Collections : [Central Connecticut State University]

John Bonelli, a UCONN graduate, is a political activist and community organizer. In 1989 he ran openly gay for the Hartford City Council as the candidate of the People for Change coalition. For years he worked as an activist and consultant in several organizations related to HIV/AIDS issues and as an intern and volunteer in political campaigns. For years Mr. Bonelli was a statewide co-chairperson of the Connecticut AIDS Action Council. This collection consists of administrative records of the council.

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.

The Hartford Women's Center (HWC) was organized in October of 1977 to serve women of the city of Hartford. The goal was to create a network of organizations with resources for women. Newsletters and calendars were ways to reach out to the community. The HWC helped to establish the first Hartford Feminist Library in 1979. The collection consists of newsletters, minutes, flyers, photographs and slides and extensive correspondence.

The Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective began as the "Hartford Gay Health Collective" in 1983 as a place for gay men to obtain screenings for STDs and Hepatitis. HIV testing was added in 1986 as a response to the HIV/AIDS crisis. In 1987, services were expanded to include women, and the name was changed to the Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective. Over the years, HGLHC has expanded to assume responsibility for many gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender programs and services throughout the Hartford area, including the Connecticut Lesbian and Gay PRIDE festival.

The first Hartford, Connecticut Lesbian and Gay PRIDE Festival took place on the lawn of Hartford's Old State House June 26, 1982, from noon to three in the afternoon. Each of the eight organizers invited several friends, hoping that it would help boost the turn out. To their surprise, between 200 and 250 people showed up. By 2011, the festival had grown to accommodate well over 10,000 people. The day-long festival eventually adopted a format that began with a rally, then a march to the festival grounds. For many years, the rally began at the State Capitol, with the festival being held at Bushnell Park. The festivals were political, celebratory, and helped to foster communication between the different groups within the gay community. In addition to political speakers, another component of the early festivals included performances.

Richard Nelson, long time member of the Connecticut Stonewall Foundation, was an activist for LGBT rights. The collection includes materials pertaining to events put on by the Connecticut Stonewall Foundation and specific writing and speeches done by Richard Nelson.

Victor D'Lugin was an activist for gay rights and AIDS awareness and politics during the 1980's and 1990's. He was also a professor of philosophy at the University of Hartford for many years. As an AIDS patient, he was inspirational to many. He published many articles and gave several speeches on these topics. This collection includes his work in the gay and AIDS communities, along with audio/visual items of him at various events.

Le-Hi-Ho was established in 1969 in Pennsylvania to be a safe and supportive organization for the GLBTQ community. This collection includes the group's, and other organizations', documents, articles, essays, and advertisements dating from the early 1960's to the late 2000's.

William (Bill) Bahlman is an activist and journalist, working since the 1970s to fight for access to medications for all people with HIV and AIDS, and to document this fight through photography and videography. He is currently an associate producer for a weekly news program of GLBTQ interest and serves on AIDS research advisory boards, while living with HIV since the 1980s. This collection includes copies of flyers Mr. Bahlman created for AIDS advocacy campaigns, AIDS-related newspaper articles, and selected testimony before Presidential and Congressional Commissions.

Christine Pattee, a Connecticut native, worked for many years in the Connecticut Health Department. She was a gay rights activist and lobbyist. Ms. Pattee was a founder of the Northeast Women's Musical Retreat (NEWMR). The collection consists of personal papers, records of the NEWMR, books, photographs, T-shirts, and other visual materials.