club of Jewish high school students in Portland from 1955 to the 1970s. The Archives contains organizational records of the group, including meeting minutes, newsletters, and event programs.

Date Range:

1955-1972

Size of Collection:

1 ft.

Jud Ms 02 Portland Jewish Community Center Uso Guest Book Finding Aid, Karin A. France

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Description:

The Jewish Community Center on Cumberland Avenue in Portland, Maine was the site of United Service Organization (USO) social events, held regularly from at least October 1943 to September 1946. Most of the servicemen (and some women who were nurses) who attended events at the Community Center were in the Navy, stationed on shops docked or anchored in Casco Bay. These social events were sometimes held out on the islands. Although hosted by the Jewish Community Center, anyone was welcome, regardless of religion. Eleanor Edison Taft saved this ledger listing the names of attendees at the USO events when …

Jud Ms 01 Annetta Kornetsky Girl Scout Collection Finding Aid, Karin A. France

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Description:

Annetta Kornetsky was the Scout leader of Girl Scout Troops 109 and 177, sponsored by the Portland Jewish Community Center, between 1956 and 1958. The Collection contains records of Troops 109 and 177, including meeting agendas, finances, handbook pages, and minutes from November 1956 to March 1958.

Date Range:

1956-1958

Size of Collection:

0.08 ft.

Lg Ms 014 Jessen Lgbt/Women’S Newsletter & Media Collection Finding Aid, Renee Desroberts, Karin A. France

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Description:

Barbara Jessen formed the Maine Tradeswomen's Network, a loose organization of women in the trades and supporting personnel, in 1990, to promote networking, mentoring, and employment. The Collection consists of six newsletter titles, plus newspaper clippings, fact sheets, and articles - all covering LGBT and women’s issues in Maine and nationally.

Date Range:

1970s-2000

Size of Collection:

0.5 ft.

Aa Ms 04 Eastern Real Estate Archives Finding Aid, Patrick J. Mooney

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Description:

The Eastern Real Estate Company was an association of African-Americans who bought and sold real estate in the Portland area from 1912-2001. The records in the Archives include articles of association, minutes, financial records, stock records, listings of stockholders, tax records, bank books and legal documents.

Date Range:

1912-2001

Size of Collection:

1 ft.

Lg Ms 004 Christopher O’Connor Collection Finding Aid, Siobain C. Monahan

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Description:

Christopher O’Connor was resident director of USM’s Portland Hall dormitory in the fall of 1999 when there was an incident involving anti-gay graffiti in the dormitory. The Collection includes newspaper clippings regarding the incident, brochures, and a letter to the USM community from O'Connor.

Date Range:

1999

Size of Collection:

0.25 ft.

05/31/1946, Israel Bernstein

Sumner T. Bernstein Correspondence

Letter to Sumner Bernstein from father Israel regarding family visits; summer school; Kravchenko's I Chose Freedom.

05/29/1946, Sumner T. Bernstein

Sumner T. Bernstein Correspondence

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding visit with family (Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Don, Aunt Esther, Ellen); summer school; court martial; Cluny Brown.

05/28/1946, Sumner T. Bernstein

Sumner T. Bernstein Correspondence

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding meeting with Colonels; when he will leave the Army; registering for Harvard.

05/28/1946 C, Rebecca Bernstein

Sumner T. Bernstein Correspondence

Letter to Sumner Bernstein from mother Rebecca (Peggy) regarding attempts to move up Sumner's discharge date; Harvard summer school.

05/28/1946 B, Israel Bernstein

Sumner T. Bernstein Correspondence

Letter to Sumner Bernstein from father Israel regarding attempt to call Senator Brewster; registration for Harvard.

05/27/1946, Sumner T. Bernstein

Sumner T. Bernstein Correspondence

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding meeting with Colonels on timing of his leaving the Army; life insurance.

05/27/1946 B, Israel Bernstein

Sumner T. Bernstein Correspondence

Letter to Sumner Bernstein from father Israel regarding train strike.

05/26/1946, Sumner T. Bernstein

Sumner T. Bernstein Correspondence

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding plans for leaving the Army; visits with family friends in Allentown, PA.

05/24/1946, Sumner T. Bernstein

Sumner T. Bernstein Correspondence

Letter from Sumner Bernstein to sister Helen Barbara regarding correspondence; Harvard registration; news from home.

05/23/1946, Sumner T. Bernstein

Sumner T. Bernstein Correspondence

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding life on base; demobilization; strike.

05/21/1946, Sumner T. Bernstein

Sumner T. Bernstein Correspondence

Letter to Sumner T. Bernstein regarding life on base; Harvard summer school; demobilization.

05/22/1946, Israel Bernstein

Sumner T. Bernstein Correspondence

Letter to Sumner Bernstein from his father Israel Bernstein regarding correspondence; Sumner's last few weeks in service; mother's eye surgery; staying in the reserves.

05/20/1946, Sumner T. Bernstein

Sumner T. Bernstein Correspondence

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding weekend trip to New York.

05/17/1946, Sumner T. Bernstein

Sumner T. Bernstein Correspondence

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding life on base; Jewish services; weekend plans.