Collections : [Central Connecticut State University]

In the fall of 2002, Professor Katherine Hermes offered a course in the history department called, "The Historical Imagination" (History 301). The GLBTQ Archives, then known as the Gender Equity Archive, was a main source for the class. Interviewees for an oral history project were chosen from notable activists represented in the archives. The collection is comprised of these interviews.

William J. Mann is a New York Times-bestselling author of books on Hollywood and the American film industry. This collection contains notes, interviews, and other research materials gathered by the author.

Mieczyslaw [Michael] Kierklo was born in Poland. He attended school and work there until the outbreak of WWII. In 1940 he was arrested by Russians and sent to Workuta, a labor camp. In 1942, after he was freed, he joined the newly established Polish Army in the USSR and left Russia with General Andres. He fought with them until the end of the war. In 1954 he immigrated to the US and established his life in Connecticut. He became very involved with various Polish and Polish American organizations. Soon his writing talent was used for various occasions. He wrote to a publication called "Weteran" about his war experience and wrote about Polonia activities and events to the Polish daily Nowy Dziennik. He also wrote short poems to celebrate the lives and activities of organizations and individuals.

From 1971-1979, Betty Hudson was a Selectwoman for the Town of Madison, CT and a two-term Democratic State Senator representing Connecticut's 33rd District. She continued to work for the state in the field of Human Services under Governors Grasso and O'Neill until 1985. This collection includes materials from her endeavors since 1970, including correspondence, articles, and clippings regarding local, state, and national events, community projects, and legislation pertaining to gender and homosexual rights.

The collection consists of correspondence between Roman Galinski, who immigrated to the U.S. in 1922, and other prominent political figures in Poland, who were sympathizers of Narodowa Demokracja, the nationalist Polish political party. Mr. Galinski was himself very active in various political organizations and wrote extensively on the issue of Polish politics and nationalism, sometimes under the pseudonym Miroslaw Kosinski. He was a great opponent of Jozef Pilsudski and his political party and was devoted to Roman Dmowski and his political views of Narodowa Demokracja. The collection includes photographs of local Polish American prominent figures, as well as a dozen or so antisemitic publications from pre-war Poland.

The collection consists of correspondence between Roman Galinski, who lived in the US since 1922, and other prominent political figures in Poland, who were sympathizers of Narodowa Demokracja, the Polish political party of nationalistic character. Mr. Galinski was himself very active in various political organizations and wrote extensively on the issue of Polish politics and nationalism, sometimes under a pseudonym Miroslaw Kosinski. He was a great opponent of Jozef Pilsudski and his political party, and on the other hand vas devoted to Roman Dmowski and his political views of Narodowa Demokracja. Collection includes photographs of local Polish American prominent figures. The collection contains a dozen or so anti-semitic publications from pre-war Poland.

Material in the collection was compiled by Karen Majewski for her graduate studies project. It includes interviews with refugees from Poland from the Solidarity immigration wave in 1980's, as well as an extensive collection of newspaper clippings related to the subject.

John M. Budarz was one of the founders of the Polish Art League of Pittsburgh and held the presidency of the organization twice. Mr. Budarz was also active in the American Council of Polish Cultural Clubs, an umbrella organization for various cultural clubs on the national level. Material in this collection relates to activities of the Polish Arts League of Pittsburgh, information on numerous cultural events, correspondence, and includes publication of their newsletter, Palette.

Alvin O'Konski was a Polish American Congressman from Wisconsin whose political career spanned several decades. O'Konski, a Republican, was known for his anti-communist activities, and was a member of the US Congressional Committee and participated in the Katyn Massacre hearing in Frankfurt, Germany. This collection contains material related to the Katyn massacre hearings and reports.

The Reader's Feast was an independent bookstore that opened in 1983 in Hartford, Connecticut's West End. The two co-managers, Carolyn Gabel and Tollie Miller, were avid women's rights and gay rights activists and wanted to start a community bookstore where books representing all different cultures were sold and the environment was comfortable and safe for everyone. They ran the bookstore for twelve years, moving on to other ventures in 1995. This collection includes advertisements, newspaper articles, correspondence, and other materials directly related to Reader's Feast from 1983-1996.