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Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest Oral Histories Series
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Oral history interview with Gary Coleman and Steve Fulmer

This oral history interview with Gary Coleman and Steven Fulmer was conducted by R. Michael Sanchez on May 19, 2007, for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. The interview was conducted as part of a senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University, with instructor Christa Orth.

In this interview, Coleman and Fulmer discuss the origins of the Portland Gay Men's Chorus in 1980 and describe their first performances. They talk about the popularity of the chorus and about people who contributed time and resources to the chorus. They describe the organizational structure of the chorus, talk about how the chorus chose its repertoire, and discuss how the AIDS epidemic affected the chorus members. They talk about the Gay and Lesbian Arts Association, about the mission of the chorus, and about the chorus's role in the gay community of the Pacific Northwest. They discuss how the chorus has changed since 1980, talk about the challenges the chorus has faced, and speak about public reception of the chorus. They reflect on memorable moments and performances of the chorus, and close the interview by sharing their hopes and plans for its future.

Coleman, Gary, approximately 1951-

Oral history interview with Patricia A. Cach

This oral history interview with Patricia A. Cach was conducted by Aaron Powell and Dorothy Zapf on February 4, 2011. Powell and Zapf conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest as part of Professor Pat Young's senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University.

In this interview, Cach describes her experiences as a fan of the Erv Lind Florists, a softball team in Portland, Oregon. She talks about Erv Lind and his support for the team; about the players, particularly Chris Mazzuca; and about the 1962 Women's Softball Tournament. She also speaks about coaching another Portland softball team, the Lavender Menace 2. She shares her experiences as a lesbian in the mid-20th century and talks about her opinion on marriage. She talks about playing in an all-lesbian jug band, about her interest in art, and about why her interest in softball waned. She discusses her spirituality and her identity as a lesbian. She closes the interview by talking about her relationship with her brother.

Cach, Patricia A., 1939-

Oral history interview with Lee Coleman

This oral history interview with Lee Coleman was conducted by Katrina Griffiths and Joshua Fackrell on February 17, 2011. Griffiths and Fackrell conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest as part of Professor Pat Young's senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University.

In this interview, Coleman discusses his involvement with the Log Cabin Republicans in California and Oregon. He discusses the political fight against Measure 9, an Oregon ballot measure against LGBTQ rights, in 1992. He also talks about the state of the Republican Party at the time of the interview in 2011. He discusses the reasons he became a Democrat in 2004; talks about recent gay rights legislation in Oregon; and speculates about the future of gay rights. He closes the interview by encouraging his interviewers to become more politically active.

Coleman, Lee, 1931-

Oral history interview with Steve Suss

This oral history interview with Steve Suss was conducted by Danita Doun and Lachelle Ogden on February 15, 2011, as part of their Capstone course at Portland State University, under instructor Pat Young. Doun and Ogden conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest, which collects the histories of organizations and individuals active in lesbian and gay issues in the Portland area and throughout the Pacific Northwest. In addition to the audio, the collection includes a transcript of the interview and photographs of Suss.

In the interview, Suss discusses his ownership of Embers, a gay bar in Portland, Oregon. He also talks about serving on the board for Esther's Pantry, which provides food and clothing for people with AIDS. He discusses his stance on marriage equality; talks about owning a bar and steam bath in Seattle, Washington, but leaving due to city government corruption; and talks about his reasons for relocating to Portland and some of his early business ventures. He discusses the early years of owning Embers, beginning in 1971, including his attempt to expand its original location, and moving to the location on Broadway in 1981. He also talks about his relationship with his partner and his family. He closes the interview by talking about a lawsuit against the Oregon Liquor Control Commission that he was involved in.

Suss, Steve (Stephen C.), 1939-2020

Oral history interview with George Oberg

This oral history interview with George Oberg was conducted by Heather Burmeister and Brian Aune on February 18, 2009, for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. The interview was conducted as part of a senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University with instructor Pat Young. A transcript of the interview is available.

In this interview, Oberg discusses his early life on a farm in Hazel Dell, Washington, and talks about his involvement in the Portland gay community in the 1960s. He shares the origins of the Second Foundation, the first gay support organization in Oregon; talks about his work as president of the foundation; and speaks at length about the work of the organization. He also talks about working as a teacher to visually impaired young adults. He speaks about his life with his partner, Gary, talks about his partner's death from AIDS, and shares his memories of the effect of the AIDS epidemic on the gay community in Oregon and Washington. He closes the interview by speaking further about the work of the Second Foundation, including its newsletter, "The Fountain." He closes the interview by sharing a story about a company he worked for, in which the company discovered it had been polluting the Columbia River.

