Title: Gay Peoples Union Records
Inclusive Dates: 1971-1984

Creator:

• Gay Peoples Union (Milwaukee, Wis.)

Call Number: UWM Manuscript Collection 240

Quantity:

• 1.2 cubic ft. (4 boxes)
• 29 audio reels
• 1 audio cassette

Repository:

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives Department

Archival Location:

UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives / Milwaukee Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Abstract:

Collection consists of the records of the Gay Peoples Union (GPU), the first gay rights organization in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and one of the earliest such groups in the state. Collection documents the history of GPU from its beginnings as a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student organization to its development as the most important gay and lesbian rights organization in Milwaukee in the 1970s. The collection also includes audio recordings of Gay Perspective, a radio program produced by GPU and broadcast on local radio stations from 1971 to 1972, and other public presentations given by GPU members as part the organization's educational mission.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-mil-uwmmss0240

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Gay Peoples Union (GPU) began as a University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) student organization that was temporarily known as the Homosexual Freedom League. HFL held its organizational meeting at UWM on March 5, 1970 with an estimated seventy-five people attending. From this meeting, the group emerged with a new name, the Gay Liberation Organization at UWM. GLO-UWM included both students and individuals from the general Milwaukee community. From the beginning, there was disagreement between members who supported a revolutionary, broad-based political agenda and those wishing to pursue the single issue of "homosexual liberation" through non-militant activism. In fall 1970, the more radical members of GLO-UWM withdrew and formed the Milwaukee Gay Liberation Front. The remaining members of GLO-UWM reorganized as the Gay Peoples Union and focused on educational programs and social activities. By fall 1971, GPU's affiliation with the university faded, and the organization took on a community-wide character.

GPU was the most important gay and lesbian rights organization in Milwaukee during the 1970s. Distancing itself from the radical politics of the New Left, GPU adopted a politically moderate approach to social change, emphasizing education and legal reform. The organization actively embraced mainstream and alternative media outlets in order to educate the general public about homosexuality. It produced the first regularly scheduled, scripted gay and lesbian radio program in the nation, Gay Perspective. Milwaukee station WZMF aired the half-hour program from February to June 1971; WUWM continued the program from July 1971 to May 18, 1972. The organization's monthly news magazine, GPU News, started publication in October 1971 and lasted a full decade. GPU collaborated with the mainstream media at least twice, working with the Milwaukee Journal in February 1972 on its six-part series, "The Gay Revolution", and with WTMJ-TV in September 1973 on a five-part series titled "Some Call Them Gay".

GPU also took a leadership role in building an infrastructure for the emerging local gay and lesbian community. In 1972, it began operating a telephone counseling service on a mainly full-time basis. In October 1974, GPU opened its Venereal Disease Examination Center, the precursor of the Brady East STD Clinic. In mid-1975, it established Milwaukee's first gay and lesbian community center in a rented flat at 1568 N. Farwell Avenue. The Farwell Center housed both the GPU Library and the GPU VD Clinic. Following the May 6, 1978 police raid of the Broadway Health Club (a Milwaukee bath house), GPU organized a legal defense fund committee to assist gays and lesbians with paying for legal representation.

During the 1980s, a host of other gay and lesbian groups emerged within existing social institutions such as businesses, sports, theater, health care, addiction recovery programs, and the media. Concurrently, the rise of lesbian separatism and the autonomous organizing of gays and lesbians of color seemed to undercut the relevance of a broad-based group such as GPU. The organization faded in importance by the early 1980s, although it continues at the time of this writing (March 2008).

Scope and content notes of each series are included in the contents list.

The collection is arranged as four series:

1. General Files, 1972-1984
2. Subject Files, circa 1970s
3. Gay Perspective Radio Program, 1971-1972
4. Other Audio Recordings, 1972-1973

Materials are generally arranged alphabetically by folder title and then chronologically. An exception is the audio recordings, which are arranged chronologically by broadcast date. The processing archivist relied primarily on the recordings themselves as the chief source of information for determining the date, and then on accompanying textual material and the original boxes. Dates enclosed in brackets indicate that the information was inferred by the processing archivist.

