Connecticut Lesbian & Gay Pride Festival Collection

Connecticut gays and lesbians waited until 1982 to have a festival because it was a very daring and risky thing to do in a small conservative city like Hartford. Coming out to a pride festival in Hartford meant possibly coming out to employers, landlords, families, and others to whom one was not ready to come out. Before CT Pride festivals began, CT gays and lesbians marched in the festivlas in either New York or Boston where significant numbers of people guaranteed anonymity. The 1982 festival drew approximately 200-250 people to the Old State House in Hartford. Many people who worked for the insurance companies of downtown Hartford were afraid to participate for fear their employers would see them. The Connecticut Festival was started because we believed all gay and lesbian people should come out and be visible. Only through our visibility would we be able to gain political clout and win civil rights for ourselves. And if we were to be visible, to stand up and be counted, to come out and be proud of who we were, then we must do it in our own back yards and stop running to New York and Boston to hide among the masses. The Connecticut Gay and Lesbian Pride Festivals were originally organized by a group called the Greater Hartford Lesbian and Gay Task Force ('82, '83). Later, the organization called Connecicut Lesbian and Gay Pride Festival (CLGPF) spun off from the Task Force to work solely for the purpose of producing the festival each year, starting in '84. The political work of the Task Froce grew into the Connecticut Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights. The two groups worked closely together until the passage of the gay rights bill. In 1986, I believe, the CLGPF was granted 501(c) (3) tax exempt status. --Carol Gayle, December 4, 2000

BUTTONS

* You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet, June 29, 1985

* Forward Together...There's No Stopping Us Now, June 8, 1986

* Don't Hide, June 27, 1987 * Gay and Great in 88, June 25, 1988

* Stonewall 20, A generation of Pride, June 24, 1989

* 10 Years of Pride 1980-1990, June 23, 1990

* Together in Pride Forward We Stride, June 15, 1991

* Pride = Power, June 20, 1992

* Pride Without Borders, June 22, 1995

* CT Pride 15 years, June 22, 1995

 

T-SHIRTS

* Lesbian and Gay Pride Festival, June 26, 1982

* Unity in the Community, June 25, 1983

* Coming Out = Political Clout, June 23, 1984

* Lesbian/Gay Pride Festival Connecticut, June 23, 1984

* You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet, June 29, 1985

* Forward Together...There's No Stopping Us Now, June 8, 1986

* Don't Hide, June 27, 1987

* Gay and Great in 88, June 25, 1988

* Stonewall 20, A generation of Pride, June 24, 1989

* Connecticut 10th Annual Pride Festival, June 23, 1990

* Pride Without Borders, June 22, 1995

* Equality Through Visibility, June 21, 1997

* Equality Through Visibility, Security, June 21, 1997

* Unity Through Diversity, June 20, 1998

* First In the Nation! March 21, 1999

 

PROGRAMS

* Unity in the Community, June 25, 1983

* Coming Out = Political Clout, June 23, 1984

* You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet, June 29, 1985

* Forward Together...There's No Stopping Us Now, June 8, 1986

* Don't Hide, June 27, 1987

* Gay and Great in 88, June 25, 1988

* Stonewall 20, A generation of Pride, June 24, 1989

* Pride = Power, June 20, 1992

* A Family of Pride, June 19, 1993

* Stonewall 25, June 11, 1994

* Pride Without Borders, June 22, 1995

* Equality through Visibility, June 21, 1997

* Unity Through Diversity, June 20, 1998

* A Proud Past A Powerful Future, June 19, 1999

* Rally '99 New Haven's Second Annual Pride Celebration, June 12, 1999

* People Respecting Individual Diversity Everyday, October 7, 2000

 

MEMORABILIA

* Five Black Sashes Signsations n.d.

* Two Black Felt Sashes no wording n.d.

* Linen Banner with felt letters Lesbianism Better Than the Rhythm Method n.d.

