Summary Information
Cream City Business Association Records 1979-1989
- Cream City Business Association
UWM Manuscript Collection 204
1 cubic ft. (3 boxes)
UW-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives / Milwaukee Area Research Ctr. (Map)
Collection consists of the records of the Cream City Business
Association, an affiliation of metropolitan Milwaukee gay and lesbian business owners and
service providers that was in existence from 1981 to 1989. Collection includes meeting
agendas and minutes of the executive committee and board of directors, newsletters,
administrative correspondence, business directories, and committee files. English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-mil-uwmmss0204
Biography/History
In August 1980, a group of fifteen people gathered at a meeting of the Gay Peoples Union to
hear the vice president of the Business Association of Milwaukee, an association of gay and
lesbian business owners, speak on the topic of "Gay Businesses in Milwaukee." When the
speaker failed to show, some of the attendees met separately and discussed forming an
alternative group of Milwaukee gay and lesbian business and professional people. After
several planning meetings, the Cream City Business Association held its first public meeting
in May 1981 with thirty-seven people in attendance. The first issue of CCBA's monthly
newsletter appeared in the same month. The group incorporated in August of the same
year.
Initial committees focused on investments, research and referral, special programs, the
CCBA foundation, membership, and housing and restoration. From the start, CCBA was a member
of the National Association of Business Councils. Throughout its existence, the CCBA held
monthly meetings and programs, published a newsletter, and held an annual meeting with an
awards ceremony.
Presidents included Ralph Navarro (1980-1984), Marc Haupert (1984-1986), Jerry Johnson
(1986-1987), Karen Gotzler (1987-1988), and Gary Gussick (1988).
In 1984, CCBA boasted that it was the largest, active lesbian and gay organization in
Wisconsin, and that it had more than 200 members. CCBA played a major role in establishing
the Governor's Council on Lesbian and Gay Issues, developing the Cream City Association
Foundation (now the Cream City Foundation), and expanding coverage of Milwaukee's LGBT
community by the local media.
Scope and Content Note
The richest sources of information in the collection are the minutes of the executive
committee (1981-1987) and board of directors (1980-1989), the CCBA
Newsletter (1981-1988), and the administrative correspondence (1981-1988).
Information regarding the development of CCBA in late 1980 and early 1981 is found in the
board of directors' minutes. The newsletter and business directories list CCBA member
businesses in the metropolitan Milwaukee area. The monthly newsletter also contains meeting
minutes, calendars of activities, the president's column, financial reports, local and
national news stories, and features on local gay and lesbian businesses. The collection
includes the results of member surveys conducted in 1981, 1982, and 1984. News clippings
include features on the CCBA, gay professionals, and the "gay economy."
Preferred Citation
Citation Guide for Primary Sources
Related Material in the UWM Libraries
Administrative/Restriction Information
There are no 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).
PrideFest donated the collection to the Archives in November 2003 (accession 2003-035).
Scott Gunkel donated additional material in February 2004 (accession 2003-062).
Michael Doylen processed the collection in February 2004.
Contents List
Box
1
Folder
1
|
Advisory Committee, 1986
|
|
Box
1
Folder
2
|
Annual Meeting, 1985
|
|
Box
1
Folder
3
|
Articles of Incorporation, 1981
|
|
Box
1
Folder
4
|
Board Manual, 1987
|
|
|
Board of Directors
|
|
Box
1
Folder
5
|
Agendas and Minutes, 1980-1983
|
|
Box
1
Folder
6
|
Agendas and Minutes, 1984-1986
|
|
Box
1
Folder
7
|
Agendas and Minutes, 1987-1989
|
|
Box
1
Folder
8
|
Ad Hoc Committee to Meet with Resigned Members, 1986
|
|
Box
1
Folder
9
|
Brochures, undated
|
|
Box
1
Folder
10
|
Business Enhancement Committee, 1985-1986
|
|
Box
1
Folder
11
|
Business Network, 1987-1988, undated
|
|
Box
1
Folder
12
|
By-Laws, 1983-1986, undated
|
|
Box
1
Folder
13
|
By-Laws Committee, 1986
|
|
Box
1
Folder
14
|
CCBA Newsletter, 1981-1983
|
|
Box
1
Folder
15
|
CCBA Newsletter, 1984-1985
|
|
Box
1
Folder
16
|
CCBA Newsletter, 1986-1988
|
|
Box
1
Folder
17
|
Contract Review, 1986
|
|
Box
2
Folder
1
|
Correspondence, 1981
|
|
Box
2
Folder
2
|
Correspondence, 1982-1983
|
|
Box
2
Folder
3
|
Correspondence, 1984-1988
|
|
Box
2
Folder
4
|
Cream City Investment Club, 1984-1986, undated
|
|
Box
2
Folder
5
|
Cream City Special Edition,
1983-1984
|
|
Box
2
Folder
6
|
Dinner Meetings, 1987, undated
|
|
Box
2
Folder
7
|
Directories, 1983-1987
|
|
Box
2
Folder
8
|
Executive Committee, 1981-1987
|
|
Box
2
Folder
9
|
Financial Statements, 1981-1988
|
|
Box
2
Folder
10
|
Forms, undated
|
|
Box
2
Folder
11
|
Franklin Center Ad Hoc Committee, 1987, undated
|
|
Box
2
Folder
12
|
Goal Setting, 1981-1982, undated
|
|
Box
2
Folder
13
|
Histories, undated
|
|
Box
2
Folder
14
|
Housing and Development Committee, 1983
|
|
Box
2
Folder
15
|
Letterhead (Blank), undated
|
|
Box
2
Folder
16
|
Membership Application (Blank), undated
|
|
Box
2
Folder
17
|
Membership Committee, 1983-1987
|
|
Box
2
Folder
18
|
Membership Information, 1985-1986, undated
|
|
Box
2
Folder
19
|
Membership Surveys, 1981-1984
|
|
Box
2
Folder
20
|
Metropolitan Business Association/CCBA Ad Hoc Committee, 1982
|
|
Box
3
Folder
1
|
News Clippings, 1979-1986, undated
|
|
Box
3
Folder
2
|
Other LGBT Business Associations, 1985-1986, undated
|
|
Box
3
Folder
3
|
Photographs, undated
|
|
Box
3
Folder
4
|
Position Descriptions, 1986-1987
|
|
Box
3
Folder
5
|
Public Relations Committee, 1984-1986
|
|
Box
3
Folder
6
|
Secretarial Service Ad Hoc Committee, 1986
|
|
Box
3
Folder
7
|
Women's Planning Committee, 1986-1987, undated
|
|
|