Title: Brady East STD Clinic Records
Inclusive Dates: 1972-2007

Creator:

• Brady East STD Clinic

Call Numbers: UWM Manuscript Collection 238; Accession 2013-042

Quantity:

• 3.2 cubic ft. (8 boxes)
• 456 digital files (11.7 GB)
• 4 oversize folders
• plus additions of .2 cubic ft. (1 oversize folder)

Repository:

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives Department

Archival Location:

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

Abstract:

Collection documents the development of the Brady East STD Clinic from its origin in 1974 as a program of the Gay Peoples Union, a prominent gay rights group in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to being a statewide leader in the battle against HIV/AIDS by the 1990s. The collection includes administrative records such as minutes, annual reports, correspondence, and newsletters, and well as general informational sources such as posters and brochures on human sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV/AIDS prevention.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-mil-uwmmss0238

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In response to an outbreak of syphilis among men having sex with men, the Gay Peoples Union (GPU) opened its Venereal Disease Examination Center on October 11, 1974. The center provided free and confidential testing in a friendly environment to all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation or practices. Its work was funded by a grant from the City of Milwaukee Health Department channeled through the 16th Street Community Health Center, the Gerald Earl Meyers Foundation, and GPU. This partnership among a municipal government agency, a private community clinic, a local foundation, and a gay rights organization on behalf of a "gay" VD clinic was unique in Wisconsin.

In its early years, the center offered screening for gonorrhea and syphilis, and maintained a VD hotline that provided callers with accurate information and referrals. Clinic volunteers initiated one of the nation's first "outreach clinics" for off-site testing of STDs, regularly screening patrons of a local gay bathhouse. In 1977, the center expanded its services to include treatment and accordingly changed its name to the Gay Peoples Union VD Clinic. In 1979, the name of the clinic changed to the Gay Peoples Union STD Clinic. During fall 1981 and spring 1982, the clinic was gradually organized as an entity independent of GPU and renamed the Farwell STD Clinic. In June 1982, the clinic relocated to 1240 E. Brady Street and underwent a final name change to the Brady East STD (BESTD) Clinic.

Although the clients of the BESTD Clinic have been predominately male, the clinic provided space for the Women's Alternative Health Clinic beginning in 1987. This clinic provided an alternative for women uncomfortable with the traditional medical system or seeking additional information and support. It was widely promoted among Milwaukee's lesbian population.

In 1984, BESTD volunteers began preliminary responses to AIDS. (In Wisconsin, the first cases of HIV infection were reported in 1983.) The board of directors formed the Milwaukee AIDS Project (MAP) as a committee of the clinic. As the complexity and demands of HIV and AIDS increased, the board realized that an appropriate response for the City of Milwaukee was far beyond the capacity of a dedicated group of volunteers. Following its divestiture from BESTD, MAP became an independent entity in January 1986. MAP was later reorganized as the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin (ARCW). BESTD continues to provide HIV/AIDS testing and prevention counseling. Indeed, it was one of the earliest pioneers in HIV testing, conducting the state's first outreach HIV testing at local gay bars and clubs. BESTD Clinic also led the nation with the first large-scale use of a rapid HIV anti-body test, conducting 200 tests at PrideFest Milwaukee in 2003.

The origin of the Brady East STD (BESTD) Clinic is documented in the Gay Peoples Union (GPU) Proposal for an Examination Program for VD. The development of the clinic from a program of the GPU to one of the most active and visible HIV testing sites in Wisconsin is told in the annual reports to the GPU Board of Directors, 1974-1979, and the BESTD Board of Directors meeting files, 1981-2000. Both sources contain information about clinic services and programs, client demographics, and financials. The collection also documents the history of the Milwaukee AIDS Project (MAP) and the clinic's cooperative efforts with other agencies and projects, including the Aurora HIV/AIDS Care Team, the Coalition of Greater Milwaukee Community Health Centers, the Milwaukee HIV Prevention Planning Project, and the Women's Alternative Health Clinic.