Oberg, George, approximately 1938-

Oral history interview with Maria Council, by Gary Knapp and A. Krummenacker

Maria Council is co-founder/President of Peacock After Dark. Council discusses her introduction to drag; her drag influences including "drag mother" Patty O'Dora and Lady Elaine Peacock; her reputation as Northwest's First Lesbian Drag Queen and subsequently as the first biologically female Empress of the Rose Court; her experiences in workplaces that required different levels of closeting and self-censorship; and her involvement with the local Portland church community.

Council, Maria

Oral history interview with Holly Hart

This oral history interview with Holly Hart was conducted by Winter Drews and James Loos at Hart's home in Portland, Oregon, on November 14, 2000. Drews and Loos conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest as part of Professor Ann Mussey's senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University. The interview transcript includes a written introduction by George Nicola.

In this interview, Hart discusses her experience at Reed College in Portland during the 1960s, including her experience as a closeted lesbian and her political and civil rights activism. She talks about working for the Willamette Bridge newspaper, her involvement in the gay liberation movement, and coming out as a lesbian. She briefly talks about her experience studying law at the University of California at Berkeley, then discusses practicing law in Portland. She talks about cases she worked on, lawyers she worked with, and her focus on civil rights cases, particularly gay rights. She discusses serving on the Task Force on Sexual Preference and describes the report of recommendations she authored for the governor. She talks about her dissatisfaction with practicing law and her decision to instead open a restaurant, Old Wives' Tales; describes the process of opening the restaurant; and talks about her original plan to also open a bookstore. She speaks at length about running the restaurant and its role in the Portland community. She then discusses having a child via artificial insemination and talks about raising her daughter. She also discusses her involvement in Portland's Jewish community. She then revisits the topic of her restaurant and talks about the diversity of its clientele; discusses how social conditions for LGBTQ people have changed in Portland; and talks about her experience as a lesbian and a mother in Portland's Jewish community. She closes the interview by revisiting the topic of her work at the Willamette Bridge newspaper, describing instances of harassment she has experienced, and talking about her hopes for the future of gay rights.

Hart, Holly, 1947-

Oral history interview with Ann Mussey

This oral history interview with Ann Mussey was conducted by Justine Larson and Brooke Welch on November 13, 2000. Larson and Welch conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest as part of their senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University, for which Mussey was the instructor.

In this interview, Mussey discusses moving to Portland, Oregon, from the Midwest in 1971 and living in a lesbian collective in Southeast Portland, called Red Emma, for one year. She describes the philosophy of communal living, as well as living conditions in the collective, and talks about the other women who lived there. She also discusses the various organizations that sprang from Red Emma, including women's health clinics and halfway houses. She closes the interview by talking about the lesbian community in Portland, particularly lesbian-owned businesses.

Mussey, Ann L. (Ann Louise), 1950-

Oral history interview with Susie Shepherd

This oral history interview with Susie Shepherd was conducted by Erin Sexton and Jamie Walton on November 4, 2000. Sexton and Walton conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest as part of Professor Ann Mussey's senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University. Several of Shepherd's pets were also present and occasionally interrupted the interview.

In this interview, Shepherd discusses her identity as a gay woman. She talks about working with Jerry Weller on the Portland Town Council; about her experiences at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, and at Portland State University; and about her life as a lesbian in the 1970s. She speaks at length about coming out to her parents. She then speaks about her activism for gay rights with the Portland Town Council during the 1970s, and talks about some of the people she worked with, politicians they lobbied, and some of the opposition they faced. She also describes coming out on the television show "Town Hall." She discusses her abuse of alcohol in the late 1970s, describes how it affected her life and relationships, and talks about her recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous. She talks about her involvement in the Leather community, including winning the title of International Ms. Leather in 1989, and winning the title of International Master and Slaver with her partner, K.T. Chase, in 1992. She also describes how she parlayed those titles to further her activism for gay rights. She closes the interview by discussing her management of the Bill and Ann Shepherd Legal Scholarship.

Shepherd, Susie (Susan Mary), 1949-

Oral history interview with Jerry Weller

This oral history interview with Jerry Weller was conducted by Libbey Austin at Weller's home in Portland, Oregon, on May 10, 2007. Austin conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Achives of the Pacific Northwest as part of Professor Christa Orth's senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University. The collection includes a transcript of the interview.

