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Bill Beachler papers

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 588 large

Scope and Contents

The Bill Beachler papers contain photographs, realia, correspondence, news clippings, concert programs of Lansing-area gay and lesbian music performance organizations, records of his activity with local Gay rights organizations, including Pride PAC, the Lansing Area AIDS Network (LAAN), Michigan Pride, among others. Also of note are records of his work with the city of East Lansing and the Michigan Department of Transportation, including proposals for the development of the downtown East Lansing area.

Dates

  • Creation: 1950 - 2016

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Access

The material is stored off site. Please request 3 working days in advance if you wish to use it.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright is retained by the authors of the items in this collection, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law. For photocopy and duplication requests, please contact the Stephen O. Murray and Keelung Hong Special Collections, Michigan State University Libraries.

Biographical / Historical

William "Bill" Beachler died on January 11, 2016 at the age of 70. He was a former employee of the Michigan Department of Transportation, MSU alumni, and one of the earliest members of LAHR, joining in February 1980 and serving as LAHR secretary since 1981 and publisher of the LAHR newsletter. He was a founding member of the LAHR-PAC since 1981. In the 1980s, his political activism focused on the arrests of gay men and he lead lobbying which resulted in Michigan's first funding to fight AIDS. He received the James Dressel Award from the Michigan Organization for Human Rights (MOHR) and LAHR's Prism Award in 1997. He served fourteen years as an East Lansing city commissioner, with eight years as Chairperson for the Planning Commission. He was involved in the Lansing Equal Rights Task Force work on civil rights ordinance, National Organization for Women (NOW), Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Lambda Legal Defense Fund, Lansing Mayors Advisory Board on Concerns of Lesbian & Gay Citizens, Pride PAC of Michigan, Secretary of the MSU GLBT Alumni Association, and helped bring the statewide Michigan Pride March to Lansing in 1989. In addition to his work with LAHR, Beachler created the Pride Scholarship Fund at Michigan State University for LGBT students.

Extent

1.7 Linear Feet (3 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

This collection is arranged alphabetically by file title.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The collection was donated with the Lansing Association for Human Rights records by Penny Gardner on behalf of Beachler's estate in 2016.

Related Materials

MSS 478 Lansing Association for Human Rights records

Processing Information

Lydia Tang processed this collection in 2017.

Title
Finding Aid for the Bill Beachler papers
Status
4 Published And Cataloged
Author
Lydia Tang
Date
2017
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Stephen O. Murray and Keelung Hong Special Collections Repository

Contact:
MSU Libraries
366 W. Circle Drive
East Lansing MI 48823 USA