In addition to documenting the history of the BESTD Clinic, the collection includes sources of general informational value. Topics include human sexuality and sexually transmitted diseases; the evolution of a "safer sex" discourse in response to HIV/AIDS in the 1980s; clean needle exchange programs; and the history of HIV/AIDS with an emphasis on prevention, diagnosis, and counseling. Much of this information is contained in brochures, posters, and other materials produced and/or distributed by the clinic.

This collection was received in, and is organized in, multiple parts. Additional materials have not been physically or intellectually arranged and interfiled, and researchers may need to consult more than one part of the collection to locate similar materials.

• UWM Manuscript 238 Records, 1972-2004

The collection contains one additional accession.

• Accession 2013-042: Additions, 1974-2007

Citation Guide for Primary Sources

• ACT UP Milwaukee Records. UWM Manuscript Collection 203.

• Bobby Positive Booklets and Papers. UWM Manuscript Collection 239.

• Cream City Foundation Records. UWM Manuscript Collection 205.

• Gay Peoples Union Records. UWM Manuscript Collection 240.

• Milwaukee Gay/Lesbian Cable Network Records. UWM Manuscript Collection 206.

• National Coalition of Gay Sexually Transmitted Disease Services Records. Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 207.

Access Restrictions

There are no 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

Brady East STD Clinic donated this collection in November 2005 (accession number 2005-027). Don Schwawmb donated additonal materials in March 2014 (accession 2013-42).

Processing Information

Ryan Claringbole processed the collection at the Archives in August 2006. Hayley Jackson updated the finding aid to include information about accession 2013-042 in March 2014.

