Summary Information
Oral History Interviews of the Milwaukee LGBT History Project
2003-2007
- Milwaukee LGBT History Project
UWM Manuscript Collection 200
- .6 cubic ft. (2 boxes)
- 46 digital files (18.5 GB)
UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives / Milwaukee Area Research Ctr. (Map)
Collection consists of oral history interviews conducted by the
Milwaukee LGBT History Project with members of Milwaukee's LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender) community. The collection includes audio records and interview transcripts.
Interviewees describe their coming out experiences, the Gay Liberation Movement in
Milwaukee, early LGBT organizations, the impact of feminism on LGBT politics, and LGBT
social activities.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-mil-uwmmss0200 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Interviews conducted by members of the Milwaukee LGBT History Project from 2003 to 2007.
The 2007 interviews were conducted as StoryCorp sessions at the Milwaukee Public Library.
StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit project whose mission is to honor and celebrate one
another's lives through listening.
Formed in 2002, the Milwaukee LGBT History Project was a volunteer organization committed
to documenting the story of the metropolitan area's LGBT community. The project's
documentation efforts proceeded on several fronts. It assisted the University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries in the identification and acquisition of Milwaukee
LGBT-related archival records and personal papers, conducted oral history interviews with
individuals in the community, and published the results of its own historical research on
the Web and in the local LGBT media.
Scope and Content Note
Interviewees describe their coming out experiences, the development of the gay liberation
movement in Milwaukee, early LGBT organizations, the role of feminism in local politics, and
LGBT social activities.
Preferred Citation
Citation Guide for Primary Sources
Alternate Format
This collection is presented online in the UWM Libraries' digital collection Milwaukee LGBT Oral History Project.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Researchers must use access copies of electronic records and digital access copies of
audio 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).
Narrators of oral histories completed at StoryCorps in 2007 transferred all title and
property rights to Sound Portraits at the time of interview. Individuals wishing to
reproduce or publish these interviews should first secure permission from Sound
Portraits.
The Milwaukee LGBT History Project donated an initial set of interviews in August 2003
(accession 2003-012) and a second set in December 2007 (accession 2008-062). Ron Geiman
donated photographs in January 2004 (accession 2003-056).
Karen Bjork processed accession 2003-012 in September 2003 (Michael Doylen supervised).
Michael Doylen processed accession 2008-062 in January 2004 and accession 2008-062 in May
2009.
During processing, interviews received on CDs were saved as both .wav (preservation
master) and .mp3 (access copy) formats; the original CDs were then discarded.
George Blood L.P digitized the audio cassette recordings in August 2015. Audio
preservation master files were created as 96 kHz/24-bit resolution 2 channel broadcast
.wav files. Audio access copies were created as 44 kHz/192 kbps bit rate 2 channel .mp3
files.
Contents List
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Electronic Folder
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Arnold, Jeanne 2007 October 6
Listen to this interview and view the index. 1 digital audio file (41 min, 5 sec) : Cathy McConnell interviews Jeanne Arnold about her 33-year relationship with life and
business partner Barbara Lindquist.
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Electronic Folder
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Bowers, Jane 2007 August 15
Listen to this interview and view the index. 1 digital audio file (41 min, 5 sec) : Cheryl Kader interviews Jane Bowers about her family history, education at Wellesley
College and the University of California at Berkeley, teaching career in music, dawning
self-awareness as lesbian in the 1950s, and involvement in the feminist movement.
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Electronic Folder
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Burkett, Donna, 2007 July 14
Listen to this interview and view the index. 1 digital audio file (1 hr, 19 min) : Julia Kleppin interviews Donna L. Burkett about her family history, service in the
military, participation in the civil rights movement, efforts to obtain a license to
marry Manonia Evans in 1971, and involvement with various Milwaukee and statewide gay
and lesbian groups.
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Cook, Susan, 2003 April 30
Listen to this interview and view the index. : Michael Doylen and Laura Sutherland interview Susan Cook about her family history,
coming out experiences, the Milwaukee lesbian community and organizations in the 1980s,
the Milwaukee Lesbian/Gay Pride Committee, and the beginnings of pride celebrations.
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Interview
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Box
2
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2 audio cassettes
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Electronic Folder
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2 digital audio files (55 min, 19 sec; 37 min, 28 sec)
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Box
1
Folder
1
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Transcript
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Fitzpatrick, Shirley, 2003 October 25
Listen to this interview and view the index. : Jerry Johnson interviews Shirley Fitzpatrick about Milwaukee gay/lesbian softball
leagues and the development of the LGBT community in the 1970s and 1980s.
