Description:
Michael Rossetti was chiefly responsible for creating and running Southern Maine Pride, and was the grandmaster at the 2006 Pride festival. The Papers contain records and artifacts documenting Southern Maine Pride and other Gay and Lesbian events from the 1980s to 2000.  Date Range:
1980s-2000  Size of Collection:
4 ft

Hendrix, Megan

English

University of Southern Maine: Digital Commons@USM

University of Southern Maine USM Digital Commons Search the Manuscript Collection (Finding Aids) Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer+ Collection 11-2014 LG MS 36 Michael Rossetti Collection Finding Aid Megan Hendrix Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/lgbt_finding_aids  Part of the American Studies Commons, Cultural History Commons, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies Commons, Other Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons, Social History Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Michael Rossetti Collection, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Collection, Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine, University of Southern Maine Libraries. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer+ Collection at USM Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Search the Manuscript Collection (Finding Aids) by an authorized administrator of USM Digital Commons. For more information, please contact jessica.c.hovey@maine.edu.         UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE LIBRARIES SPECIAL COLLECTIONS   JEAN BYERS SAMPSON CENTER FOR DIVERSITY IN MAINE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER COLLECTION    Michael Rossetti Collection LG MS 36     Total Boxes: 4 Linear Feet: 9.5    By Megan Hendrix     Portland, Maine November 2014    Copyright 2014 by the University of Southern Maine 2  Michael Rossetti Collection Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Collection Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity University of Southern Maine Libraries  Administrative Information Provenance: The Michael Rossetti Collection was donated by Michael Rossetti in 2001. Ownership & Literary Rights: The Michael Rossetti Collection is the physical property of the University of Southern Maine Libraries.  Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the creator or her/his legal heirs and assigns.  For further information, consult the Head of Special Collections. Cite as: Michael Rossetti Collection, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Collection, Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine, University of Southern Maine Libraries. Restrictions on Access: There are no restrictions on this collection.   Historical Note Michael Rossetti is the founder of Southern Maine Pride.  He began Southern Maine Pride in 1987 as a reaction to the death of Charlie Howard who was the victim of a hate crime in Bangor, Maine in 1984 and the gay community’s response to how Charlie’s death was dealt with by local law enforcement.  The 1987 Portland Pride march took place starting in Congress Square and went through Congress Street in Portland with a group of 200 people, straight and gay, displaying signs and banners. The focus of the first Pride march was to be a visible community in Portland.  “Portland Pride” was the chosen designation in 1987 and changed to Southern Maine Pride in 1995.  Rossetti was Southern Maine Pride’s Director until 1999 when he chose to officially step down, although was involved in the 2000 Southern Maine Pride.  Michael Rossetti received several awards during his career as Southern Maine Pride’s Director including an award from the Maine Lesbian and Gay Political Alliance (now EqualityMaine) in 1987.  Casco Bay Weekly interviewed the gay public in Portland who nominated individuals as the most influential in their community and in 1997 listed Michael Rossetti as one of those notables.  Michael also received the Great Pioneer Award from the MLGPA in 2001 and was the Grandmaster at the 2006 Southern Maine Pride.  Description of the Collection The collection contains materials related to Michael Rossetti’s involvement with Southern Maine Pride (SoME Pride) as founder and director until roughly 2000.  The collection is comprised of Michael’s personal papers and collection of Southern Maine Pride papers and includes a personal history timeline titled “Lessons in Pride” and administration paperwork such as to-do lists, workbooks and email correspondence.  Also included are materials put out by Southern Maine Pride such as flyers and newsletters and materials about Southern Maine Pride from the Portland Press Herald.  This collection has a significant amount of objects including buttons, flags, banners, 3  Michael Rossetti Collection Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Collection Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity University of Southern Maine Libraries  photos, posters and t-shirts from Southern Maine Pride and Michael Rossetti’s personal collection of gay memorabilia. This collection has been divided into 7 series and the groupings are as follows:   Series 1.  