* Black Silk Jacket "Lesbian/Gay Pride Festival 1994

* Purple Cloth Arm Band

* Purple Linen Arm Band 12th Anniversary Stonewall Rebellion, New York City, June 28, 1981

* Two Blue Berets - homemade berets used as a gag-symbolizes anti-gay Christian Right Paper signs: Jesus (heart) You Pray

* Gay Pride Mug logo, 1984

* Banner (silk? rayon?) Giant check written for $1,000 June 27, 1987

* Photographs taken by Carey Chapin 1986

* Negatives 1988

* Photographs of Gay Pride Parade, Oct. 7, 2000

* Official Program 1993 March on Washington

 

Gay Pride Festival Printed Memorabilia

* 1982

Program Flyer

Flyers advertising the day

Thank you letter, "Metroline," August,1982

* 1983

2nd Lesbian/Gay Pride Celebrated. "Metroline," July 1, 1983

Hartford's Lesbian and Gay Pride Day Set. "Metroline," May 15, 1983

* 1984

Metroline Clipping of letters in support of gay pride from Mayor Milner, Senator Dodd,

Bill Labella

* 1985

Gay Pride June 29, 1985, advertisements, "Metroline," July 5, 1985

Festival in full swing, "Metroline," June 7, 1985

* 1986

Hartford Courant Article

Metroline Photos

Flyers

Press Release

Connecticut Gay Pride, "Metroline," May 23, 1986

* 1987

Flyer

Hartford Courant Article pre Festival

Hartford Courant Article post Festival

Hartford Courant Article re Gay Rights Bill in Connecticut

N. Y. Times articles on Gay Rights March in Washington

Don't Hide Gay Pride Festival Theme in Connecitcut, "Metroline," June 26, 1987

Gay Pride '87. "Metroline," July 10, 1987

* 1988

Dos Lesbos promotional packet

Press release

Flyer

Hartford Courant Article pre/post Festival

List of parade chants

Sample press packets

Schedule, "Metroline," June 17, 1988

Gay Pride Celebration in Hartford, "Metroline," July 15, 1988

* 1989

Organizer Lists

Schedule, "Metroline," June 23, 1989

Hartford Gay Pride, "Metroline," July 14, 1989

* 1990

Connecticut Celebrates Gay Pride. "Metroline," July 13, 1990

Pride '90. "Metroline," June 22, 1990

* 1991

The Faces of '91 Gay Pride. "Metroline," June 21, 1991

* 1996

Images. "Metroline," July 18, 1996

* 1997

Festival a day of equality and pride. "Hartford Courant," June 22, 1997

* 1998

Official CT Pride T-Dance. Velvet. June 20th, 1998 (2 advertising cards)

Pride Day Interfaith Prayer Service, flyer, June 20, 1998

* 1999

Rainbow Flag Flown for the First Time in the Nation Over A State Capitol, Hartford, CT, March 21, 1999 (4 oversized postcards)

A day for diversity. Heavy metal fest, gay parade biggest draw of big day. "Hartford Courant," June 20, 1999.

Schedule, "In Newsweekly," June 16, 1999

Schedule, "Hartford Advocate," June 17, 1999

Gay Pride: Past, Present and Future, "Hartford Courant," June 17, 1999

Day of Pride is built on sacrifice and Loss. "Hartford Courant," June 28, 1999

American Apostolic Catholic Church Litergy, June 19, 1999

MCC Hartford Pride News, June 19, 1999

Thousands gather for pride in Hartford, "In Newsweekly," June 30, 1999

A Blessing of Relationships, booklet, June 19, 1999

* 2000

Gay Pride Event Gets Corporate Sponsors in "Hartford Courant," October 3, 2000

Connecticut P.R.I.D.E. "Pride Fest 2000" Schedule of Events for Saturday, Oct. 7, 2000.

Connecticut Pride 2000 schedule, "In Newsweekly," April 19, 2000

Connecticut Pride 2000, flyer, Oct. 7, 2000

e-mails about Connecticut Pride 2000 issued by the CT Pride Committee

Gay Pride Event Gets Corporate Sponsors, "Hartford Courant," Oct. 3, 2000

1,500 celebrate Pride on a Fall day in Hartford, "In Newsweekly," Oct. 18, 2000

Gay Pride Festival Shifted to October, "Hartford Courant," June 2, 2000