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Interview
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Box
2
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1 audio cassette
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Electronic Folder
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1 digital audio file (27 min, 2 sec)
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Box
1
Folder
2
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Transcript
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Geiman, Ron 2003 April 23
Listen to this interview and view the index. : Jamakaya interviews Ron Geiman about his family history, military service during
Vietnam War, coming out experiences, the Milwaukee gay bar culture in the 1970s,
editorship of InStep from 1984 to 1996, and AIDS.
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Interview
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Box
2
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3 audio cassettes
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Electronic Folder
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6 digital audio files (31 min, 2 sec; 32 min, 51 sec; 31 min, 23 sec; 31
min, 22 sec; 30 min, 54 sec; 30 min, 57 sec)
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Box
1
Folder
3-4
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Transcript, 2003 April 23 and Photographs
, 1970-2001, undated
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Electronic Folder
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Kleppen, Julia M., 2007 June 26
Listen to this interview and view the index. 1 digital audio file (38 min, 55 sec) : Holly Loveland interviews Julia Kleppin, her domestic partner, about her family
history, involvement in the feminist movement, marriage and children, coming out
experience, relationships, and involvement in Milwaukee organizations and with various
lesbian festivals celebrating women, music, and community.
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Electronic Folder
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Loveland, Holly S., 2007 June 26
Listen to this interview and view the index. 1 digital audio file (37 min, 31 sec) : Julia Kleppin interviews Holly Loveland, her domestic partner, about her family
history, coming out experience, employment history, and involvement in Milwaukee's gay
and lesbian organizations.
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Electronic Folder
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Neuendorf, Lorrie and Cathy McConnell, 2007 July
25
Listen to this interview and view the index. 1 digital audio file (39 min, 27 sec) : Life partners Lorrie Neuendorf and Cathy McConnell interview each other concerning
their childhoods, adult careers, families, coming out, Michigan Womyn's Music
Festival.
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Electronic Folder
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Reams, Lula F., 2007 July 21
Listen to this interview and view the index. 1 digital audio file (39 min, 28 sec) : Julia Kleppin and Mbili Waller interview Dr. Lula F. Reams about her family history;
move from Tennessee to Racine, Wisconsin as a child; experiences with race relations
both in the South and North; college education; work experiences; marriage and divorce;
coming out as lesbian; and the Lesbians of Color (LOC) social group.
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Electronic Folder
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Snider, Karen, 2003 March 17
Listen to this interview and view the index. : Kathy Herbst interviews Karen Snider about her coming out experiences; Milwaukee
lesbian community, including Amazon Collective and the Feminist Writers Guild; her
activities as an author; feminism and lesbianism; and issues of classism and racism in
the Milwaukee LGBT community.
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Interview
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Box
2
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2 audio cassettes
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Electronic Folder
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4 digital audio files (31 min, 23 sec; 31 min, 24 sec; 31 min, 23 sec; 3
min, 19 sec)
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Box
1
Folder
5
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Transcript
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Electronic Folder
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Stevens, Carol, and Jai Brett 2007 August 11
Listen to this interview and view the index. 1 digital audio file (39 min, 24 sec) : Cheryl Kader interviews Carol Stevens and Jai Brett about coming out as lesbians;
Stevens' marriage and children; Milwaukee's LGBT community, their involvement in the Gay
Peoples Union (GPU) and Grape Vine, a lesbian-feminist organization; their friendships
and relationships; and other topics.
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Electronic Folder
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Tassara, Rebecca 2007 July 18
Listen to this interview and view the index. 1 digital audio file (39 min, 39 sec) : Jennifer Murray interviews Rebecca Tassara about her family history; Catholic education
in Peru and move from Peru to the United States in 1966; marriage and children;
relationship with her mother; coming out as lesbian; involvement in Milwaukee’s
lesbian community.
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Electronic Folder
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Warren, Janice 2007 August 1
Listen to this interview and view the index. 1 digital audio file (42 min, 14 sec) : Jennifer Murray interviews Janice Warren about her family history; coming out as
lesbian; growing up during Milwaukee's civil rights movement; involvement in the local
LGBT community and groups such as Action Wisconsin and Lesbians of Color (LOC);
experiences with race and racism; employment, especially at UW-Milwaukee; and
education.
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