In this interview, Weller discusses his early life in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, including his experiences as a young gay man at Penn State University. He talks about his relationship with Bruce Muller, describes how he became involved in the gay rights movement while living in the Bay Area, and discusses his reasons for moving to Portland in 1976. He discusses his involvement with the Portland Town Council, describes the anti-gay legislation that passed in many places in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s, and talks about his involvement with the national gay rights movement. He discusses the development of the Portland Town Council, the Right to Privacy PAC, and other gay rights organizations he was involved in. He also talks about the development in the language regarding LGBTQ people. He talks about his experiences in Washington, D.C., and in Chicago, Illinois, and his return to Portland in the 1980s. He discusses his relationship with the Shepherd family; describes his experience with AIDS; and speaks about gay rights legislation he was involved with. He closes the interview by talking about the role gay bars and drag queens played in the gay rights movement, about the growth of gay pride events, and about his favorite gay bars in Portland.

Weller, Jerry (Gerald K.), 1948-2018

Oral history interview with Larry S. Copeland

This oral history interview with Larry S. Copeland was conducted by Emily Bowen and Kenty Truong on February 17, 2011. Bowen and Truong conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest as part of Professor Pat Young's senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University.

In this interview, Copeland discusses his early life in Redmond and Portland, Oregon. He talks about his social life as a gay man in the mid-20th century, particularly the role of Portland gay bars. He speaks at length about his involvement with the Portland Town Council. He also discusses his 1982 campaign for the Portland City Council. He speaks about the progression of gay rights in the United States; talks about his experience during the AIDS epidemic; and speaks about the various jobs he worked. The interview closes with discussion about the senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University.

Copeland, Larry S. (Larry Steven), 1947-2017

Oral history interview with Charles F. Hinkle

This oral history interview with Charles F. Hinkle was conducted by Michael Lamore and Michelle Brown on February 10, 2009, for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. The interview was conducted as part of a senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University with instructor Pat Young. A transcript of the interview is available.

In this interview, Hinkle speaks at length about his work as a lawyer representing Peggy Burton, a teacher in Salem, Oregon, who was fired for being a lesbian. He also talks about his experience working with the Black community in Atlanta, Georgia, during the 1960s, as part of his education at Union Theological Seminary, and discusses how that experience led him to pursue a career as a civil rights lawyer. He discusses the change to the anti-discrimination policy of Portland Public Schools to include sexual orientation, and talks about attempts to lobby the Oregon State Legislature to make a similar change in the 1970s. He speaks about his involvement with the Portland Town Council, a gay rights organization; talks about appearing on Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor" in 2005; and discusses the failures of Democratic legislators to pass anti-discrimination legislation that includes sexual orientation. He talks about his service on Oregon Governor Bob Straub's task force on sexual preference, discusses his attempts to get law firms to adopt anti-discrimination policies, and describes the types of cases he prefers to work on. He speaks about how societal acceptance of LGBT people changed over the second half of the 20th century, and also about the rise of anti-gay groups such as the Oregon Citizens Alliance. He closes the interview by discussing the importance of continuing the fight for civil rights.

Hinkle, Charles F., 1942-

Oral history interview with Renee LaChance, by Brontë Olson and Nicole Estey

This is interview of Renee LaChance was conducted by Brontё Olson and Nicole Estey for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest as part of their senior capstone at Portland State University. LaChance worked with the queer newspaper The Cascade Voice, first selling advertising and writing and later as the editor for a period of time before founding Just Out newspaper with Jay Brown in 1983. The interview covers her involvement in the Gay Pride Festival, AIDS and ACT-UP, and Ballot Measures 9 and 13, as well as her experiences with running Just Out, her decision to sell, and her feelings about the path of the paper after its purchase by Marty Davis in 1998. It finishes with words of wisdom offered by LaChance for both the gay community and the general public on life and changing the future.

LaChance, Renee

Oral history interview with Reverend Susan Leo, by Jae Ann Atwood and Genevieve Blaettler

Leo speaks of her experiences as an out lesbian pastor in the United Church of Christ; her experiences in Nicaragua during the 1980s that led to her decision to attend a Presbyterian seminary; homophobia within the church; and social justice & activism. She also addresses the difficulty her mother had in accepting Leo's lesbianism.

Leo, Susan, 1951-

Oral history interview with Ellen Goldberg

This oral history interview with Ellen Goldberg was conducted by Annica Eagle and Spencer Trueax on February 24, 2011. Eagle and Trueax conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest as part of Professor Pat Young's senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University.