Citation Guide for Primary Sources

Selections from this collection are included in the Gay Peoples Union Collection, an online resource created by the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections in collaboration with the UWM Libraries and opened in March 2009.

Information about the Gay Peoples Union's existence as a UW-Milwaukee student organization is found in UW-Milwaukee Office of the Dean of Students Records (UWM Archival Collection 48), UW-Milwaukee Office of the Chancellor Records (UWM Archival Records 46), and contemporary issues of the UWM Post. Footage of "Some Call Them Gay", which appeared on WTMJ-TV as a special report, is found in the Milwaukee Journal Stations Collection (Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 203). The Brady East STD Clinic Records include information about that organization's establishment in 1974 as a GPU program (UWM Manuscript Collection 238). The Lloyd A. Barbee Papers include information about his effort to repeal unfair sex laws in 1971 (Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 16). Records of Liberation Publications, which GPU organized as a separate corporation for the purpose of publishing GPU News, are available as a separate collection (UWM Manuscript Collection 261). Special Collections holds a complete set of GPU News.

The Archives Department has the following collections of GPU members:

• Miriam Ben-Shalom Papers. UWM Manuscript Collection 237.

• Alyn W. Hess Papers. UWM Manuscript Collection 259.

• Eldon Murray Papers. UWM Manuscript Collection 256.

• Donna Utke Papers. UWM Manuscript Collection 233.

With its archives, GPU donated its library to the UWM Libraries. The library consisted of books, magazines, and newspapers assembled by the GPU Library Committee, which was chaired by Eldon Murray. According to GPU's 1974 annual report, the collection amounted to approximately 1,500 volumes and was "probably the largest library collection about homosexuality in the state." The committee developed the library largely from items purchased with GPU funds, donated by individuals, and received as review and exchange copies. The collection was stored in Eldon Murray's home from the early 1980s until its acquisition by the UWM Libraries in 2007. The catalog records of titles acquired by Special Collections include the following note: "From the collection of Eldon Murray/Gay Peoples Union." Other titles were added to the general holdings of the UWM Libraries or donated to SAGE/Milwaukee for addition to its own library.

Access Restrictions

Due to their condition, the original audio recordings are restricted, and researchers must use access copies. See the series-specific access restriction notes for more information.

There are no other access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law.

Use Restrictions

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

Acquisition Information

Eldon Murray donated copies of the Gay Perspective radio program in July 2006. The Gay Peoples Union donated its records, which were being stored in Eldon Murray's home, in May 2007 (accession 2007-001).

Processing Information

Michael Doylen and Shiraz Bhathena completed processing the collection in March 2008.

Preservation Information

The audio recordings were digitized by Safe Sound Archive in Philadelphia from November 2007 to March 2008. Preservation master files were created at 44.1 kHz/24-bit resolution and delivered on a hard-drive to the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center (UWDCC) in Madison. Access copies were created at 44.1 kHz/16-bit resolution and delivered on CD-R to UW-Milwaukee.

Deaccession Information

Audio reel 12 and its access copy were removed from the collection on June 13, 2008, following the discovery of condition problems that made the recording unusable.

