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William Way LGBT Community Center clippings file

 Collection
Identifier: Ms-Coll-34

Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of clippings related to LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) issues collected by volunteers of the William Way Community Center. Subjects include: LGBT athletes, musicians, authors; HIV/AIDS; gay issues in various locations; prominent LGBT Philadelphians; and other LGBT topics.

Dates

  • 1979-2012

Creator

Conditions Governing Access Note

Contact John J. Wilcox Jr. LGBT Archives of Philadelphia for information about accessing this collection.

Biographical/Historical Note

The direct descendant of the William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center is the Gay Community Center of Philadelphia (GCCP), which was located at 326 Kater Street from April 1976 to November 23, 1981. From 1982 to 1995, the organization continued as Penguin Place.

"The William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center was formed in 1996, when a group of community leaders came together with the goal of creating a stronger, more stable community center out of Penguin Place, the community center at the time.

"After an extensive search, the Community Center purchased the former Engineers' Club of Philadelphia in March 1997. Soon after, renovations began, and the building opened to the public in July 1997. Since then, the Center has developed an array of programming and services that target LGBT groups, and community organizations have moved permanent offices into the Community Center. In addition, over 70 groups meet at the Community Center on a regular basis, and many more use the facility for special events. The building is open seven days a week and is currently [as of 2012] used by over 2,500 people each month."

Bibliography:

Quoted text from: William Way Community Center. "About Us." Accessed June 25, 2012. http://waygay.org/aboutus/default.asp.

Extent

12 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The William Way LGBT Community Center clippings file, 1979-2012, consists of clippings related to LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) issues collected by volunteers of the William Way Community Center.

Immediate Source of Acquisition Note

Clippings collected over time by volunteers of the William Way LGBT Community Center.

General Physical Description note

6 file drawers

Processing Information Note

Summary descriptive information on this collection was compiled in 2011-2012 as part of a pilot project conducted by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania to make better known and more accessible the largely hidden collections of small, primarily volunteer run repositories in the Philadelphia area. The Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories (HCI-PSAR) was funded by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

This is a preliminary finding aid. No physical processing, rehousing, reorganizing, or folder listing was accomplished during the HCI-PSAR project.

In some cases, more detailed inventories or finding aids may be available on-site at the repository where this collection is held; please contact John J. Wilcox Jr. LGBT Archives of Philadelphia directly for more information.

Title
William Way LGBT Community Center clippings file, 1979-2012
Status
Completed
Author
Finding aid prepared by Celia Caust-Ellenbogen and Michael Gubicza through the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Sponsor
This preliminary finding aid was created as part of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories. The HCI-PSAR project was made possible by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Repository Details

Part of the John J. Wilcox, Jr. LGBT Archives, William Way LGBT Community Center Repository

Contact:
1315 Spruce Street
Philadelphia PA 19107
215-732-2220