UWM Manuscript Collection 238	Records, 1972-2004 Physical Description: 3.2 cubic ft. (8 boxes); 456 digital files (11.7 GB); 4 oversize folders
Box   1 Folder   1	16th Street Community Health Center, 1972, undated
Box   1 Folder   2	Ace Hi Clinic, 1992
Box   1 Folder   3	Advertising, 1979-1993
Box   1 Folder   4	Agreement with H.O.P.E., 1974
Box   1 Folder   5	Agreement with Wisconsin Division of Health, 1979
Box   8 Folder   5	AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, Proposal for Establishment, 1985
Box   1 Folder   6	Annual Planning Retreat, 1985
Box   1 Folder   7	Annual Reports to Gay Peoples Union Board of Directors, 1974-1979
Box   1 Folder   8	Articles of Incorporation, 1981-1998
Box   1 Folder   9	Articles of Incorporation, Amendment Re: Name Change, 1982
Box   1 Folder   10	Aurora HIV/AIDS Care Team, Full-Team Meetings, 1993-1994
Box   1 Folder   11	Aurora HIV/AIDS Coordinating Committee, Steering Committee Meetings, 1993-1994
Box   1 Folder   12	BESTD Clinic AIDS Team, 1986, undated
	BESTD Friends, Inc.
Box   1 Folder   13	Articles of Incorporation, 1996
Box   1 Folder   14	Meetings, 1996
Box   1 Folder   15-18	Board of Directors Meetings, 1981-1983
Box   2 Folder   1-7	Board of Directors Meetings, 1984-1988
Box   3 Folder   1-14	Board of Directors Meetings, 1989-2001
	Brochures
	BESTD Clinic, undated
Electronic Folder     \Box04\   Folder01_uwmmss238_000001-000022\	Digital Physical Description: 22 digital files (478 MB)
Box   4 Folder   1	Physical
	Gay Men's Health Crisis, 1986-1995, undated
Electronic Folder     \Box04\   Folder02_uwmmss238_000023-000180\	Digital Physical Description: 159 digital files (3.14 GB)
Box   4 Folder   2	Physical
	HIV/AIDS and Safer Sex, 1986-1995, undated
Electronic Folder     \Box04\   Folder03_uwmmss238_000181-000298\	Digital Physical Description: 118 digital files (3.42 GB)
Box   4 Folder   3	Physical
	STD's, 1973-2000, undated
Electronic Folder     \Box04\   Folder04_uwmmss238_000299-000400\	Digital Physical Description: 102 digital files (3.09 GB)
Box   4 Folder   4	Physical
	Buttons and Pins, undated
Electronic Folder     \Box04\   Folder05_uwmmss238_000401-000403\	Digital Physical Description: 3 digital files (10.9 MB)
Box   4 Folder   5	Physical
	Center of Disease Control Review of BESTD Clinic, 1984
Electronic Folder     \Box04\   Folder06_uwmmss238_000404-000406\	Digital Physical Description: 3 digital files (80.8 MB)
Box   4 Folder   6	Physical
	Client Statistics, 1985-1989
Electronic Folder     \Box04\   Folder07_uwmmss238_000407-000415\	Digital Physical Description: 9 digital files (284 MB)
Box   4 Folder   7	Physical
	Clinic Histories, 1982-1999
Electronic Folder     \Box04\   Folder08_uwmmss238_000416-000441\	Digital Physical Description: 26 digital files (759 MB)
Box   4 Folder   8	Physical
	Clinic Records Confidentiality Policy, undated
Electronic Folder     \Box04\   Folder09_uwmmss238_000442-000445\	Digital Physical Description: 4 digital files (111 MB)
Box   4 Folder   9	Physical
	Clinic Staff Meeting, 1977-1978
Electronic Folder     \Box04\   Folder10_uwmmss238_000446-000448\	Digital Physical Description: 3 digital files (84.1 MB)
Box   4 Folder   10	Physical
	Clippings, 1983-1984
Electronic Folder     \Box04\   Folder11_uwmmss238_000449\	Digital Physical Description: 7 digital files (355 MB)
Box   4 Folder   11	Physical
Box   4 Folder   12	Coalition of Greater Milwaukee Community Health Centers, 1977-1978
Box   4 Folder   13	Contracts/Employment, 1988
Box   4 Folder   14	Contracts with the City of Milwaukee, 1985-1991
Box   4 Folder   15	Correspondence, 1974-1976
Box   5 Folder   1-6	Correspondence, 1977-1993
Box   5 Folder   7	Cream City Foundation Grant Applications, 1984
Box   5 Folder   8	Cryptosporidium Outbreak, Clippings, 1994
Box   5 Folder   9	Division of Health Outreach Grant, 1988-1989
Box   5 Folder   11	Education and Research Committee, 1983-1984
Box   5 Folder   12-21	Executive Committee Meetings, 1983-1993
Box   5 Folder   22	Federal Property Purchase Program Information, 1977-1978
Box   5 Folder   23	Finance Committee Meetings, 1983
Box   6 Folder   1-2	Finance Committee Meetings, 1984-1985
Box   6 Folder   3	Gay Peoples Union Proposal for an Examination Program for VD, 1974
