Summary Information
Ray Vahey Papers
circa 1930-2008
UWM Manuscript Collection 271
- .4 cubic ft. (1 box)
- 1 digital audio file
- 4 digital video files
UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives / Milwaukee Area Research Ctr. (Map)
The Ray Vahey papers document Vahey's life with his partner,
Richard Taylor, and their political activism on behalf of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgender civil rights in Wisconsin.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-mil-uwmmss0271 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Ray Vahey (b. May 13, 1938) and Richard Taylor (1925-2006) met in Ohio in 1956. At that
time, Ray Vahey was a recent high school graduate and Richard Taylor was a World War II
veteran managing a toy warehouse in Cleveland. They fell in love the evening they met,
beginning a life partnership that lasted fifty years. During most of their time together,
the couple concealed the true nature of their relationship from family members, work
associates, and some friends.
In 2005, the couple went public with their relationship to help Action
Wisconsin—a statewide organization dedicated to advancing and protecting the civil
rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people—defeat a proposed state
amendment to ban civil unions, domestic partnerships, and marriage for same-sex couples. The
couple first spoke on the issue at Milwaukee's PrideFest in June 2005. Vahey and Taylor
contributed their voices to various hearings and forums until the amendment reached the
ballot in November 2006. After it passed, they continued to speak out and educate the public
about its negative effects.
Vahey and Taylor initially planned to marry on September 16, 2006, their fiftieth
anniversary, but Richard Taylor's illness prompted them to move the date forward to May 29,
2006. Richard Taylor passed away on July 28, 2006 from cancer.
Scope and Content Note
The Ray Vahey papers consist primarily of photographs, speeches, clippings, and multimedia
chronicling Vahey's life with his partner, Richard Taylor, and their joint campaign against
bans on civil unions, domestic partnerships, and marriage for same-sex couples.
The photographs date from the 1930s to 2006 and document Vahey and Taylor's marriage in May
2006 and the burial and memorial service for Richard Taylor, who died in July 2006.
The speeches relate to the couple's active campaign to oppose the November 2006 referendum
to ban civil unions, domestic partnerships, and marriage for same-sex couples in the state
of Wisconsin.
Multimedia materials in the collection include interviews with Ray Vahey, video footage
from the September 2006 memorial service for Richard Taylor, and Better Angels, a political ad featuring Ray Vahey and produced by the
MassEquality Education Fund to oppose efforts to amend the Massachusetts' state constitution
to forbid same-sex marriage.
Preferred Citation
Citation Guide for
Primary Sources
Related Material in the UWM Libraries
Administrative/Restriction Information
Researchers must use access copies of electronic records. 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.
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).
Ray Vahey donated the collection to the Archives in July 2008 (2008-001).
Sarah Ethier (supervised by Christel Maass) processed the collection in October 2008.
During processing, preservation master and/or access copies were created from electronic
records originally received on CDs and DVDs. The interview with Ray Vahey, received as a
CD audio file (.cda), was reformatted as both .wav (preservation master) and .mp3 (access
copy) formats; the original CD was then discarded. Electronic records received on DVDs
were ripped as .iso files (preservation masters). The DVDs now serve as access copies.
Contents List
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Box
1
Folder
1
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Artwork, 2005
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Better Angels, circa
2006
Digital video file
: Use DVD 1 access copy
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Box
1
Folder
2
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Clippings, 2005-2006
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Box
1
Folder
3
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Fair Wisconsin Marriage Campaign, 2006
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Box
1
Folder
4
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Headstone Dedication, 2006
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Interview with Ray Vahey, 2007
Digital audio file
: Use network access copy
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Memorial Tribute to Richard Taylor and Celebration of
Our 50 Years of Love, 2006
Digital video file
: Footage of memorial service held at the First Unitarian Society on Sept. 16, 2006
: Use DVD 2 access copy
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Box
1
Folder
5
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Memorial Tribute to Richard Taylor and 50 Year Anniversary Celebration,
2006
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Photographs
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Box
1
Folder
6-13
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circa 1930s-2000s
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Box
1
Folder
14
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Headstone Dedication, 2006
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Box
1
Folder
15
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Marriage, 2006
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Box
1
Folder
16
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Memorial Service, 2006
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Richard Taylor and Ray Vahey Reception at the Fair Wisconsin Fundraiser:
Remarks and Inteviews, 2006
Digital video file
: Use DVD 3 access copy
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Box
1
Folder
17
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Songs from the Heart Concert Celebration, 2007
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Box
1
Folder
18
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Speeches and Remarks, 2005-2008
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Tribute to Richard Taylor and 50 Years of Love,
2006
Digital video file
: Use DVD 4 access copy
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