Administration of Southern Maine Pride (Administration)  Series 2.  Advertisements Series 3.  Entertainment Series 4.  Articles/Periodicals  Series 5. Personal Series 6.  Memorabilia Series 7.  Oversize  Series 1.  Administration of Southern Maine Pride (Administration) 1986-2001 This series contains information about the original organization of Southern Maine Pride and includes to-do lists, budget and financial paperwork, receipts from SoME Pride, legal documents, sponsor letters, guidebooks and a personal history from Michael Rossetti titled “Lessons in Pride”.    Series 2.   Advertisements 1987-2000 This series contains advertisements promoted by Southern Maine Pride and include taped together flyers (originals), artwork for SoME Pride, affiliation media and SoME Pride newsletters.   Series 3.  Entertainment 1989-2000 This series contains folders of entertainers who either performed at Southern Maine Pride or were being considered for entertainment.  There are 16 entertainer folders alphabetized by first names/group names with a collection of articles, photos and works by or about the entertainers and an additional folder with mixed artists.   Series 4.   Articles and Periodicals 1984-2001 This series contains articles from the Portland Press Herald about Southern Maine Pride and individuals involved in Southern Maine Pride, a few articles from other papers and periodicals from and about the gay community that included the Community Pride Reporter, Our Paper, APEX and 10% that were removed from this collection for consolidation into the periodical collection.  Periodicals that stayed in this collection include copies of Casco Bay Weekly, Our Paper, Gay Community News, March Weekly, Community Pride Reporter, The Maine Progressive, The Gay Agenda, Roar of Pride and several Pride Guides and a 1987 magazine issue of The Advocate.    Series 5.   Personal 1990-2001 This series contains emails to and from Michael Rossetti regarding some personal matters and also some legal matters related to Southern Maine Pride as well as 4  Michael Rossetti Collection Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Collection Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity University of Southern Maine Libraries  personal receipts, copies of checks, bills and statements that were Michael Rossetti’s out of pocket expenses for SoME Pride primarily in 1999 and 2000.    Series 6.   Memorabilia 1987-2000 This series contains objects from Southern Maine Pride and include a collection of buttons from Southern Maine Pride, other Prides and LGBT functions, foldered in the order originally received by Michael Rossetti. A photo album, 51 slides, several Southern Maine Pride t-shirts and other LGBT group t-shirts, hats and 2 flags as well as street flyers can be found in this series. Periodicals from a variety of gay news prints as well as articles about gay issues in non-gay prints and posters relating to gay issues, pride, legislature and Southern Maine Pride are also found in the oversize collection location.  For a listing of the t-shirts, posters and buttons please see the finding aid appendix.    Series 7.  Oversize 1984-2001 This series is comprised of 39 poster board posters, periodicals, magazines and guidebooks from Southern Maine Pride, other LGBT Prides, the gay news community and the Maine community.   Keywords: Southern Maine Pride, SoME Pride, Michael Rossetti, LBGT Periodicals, LGBT Magazine, Pridelights, Portland Press Herald, In Newsweekly, LGBT Pride Festivals  Appendix: This contains a descriptive list of the buttons, t-shirts, posters, baseball caps, flags and posters within the Michael Rossetti Collection.   Box Folder  Description       Date(s) Series 1. Administration of Southern Maine Pride (1986-2000, undated) 1 1  Timelines       1999 1 2  Budgets       1989-2000 1 3  Finances       1986-1999 1 4  Receipts       1986-2000 1 5  Legal Papers       1992-2001 1 6  Sponsors       1986-2000 1 7  Guide books       Undated Series 2. Advertisements (1987-2000) 1  8  Flyers/Artwork      1987-2000 1  9  Affiliation Promotions     1988-2000 1  10  Newsletters/SoME Pride Promotion   1987-2000 Series 3. Entertainments (1989-2000) 1  11  Barbara Higbie and Teresa Trull    1989 1  12  Dave Hall       1997-1999 1  13  Ernest David Lijoi      1997-2000 5  Michael Rossetti Collection Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Collection Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity University of Southern Maine Libraries  Box Folder  Description       Date(s) Series 3. Entertainments (cont.) 1  14  FLAIR featuring SUEDE     1998 1  15  Jean Meike       1999 1  16  Lady Chablis       1994-1997 1  17  “Love Makes a Family”-Exhibit    Undated 1  18  Martin Swinger      1996-2000 1  19  Michelle Malone      1997 1  20  Mona Rae and Dashboard Magellan   1998 1  21  Paul J. Williams      1996-1997 1  22  Puzzle Monkey      Undated 1  23  Pridelights-Event      1996-1997 1  24  Rhode Island Feminist Chorus    1989  1  25  Sonia Rutstein of disappear fear    1996-1997 1  26  Yolanda!       