Box   6 Folder   4	Gay Peoples Union VD Examination Center Speech/Publication Draft, undated
Box   6 Folder   5	Governor's Council on Lesbian and Gay Issues Health Survey, 1978
Box   6 Folder   6	Grant Applications, 1981-1994
Box   6 Folder   7	Great Lakes Regional Lesbian/Gay Health Conference, 1983
Box   6 Folder   8	Gremminger, Roger, M.D., 1981-1982
Box   6 Folder   9	Gremminger, Roger, M.D., Letter of Resignation, 1984
Box   6 Folder   10	Historic Renovation of the BESTD Facility, 2004
Box   6 Folder   11	HIV Counselor Training Sessions, 1994
Box   6 Folder   12	HIV Testing, 1995
Box   5 Folder   10	Johnson, Doug, Correspondence/Speech, 1987, undated
Box   6 Folder   13	Lab Policies and Procedures, 2000
Box   6 Folder   14	Logos, undated
Box   6 Folder   15	Management Protocols, 1998
Box   6 Folder   16	Marquette University Work Study, 1977-1978
Box   6 Folder   17	Medical Director's Reports, 1983-1984
Box   6 Folder   18	Memorandum of Understanding with STD Specialties, 1989
Box   6 Folder   19	Mil-M. AIDS Tournament (Benefit for Camp Heartland and BESTD Clinic), 2003
	Milwaukee AIDS Project
Box   6 Folder   20	AIDS Alternative Health Project, 1988-1989
Box   6 Folder   21	Brochures, circa 1985
Box   6 Folder   22	Charter, 1985
Box   6 Folder   23	Correspondence, 1984-1987
Box   6 Folder   24	Grant Proposal to Reach High-Risk Populations, 1985
Box   6 Folder   25	LesBiGay Advisory Council, 1994-1995
Box   6 Folder   26	Lifepoint Clean Needle Exchange Program, 1994
Box   6 Folder   27	Minutes, 1985
Box   6 Folder   28-29	Proposal and Work Plan, 1984-1985
Box   7 Folder   1	Survey of AIDS-Related Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors Among Gay Men in Milwaukee, 1991
Box   7 Folder   2	Volunteer Staff Training Manual, 1990
Box   7 Folder   3	Work Plan Reports, 1985
Box   7 Folder   4-5	Milwaukee HIV Prevention Planning Project, 1993-1994
Box   7 Folder   6	National Association of Community Health Centers, 1985
Box   7 Folder   7	Navarro, Ralph, Proposal from, 1995
Box   7 Folder   8	Newsletters, 1979-1997, undated
Box   7 Folder   9	Organizational Charts, 1982-1984
Box   7 Folder   10	Other Gay Venereal Disease Centers, 1977, undated
Box   7 Folder   11	Outreach, 1988-1992
Box   7 Folder   12	Outreach Program, Collaboration with Milwaukee AIDS Project, 1996-1997, undated
Box   7 Folder   13	Policies and Procedures, circa 1974-1981
Box   7 Folder   14	Policies and Procedures, early 1990's
Box   8 Folder   1	Policies and Procedures, undated
	Posters and Other Oversize Items
Oversize Folder   1	BESTD Clinic, undated
Oversize Folder   2-3	HIV/AIDS and Safer Sex, undated
Oversize Folder   4	Milwaukee AIDS Project, undated
Box   8 Folder   2	Press Releases, undated
Box   8 Folder   3	Program and Development Committee, 1983-1984
Box   8 Folder   4	Program Plans, 1983-1984
Box   8 Folder   6	Public Hearing Notice on Legal Issues Relating to AIDS, 1987
Box   8 Folder   7	Rental Agreement with OUT!, 1985
Box   8 Folder   8	Sexual Health Columns, 1994, undated
Box   8 Folder   9	Sisters of the Inaccurate Deception, Proposal from, 1984
Box   8 Folder   10	Staff Shortage Issue, 1983
Box   8 Folder   11	Statement of Douglas Johnson Before the Commissioner of Insurance of Wisconsin, 1987
Box   8 Folder   12	STD Clinic Intake, Self-Learning Packet, 1996
Box   8 Folder   13-14	STD Statistics, 1988-1989
Box   8 Folder   15	Ten-Year Anniversary, 1984
Box   8 Folder   16	Treatment Protocols, 1993
Box   8 Folder   17	Treatment Protocols, 1996
Box   8 Folder   18	UJIMA, 1993
Box   8 Folder   19	UMOS (United Migrant Opportunity Services), undated
Box   8 Folder   20	UWM Work Study, 1978-1979, undated
Box   8 Folder   21	Venereal Disease Tests (Examination-Quiz), undated
Box   8 Folder   22-23	Volunteer and Client Statistics Logs, 1981-1999
Box   8 Folder   24	Wisconsin Conference on Venereal Diseases, 1978
Box   8 Folder   25	Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Services, Correspondence, 1985-1995
Box   8 Folder   26	Women's Alternative Health Clinic, 1993-1994
Accession 2013-042	Additions, 1974-2007 Abstract: Additions of awards, proclamations, certificates, and letters of congratulations and support, dating from 1974 to 2007. Also includes a photo of the 1996-1997 volleyball team. Physical Description: .2 cubic ft. (1 oversize folder)