In this interview, Goldberg discusses her involvement in the founding of the Mountain Moving Cafe, a collective-run coffeehouse, in Portland, Oregon; talks about how she and other people in the collective ran it as an "anti-profit" business; and speaks about events held at the cafe. She discusses the cafe's association with gay and women's groups and talks about life in the collective. She speaks about her activities since leaving the collective, particularly her involvement in gay and women's rights activism. She closes the interview by talking about the poem that inspired the cafe's name, "The Day the Mountains Move" by Yosano Akiko.

Goldberg, Ellen, 1949-

Oral history interview with Cindy Cumfer

This oral history interview with Cindy Cumfer was conducted by Erik Funkhouser and Tim Aguirre on February 21, 2009, for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. The interview was conducted as part of a senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University, with Instructor Pat Young. One name was redacted from the audio and transcript at Cumfer's request.

In this interview, Cumfer discusses her involvement in the gay community and gay liberation movement in Portland, Oregon, in the 1970s. She talks about bars, restaurants, and bookstores that were welcoming to gay people. She discusses her work as a lawyer for the Community Law Project in Portland, and talks about some of the cases she worked on, particularly custody cases involving lesbians, and cases involving adoptions by gay parents. She also talks about the judicial career of Katharine Nachtigal. She discusses the Oregon ballot measures against LGBTQ rights in the 1980s and 1990s, and talks about how the homophobic campaign rhetoric led to her involvement in the First Unitarian Church. She closes the interview by discussing a case regarding guardianship and same-sex couples that got national attention in the 1980s.

Cumfer, Cynthia

Oral history interview with Larry D. Smith

This oral history interview with Larry D. Smith was conducted by Tanesha Dawson and Halla Williams in Beaverton, Oregon, on February 12, 2009, for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. The interview was conducted as part of a senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University, with instructor Pat Young. The interview took place at a hair salon where Smith was working, and customers often interrupted.

In this interview, Smith discusses his involvement with the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, a national organization dedicated to making school safe for LGBTQ youth. He talks about working with LGBTQ youth; describes some of the issues facing them, including familial abandonment and bullying; and discusses the ways GLSEN tries to address those issues. He describes how his activism with GLSEN affected his career as a history teacher in the Beaverton School District. He talks about homophobia and rebuts some common justifications for anti-gay beliefs. He speaks about his work building an AIDS education curriculum and about the importance of comprehensive sex education. He also talks about his current relationship. He describes his work to expand the Oregon chapter of GLSEN, talks about events he organized, and speaks about his hopes for his legacy. He closes the interview by talking about traveling and making presentations for GLSEN during his retirement, and by reflecting on his teaching career.

Smith, Larry D. (Larry Dale)

Oral history interview with Khalil T. Edwards

This oral history interview with Khalil Edwards was conducted by Natasha Lipai and Stephen Quirke at the offices of Basic Rights Oregon in Portland, Oregon, on February 27, 2013, for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. The interview was conducted as part of a senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University with instructor Pat Young. A transcript of the interview is available.

In this interview, Edwards discusses his involvement with the Portland Black Chapter of PFLAG, talks about its origins, and describes the intersection of racism and homophobia that Black LGBTQ youth face. He also talks about his parents' social justice activism. He discusses his involvement with Basic Rights Oregon, including his work on the Our Families video project and as a Racial Justice Fellow. He speaks about some of the goals of Basic Rights Oregon, including marriage equality and trans-inclusive health care, and talks about issues that the organization may focus on after achieving its current goals. He also speaks about racial inequity in the U.S. justice system. He discusses his career as a high school English teacher in San Bernardino, California, and shares his reasons for returning to Portland and focusing on racial justice and LGBTQ advocacy work. He closes the interview by talking about his love for Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.

Edwards, Khalil T. (Khalil Tamir), 1978-

Oral history interview with Charles F. Hinkle, by Nichant Mehra, Nathan Guynn and Michael Pratt

This interview is the 2nd of two separate interviews conducted in 2009. Hinkle focuses on the No On 9 campaign and his efforts in defeating Ballot Measure 9. Also discussed is the Oregon Citizens Alliance and its leaders, Lon Mabon and Scott Lively (whom Hinkle debated in a well-known Town Council broadcast.)

Hinkle, Charles F.

Oral history interview with Linda Rae Besant, by Emma Bagley and Emily Kahnert

Besant discusses her involvement in the earliest incarnation of the vocal group The Dyketones; coming out in her early thirties (to herself & to her family); her commitment to Women In the Wilderness (aka Keep Listening); her life with her partner, Marcia; and the community at the Mountain Moving Cafe in the 1980s.

Besant, Linda

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