	Series: 1. General Files, 1972-1984 Scope and Content Note: Series includes annual reports, articles of incorporation, board of directors meeting minutes, fliers, newsletters, and proposals for the establishment of a community service center, library, and news and events hotline.
Box   1 Folder   1	Annual Reports, 1974-1978 View contents of this folder
Box   1 Folder   2	Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, 1972, circa 1980, undated View selections from this folder
Box   1 Folder   3-11	Board of Directors Meetings, 1972-1980
Box   1 Folder   12	Business Meetings, 1972-1976
Box   1 Folder   13	Correspondence, 1977-1980
Box   1 Folder   14	Eastside Community Center, 1971-1972
Box   1 Folder   15	Farley, Elizabeth, Transcription of Interview with, 1973
Box   1 Folder   16	Fliers, undated View selections from this folder
Box   1 Folder   17	Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Greater Milwaukee, 1978
	Handouts
Box   1 Folder   18	Gay Graffiti, 1973
Box   1 Folder   19	Gay Poetry, undated
Box   1 Folder   20	Media, 1972-1974
Box   1 Folder   21	Medicine, 1973
Box   1 Folder   22	Military, 1972
Box   1 Folder   23	Psychiatry, 1972-1973
Box   1 Folder   24	Religion, undated
Box   1 Folder   25	Sociocultural Oppression of Women, undated
Box   1 Folder   26-27	Legal Defense Fund, 1978
	Legal Files
Box   4 Folder   1	Batt, Patrick v. Marion Heights, Inc., 1977
Box   4 Folder   2	Safransky, Paul R. v. State Personnel Board, 1973
Box   1 Folder   28	Long Range Plans, 1976
Box   2 Folder   29	Membership Cards, 1979, 1981
Box   1 Folder   29	Midwest Homophile Conference, 1972
Box   1 Folder   30	Miscellaneous, 1982-1984, undated
Box   2 Folder   1	New Gay Underground (Organization), undated
	Newsletters
Box   2 Folder   2	Take Heed, 1971, undated View contents of this folder
Box   2 Folder   3	Milwaukee Update, 1980 January-1981 February View contents of this folder
Box   2 Folder   4	Proposal for a Community Services Center for Gay Persons in Milwaukee County, 1975
Box   2 Folder   5	Proposal for a Counseling Service for Homosexual Men & Women, undated
Box   2 Folder   6	Proposal for a Gay Library, 1974, undated
Box   2 Folder   7	Proposal for a Gay News & Events Hotline, undated
Box   2 Folder   8	Proposal to Community Relations-Social Development Commission in Milwaukee County, 1978
Box   2 Folder   9	Relations with Farwell STD Clinic/Brady East STD Clinic, 1982-1983
Box   2 Folder   10	Report to 1971 Meeting by Eldon Murray, 1972
Box   2 Folder   11	Report to 1972 Meeting by Eldon Murray, 1973
Box   2 Folder   12	WTMJ-TV Comment, "Some Call Them Gay", 1973
	Series: 2. Subject Files, circa 1970s Scope and Content Note: Informational files on various topics consisting of articles, newsclippings, brochures, and other ephemera.	⇧
Box   2 Folder   13	Articles of General Interest
Box   2 Folder   14	Bibliographies
Box   2 Folder   15	Employment
Box   2 Folder   16	Gay Organizations
Box   2 Folder   17	Health care
Box   2 Folder   18	Law
Box   2 Folder   19	Lesbianism
Box   2 Folder   20	Liaison
Box   2 Folder   21	Liberation
Box   2 Folder   22	Literary/Aesthetic
Box   2 Folder   23	Media
Box   2 Folder   24	Military
Box   2 Folder   25	Political
Box   2 Folder   26	Psychiatry
Box   2 Folder   27	Religion
Box   2 Folder   28	Subcultures
	Series: 3. Gay Perspective Radio Program, 1971-1972 Scope and Content Note: Series includes audio recordings of the Gay Perspective radio program. Topics on these recordings include gay liberation, oppression, legal reform, coming out, gay marriage, drag and female impersonation, icons of hypermasculinity in gay male culture, and venereal disease. Textual materials are arranged in box 3 and include run-downs, program notes, and photocopies of the original audio reel boxes, which often convey information regarding program topics and dates. Access Restrictions: Due to their condition, the original audio recordings are restricted. One set of access copies captures each program in its entirety. These copies are available on CD or as .mp3 files and must be used in the reading room of the Archives Department. A second set of access copies is available online, but includes only original material produced by the Gay Peoples Union. The Contents List includes direct links from descriptions of the programs to the digital audio files.	⇧
