Cultural History Commons^™

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, …

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, …

Making It Work Before The Movement: African-American Community And Resistance In 1940s And 1950s Portland, Maine, Justus Hillebrand

Maine History

African Americans in Portland, Maine, in the 1940s and 1950s made up less than 0.5% of the population. As a consequence, discourse on race was more subtle than it was in other parts of the country. The Portland black community, as in other small northern New England cities, lacked the numbers for broad public or political action. Instead, African Americans developed individual and informal strategies of resistance aimed at broadening opportunities in education, employment, and housing. African Americans “made it work” by congregating in their own church, persevering in their own educational goals, operating their own businesses, and owning their …

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.

Peace, Politics, And Vortex: The Cultural And Political Consequences Of Oregon's Only State Sponsored Rock Concert, Kathryn J. Van Marter-Sanders

Lawrence University Honors Projects

As the 1960s drew to a close, mainstream America realized that the rebellious youth counterculture was not going to go away quietly. Meeting the problem head on as the authorities had in Kent State resulted in violent deaths and even more protests. This trend broke, possibly for the first time, at McIver Park in Portland, Oregon during the first ever state-sponsored rock concert. To make the concert, called ‘Vortex One,’ possible, Governor of Oregon Tom McCall, and The Family commune joined forces to create a peaceful alternative to possible violent opposition of the American Legion National Convention. The concert, however, …

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.

Summer 1993, 90.9 Wmpg Fm

WMPG Program Guides

WMPG program guide for Summer 1993.

Spring 1993, 90.9 Wmpg Fm

WMPG Program Guides

WMPG Program Guide, Spring 1993.

Winter 1992-1993, 90.9 Wmpg Fm

WMPG Program Guides

WMPG Program Guide Winter 1992-1993

12/22/1991 Birthday Note, Sumner T. Bernstein

Rosalyne S. Bernstein Correspondence

For more information on the Rosalyne S. Bernstein Papers, please visit the finding aid HERE

06/26/1991 Anniversary Note, Sumner T. Bernstein

Rosalyne S. Bernstein Correspondence

For more information on the Rosalyne S. Bernstein Papers, please visit the finding aid HERE.

Brief note from Sumner T. Bernstein to Rosalyne S. Bernstein on the occasion of their anniversary.

05/13/1990 Mother's Day Note, Sumner T. Bernstein

Rosalyne S. Bernstein Correspondence

For more information on the Rosalyne S. Bernstein Papers, please visit the finding aid HERE

Brief letter from Sumner T. Bernstein to Rosalyne S. Bernstein for Mother's Day, 1990.

12/12/1988 Birthday Note, Sumner T. Bernstein

Rosalyne S. Bernstein Correspondence

For more information on the Rosalyne S. Bernstein Papers, please visit the finding aid HERE

Brief note from Sumner T. Bernstein to Rosalyne S. Bernstein on the occasion of her birthday.

Brochure 1988, 90.9 Wmpg Fm

WMPG Program Guides

Promotional brochure, 1988.

Summer 1988, 90.9 Wmpg Fm

WMPG Program Guides

WMPG Program Guide, Summer 1988.

Summer 1987, 90.9 Wmpg Fm

WMPG Program Guides

WMPG Program Guide, Summer 1987

12/22/1986 Birthday Note, Sumner T. Bernstein

Rosalyne S. Bernstein Correspondence

For more information on the Rosalyne S. Bernstein Papers, please visit the finding aid HERE

Brief note from Sumner T. Bernstein to Rosalyne S. Bernstein on the occasion of her birthday.

Winter/Spring 1986, 90.9 Wmpg Fm

WMPG Program Guides

WMPG Program Guide, Winter/Spring 1986

Summer 1984, 90.9 Wmpg Fm

WMPG Program Guides

WMPG Program Guide, Summer 1984,

Fall 1983, 90.9 Wmpg Fm

WMPG Program Guides

WMPG Program Guide, Fall 1983.

12/22/1978 Birthday Note, Sumner T. Bernstein

Rosalyne S. Bernstein Correspondence

For more information on the Rosalyne S. Bernstein Papers, please visit the finding aid HERE

Brief note from Sumner T. Bernstein to Rosalyne S. Bernstein on the occasion of her 50th birthday.

06/26/1953 Anniversary Note, Sumner T. Bernstein

Rosalyne S. Bernstein Correspondence

For more information on the Rosalyne S. Bernstein Papers, please visit the finding aid HERE

Brief note from Sumner T. Bernstein to Rosalyne S. Bernstein on the occasion of their anniversary.

05/08/1952 Letter And Envelope, Sumner T. Bernstein

Rosalyne S. Bernstein Correspondence

For more information on the Rosalyne S. Bernstein Papers, please visit the finding aid HERE

Letter from Sumner T. Bernstein to Rosalyne S. Bernstein reporting news (or lack thereof) from South Paris (presumably) Maine. Includes envelope.

05/07/1952 Note And Envelope, Sumner T. Bernstein

Rosalyne S. Bernstein Correspondence

Note from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding a gift for Rosalyne's mother for Mother's Day. Includes envelope.

For more information on the Rosalyne S. Bernstein Papers, please visit the finding aid HERE