1998-2000 1  27  Additional Entertainers     1995-1998 Series 4. Articles/Periodicals (1984-2001) 1  28  Portland Press Herald     1994-1999 1  29  Others       1988-1999      Periodicals, Community Pride Reporter   1984-2001       Casco Bay Weekly, The Maine Progressive, Our     Paper, The Phoenix, Gay Community News,     March Weekly and Pride, miscellaneous papers     and articles     See Oversize          Magazines, 1987 issue of The Advocate   1987     See Oversize  Series 5. Personal (1990-2001) 1  30  Michael Rossetti Pride Finances    1990-2000 1  31  Michael Rossetti Correspondence   2001              Series 6. Memorabilia (1987-2000, undated) 1  32  Slides        [1987-1999],              Undated 1  33-40  Buttons       1987-1997,              Undated 2  41  Album        [1987-1999],              Undated 2    SoME Pride T-shirts,      1994-2000,            Undated 2    Flags        Undated 6  Michael Rossetti Collection Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Collection Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity University of Southern Maine Libraries   3    Street Flyers/Guidebooks, Pride’s Pier Dance  1996-2000     posters, Drag Ball, NY Pride Guide, In     Newsweekly NE Pride Guides       See Oversize     4    Posters       Undated     1984 Charlie Howard Incident, Portland Pride     Gay Rights Rallies, articles about Prides around     the United States, Claudia Brenner Incident,      Pride Guides, flyers and 1972-1994 timelines.      Included is one 3-fold poster board used in an     April 2001 exhibit by Michael Rossetti after he  had already donated the collection to USM, with  reproductions from Pride parade and festival  includes information on lighthouse logo and postal  stamp and letter from Michael Rossetti encouraging  others to share their history      See Oversize  Series 7.  Oversize  3   Periodicals (Ser. 4)      1984-2001  3   Magazines (Ser. 4)      1987  3   Street Flyers/Guidebooks (Ser. 6)    1996-2000  4   Posters (Ser. 6)      Undated o/v    Poster- trifold      [2001]  Appendix:   BUTTONS: Located in Box 1 There are 39 buttons from Michael Rossetti’s personal collection from a number of different Pride Events and marches.  They are kept in folders in the order originally placed in a binder by Michael Rossetti.  Folder 33: 2 “Stonewall 25” pins:  Yellow “Stonewall 25, June 26, 1994”  Orange “Stonewall 25”  5 “Stonewall 25” Buttons:   “Stonewall 25, International March on the UN, June 26, 1994, New York City” Black and neon   “Stonewall 25, Keep On Marching!, June 26, 1994” Black and grey   “Queens Lesbian & Gay Pride, The Borough of Nations, Celebrates Stonewall 25” Pink and purple  “CSW 25 Years of Pride” Black/rainbow 7  Michael Rossetti Collection Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Collection Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity University of Southern Maine Libraries   “Stonewall 25, June 26, 1994” White and purple  Folder 34: “The 1993 March on Washington, For Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation, April 25” White, blue and pink “Discover; Pride Without Borders, Arizona Central Pride, Festival ’96, May 31-June 2” White/rainbow “Human Rights Campaign Fund’s Speak Out” US flag motif “Gay & Lesbian Voters for Clinton, Human Rights Campaign Fund” Blue and white “The Canada to Kittery Walk, Vote NO, A Step in the Right Direction, Feb. 10, don’t discriminate” White and green  Folder 35:  “Pridefest ’96, Free to Be, Pride South Florida” Multicolored “Have you hugged a homosexual today?, Gay and Proud, Bangor, June 1992” Purple and pink “Celebrate Gay Cod 1994, Cape and Islands Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Pride March” White with purple fish “Equal Protection, Portland” Teal “The Flame of Liberation, 1996 GLBT Pride Twin Cities” White with flame  Folder 36: “Just come OUT! Pride, Portland, ME, 6-15-96, 10 year” White with butterflies “Stonewall 20, A Generation of Pride, New York City Lesbian & Gay Pride Weekend, June 24-25, 1989” White with teal and purple “June 18-22, 1997, Southern Maine Pride, Portland, ME, Equality Through Visibility” White/rainbow with eyes “San Diego Lesbian & Gay Pride 20th Anniversary, Never Ever Forget, Stonewall 25” White with rainbow flame “Out & Outraged, 13 Oct 1987 Lesbian/Gay Civil Disobedience, For Love, Life & Liberation” White with people figures  Folder 37:  2 pins:  “Pride Without Borders, Cape Code Pride ‘96” Yellow with Statue of Liberty  “Twin Cities Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender 1995 Pride, From Silence to Celebration” Yellow with orange letters  “Pride, From Silence to Celebration, New York City Lesbian & Gay Pride 1995” Black and rainbow triangle “The Atlanta Pride Celebration June 1996, People of the World: Listen, Think, Act!” White with purple human figure  Folder 38: “1996 Pride fest, Carry the Torch” Rainbow torch 8  Michael Rossetti Collection Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Collection Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity University of Southern Maine Libraries  “Twin Cities Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender 1995 Pride, From Silence to Celebration” Black with pink letters “S.F. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride 1996, Equality & Justice for All” Flags and eagle “Celebrating 15 Years of Dignity” White with blue letters Rainbow triangle button  Folder 39:  “Northern Maine PRIDE, July 13, 1996” Rainbow “From All Walks of Life, Sunday May 31, 1987” Drawing of a group of people together “Vote No! Discrimination” Black and neon yellow  Folder 40:  3 pins:  “1997, IALGPC, NYC” triangle pin with city buildings  “Share the Vision, San Diego Pride ‘97” Blue with an eye  “Power, Progress, Pride, Equality through visibility, Long Beach ‘97” White with triangles in middle  “Pride without borders, NYC Gay & Lesbian Pride 1996” Black with white letters “Pride without borders, NYC Gay & Lesbian Pride 1996” White with black letters “Queens Lesbian & Gay Pride ’96, Pride Without Borders, Sunday June 2nd” Blue with map of world  SHIRTS: Located in Box 2 Pride 2K, “southern maine pride 2K, Get the Pride Bug!”  Black with pink lettering  White with pink lettering Pride 1996 “just come out! Pride, portland, maine 6-15-96, 10 year”  Off-white/natural color “A southern maine pride 2K VOULUNTEER, get the pride bug!”  White Southern Maine Pride june 18-22, 1997, “Equality through visibility, Portland,   Maine”   White Pridelights.  www.pridelights.org  The Pridelights Foundation is committed to eliminating homophobia through collaborative efforts between the gay and straight communities.  Pridelights is a volunteer-driven, not-for-profit organization.”  Yellow shirt Stonewall 25, International March, June 26, 1994 NYC  White Stonewall 25 Maine “All we’re asking of America is to be true to what it’s saying on paper!” Martin Luther King  White 9  Michael Rossetti Collection Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Collection Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity University of Southern Maine Libraries  Southern Maine Pride, Portland, Maine June 20, 1998 “Courage to be Ourselves”  White Stonewall 25 Maine “June 27, 1969” “We’re Here, We’re Wicked, Queah!”  White  FLAGS: Located in Box 2 Rainbow flag Stonewall flag   BASEBALL CAPS: Located in Box 2 Black baseball cap, with splash of rainbow design, “wet” on splash mark on back Black baseball cap, “Hard Rock Café, Save the Planet, New York.” “Love all Serve all” on back   POSTERS: Located in Box 4 39 posters covering the years 1984 through 2000 creating a timeline of the Maine LGBT events (also two posters showing a brief history from 1972-1994).   Poster No. Description       Years Portrayed  1  Charlie Howard Incident      1984  2  Beginning of Portland Pride     1987  3  Gay Rights Rally in Washington D.C.    1987  4  Maps and Schedule of D.C. rally     1987  5  First Portland Pride weekend     1987  6  Second Pride March; B.J. Broder incident;   1988    "Hate crime statistics Act"  7  Bangor Pride Festival      1990  8  Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Pride Day     1990  9  March on Washington; Anti-discrimination   1992-1993    Ordinate  10  March on Washington; Cohen Article    1993  11  Portland Pride Parade; Carolyn Cosby    1993   10  Michael Rossetti Collection Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Collection Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity University of Southern Maine Libraries  12  Portland Pride Weekend; Stonewall March   1994    in New York    13  Pictures of Portland Pride Parade     1994  14  Gay Pride Marches in New York     1994  15  Maine Gay Task Force Newsletter    1995  16  Civil rights vote for sexual minorities    1995  17  Portland Pride weekend      1995  18  Guide to Portland Pride weekend     1995  19  Southern Maine celebrating 10 years of Pride   1995-1996  20  Casco Bay Weekly on 10 years of Pride    1996  21  Claudia Brenner Incident      1996  22  Letters to Washington      1996  23  Getting ready for Portland Pride weekend   1996  24  Community Pride reporter and Portland     Pride articles       1996  25  Portland Pride Festival      1997  26  Southern Maine Pride events     1997  27  Articles from Community Pride Reporter on   1997    Gay and Lesbian families   28  Pride Rally in New Haven, Connecticut    1997  29  Portland Pride Pier Dance      1997  30  Portland Pride Fundraiser, Drag Ball and    1997    Pier Dance  31  The Maine Civil Rights March and Rally    1998  32  The Guide, Southern Maine Pride     1998 11  Michael Rossetti Collection Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Collection Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity University of Southern Maine Libraries   33  Community Pride Reporter, activities for    1999    the community  34  Flyers for the Pier Dance       1999  35  Pride Pier Dance and Pride Day     1999  36  Music and Budget for Pride Weekend    1999  37  Pier Dance, Pride weekend     2000  38&39  Brief Timelines       1972-1994     o/v Poster- trifold         [2001] 

LG MS 036 Michael Rossetti Collection Finding Aid

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LG MS 36 Michael Rossetti Collection Finding Aid

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