Audio   1	Gay Liberation, 1971 February 15 Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   2	Why We Are Organized, [1971 February or March] Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   3	Relationships Between Gays and the Straight World, [1971 March] Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   4	Sex Laws, 1971 March 14 Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   5 Side   1	Gays and the Military, [1971] April 4 Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   7	Casual Sex (Broadcast version), 1971 April [11] Play audio Note: Broadcast version Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   8	Casual Sex (Unedited version), 1971 April [11] Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   6	Oppression of Homosexuals by Government, Businesses, Professions, and Society at Large, [1971?] May 2 Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   9	Coming Out: Interviews with Sam, Roberto, and Ron, 1971 May 16 Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   10	Leather and SM, [1971] May 23 Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   11	Interview with Wisconsin Representative Lloyd Barbee Regarding Proposed Assembly Bill 600 to Repeal Sex Laws, [1971] June 6 Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 3 ¾ ips)
Audio   12	Interview with Rev. Paul of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Church, 1971 June 13 Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)   Note: Recording consists of two different programs superimposed. Programs are louder in some channels, but present in both channels, so not separable.
Audio   13	Homosexuality in Prisons, [1971] June 20 Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   14 Side   1	Oppression of Lesbians, 1971 July 9 Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ¾ ips)
Audio   15	Gay Marriage, 1971 October 7 Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   16 Side   1	Drag and Female Impersonation, 1971 October 28 Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   17 Side   1	Religion and the Gay, 1971 December 9 Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   18	Lesbian Literature to 1928, 1972 January 13 Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   19	Gay Lib—Who Needs It? 1972 February 24 Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   20	Interview with a Lesbian, 1972 March 30 Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   21	Discovering GPU in '72, 1972 April 13 Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   22 Side   1	Interview with Narcissti (Poet), 1972 April 20 Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   23 Side   1	Religion and Homosexuality, 1972 May 4 Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   24	Interview with Malu Brubaker (Musician), 1972 May 18 Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   25	Venereal Disease, undated Play audio Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
	Series: 4. Other Audio Recordings, 1972-1973 Scope and Content Note: This series includes audio recordings of GPU members speaking at public events and on radio and television programs about homosexuality and sexual liberation. It also includes an oral history interview conducted by GPU member Eldon Murray with Elizabeth Farley. Textual materials are arranged in box 3. Access Restrictions: Due to their condition, the original audio recordings are restricted. Access copies are available on CD or as .mp3 files and must be used in the reading room of the Archives Department. These access copies are not available online.	⇧
Audio   26	Barnes, Bruce and Donna Utke Interview for Milwaukee Area Technical College Class Project, 1972 January 4 Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 3 ¾ ips)
	Farley, Elizabeth Interview by Eldon Murray, 1973 August 11 Note: Farley was a man who had lived as a woman for twenty-two years. A transcript of this interview is available in box 1, folder 15.
Audio   16 Side   2	Part 1 of 3 Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   28 Side   1-2	Parts 2 and 3 of 3 Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 7 ½ ips)
Audio   1 Side   1-2	Village Church Panel Presentation, 1972 February 20 Note: Panelists Include Eldon Murray, Bill Geiger, Donna Utke, and Mary Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio cassette
Audio   29 Side   1-2	WITI-TV 6 (Television Station) Roundtable Discussion, 1974 November 17 Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; side 1 at 3 ¾, side 2 at 1 ⅞ ips)   Scope and Content Note: Carl Zimmerman and Sue Riordan interview Alyn Hess, president of GPU; Miriam Ben-Shalom, member of Grapevine; Grant Michael Fitzgerald, member of Council on Religion and the Homosexual; and Edward Ames, UW-Milwaukee Gay Student Association.
Audio   27	WRIT (Radio Station) Interview with GPU Members Tim Hancock and Chris Miehl (pseudonym), 1972 fall? Physical Description: Extent: 1 audio reel (¼ in.; 3 ¾ ips)