Provenance
These are the records of Dignity/NY from 1972 to 1995 which were donated to the National History Archive of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center in February 2003. Also see collection “Dignity/NY President, Michael J. Olivieri,” collection # 039, 1982 to 1986.
Scope and Content
The records contain the Formation/Steering Committee/Board of Directors minutes (with some pages missing) and attachments. Newsletters, weekly calendars, worship programs, copies of court proceedings regarding demonstrating at St. Patrick’s Cathedral during LGBT Pride Marches and activities of The Cathedral Project, etc. These documents are from 1972 to 1997 (25th Anniversary). The files also contain documents and newspaper articles used in exhibits. There are also newsletters from Dignity USA and other Dignity Chapters. There are “Concern” 1966-1969 newsletters by the Southern California Council on Religion and the Homophile, L. A. Council of Churches, issues 1 to 9, missing # 8. The collection also contain the “Insight: A Quarterly of Gay Catholic Opinion” 1976-1982 (in the Summer 1979 to 1982 it became “Insight: A Quarterly of Lesbian/Gay Christian Opinion.”
History or Bio
Dignity/NY is a community of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Catholics and Friends. They were organized in 1972 as a chapter of Dignity Inc. - which eventually became Dignity/USA - which was organized in Los Angeles in 1969 and moved to Washington DC in 1980. Father John McNeill, S. J., noted theologian and author of “The Church and the Homosexual” helped convene the Formation meeting on July 11, 1972 of Dignity/New York. The first minutes start on September 5, 1972. The first public meeting was October 25, 1972 with over 200 attending.
In October 1976 Dignity New York publishes the first edition of Insight, a quarterly of gay Catholic Opinion. [Changed to Christian opinion in Summer 1979]
From 1979 to 1987 Dignity/NY met at St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church on West 16th Street. On October 30, 1986 the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith releases a "Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons," stating, "Although the particular inclination of the homosexual person is not a sin, it is a more or less strong tendency ordered toward an intrinsic moral evil; and thus the inclination itself must be seen as an objective disorder." In November 1986, John McNeill, S.J. was silenced regarding any public ministry to gay people. More Dignity chapters are informed by their Bishops that they can no longer use Church property. The last Mass at St. Francis Xavier was held on March 7, 1987.
In December 1987 Dignity starts the Cathedral Project consisting of monthly protests inside St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Arrests and various law suits followed.
In 1991 the Dignity New York restructures, moving from a Board of Directors to a Steering Committee.
The exhibit documents were removed from the mat backings (because they were not mounted on acid-free mat boards) but were left in the order of the exhibit to retain the original order of the exhibit.
Folder List
Box 1:
1. Dignity/NY, Steering Committee/board of Directors/Formation Meeting
1972 Minutes:
September 5, 1972 Minutes Formation Meeting
September 20, 1972 Minutes Formation Meeting
October 4, 1972 Minutes Formation Meeting
October 25, 1972 Minutes First General Meeting
November 15, 1972 Planning Meeting
November 22, 1972 Steering Committee Meeting
December 6, 1972 General Meeting
December 14, 1972 Steering Committee
2. 1973 Minutes:
January 13, 1973 Steering Committee
January 17, 1973 General Meeting
January 25, 1973 Steering Committee
February 7, 1973 General Meeting
February 22, 1973 Steering Committee
February 28, 1973 General Meeting
March 8, 1973 Steering Committee
March 29, 1973 Steering Committee
March 21, 1973 General Meeting
April 11, 1973 General Meeting
Mat 2, 1973 General Meeting
May 23, 1973 General Meeting
May 30, 1973 First Board of Directors
June 13, 1973 General Meeting
June 22, 1973 Board of Directors
July 11, 1973 General Meeting
July 20, 1973 Board of Directors
August 1, 1973 General Meeting
August 17, 1973 Board of Directors
September 5, 1973 General Meeting
September 21, 1973 Board of Directors
October 3, 1973 General Meeting
November 7, 1973 General Meeting
November 26, 1973 Board of Directors
December 5, 1973 General Meeting
3. 1974 (Note: After January 1974 it is Board of Directors meetings unless otherwise titled.)
February 6, 1974 General Meeting
February 15, 1974
March 6, 1974 General Meeting
March 15, 1974
March 20, 1974 General Meeting
April 3, 1974 General Meeting
April 17, 1974 General Meeting
April 22, 1974
May 1, 1974 General Meeting
May 15, 1974
May 19, 1974 General Meeting
May 20, 1974 Special Meeting
June 12, 1974
July 9, 1974
July 16, 1974
September 4, 1974 General Meeting
September 11, 1974
October 8, 1974
December 11, 1974
4. 1975 Minutes:
January 8, 1975 Proposed Constitution and By-Laws January 1975 & Directory of Board 1975-1976.)
January 19, 1975
February 26, 1975
March 12, 1975
April 23, 1975
July 16, 1975
September 10, 1975
October 8, 1975
November 12, 1975
December 10, 1975
5. 1976 Minutes: (Handwritten note in front of binder- “Blue pages mark missing documents {lost by Michael in March, 1987}.” Processor’s note: Where possible pages were replaced by the draft copies to make complete sets. The notes in brackets “[ ]” are the missing pages.)
January 14, 1976
January 17, 1976 Special Meeting
February 1, 1976 Informal discussion
February 10, 1976
March 10, 1976
April 14, 1976 (“Organization consent” no date, Constitution and By-Laws April 1976, Statement of Position and Purpose)
May 12, 1976
July 14, 1976
August 11, 1976
September 8, 1976
October 13, 1976
November 10, 1976
December 8, 1976
December 30, 1976 Special Meeting
6. 1977 Minutes:
January 20, 1977
February 2, 1977 Special session
February 9, 1977
March 9, 1977 [missing page 1]
April 13, 1977 [missing page 3]
April 25, 1977 Special Meeting
May 11, 1977
June 8, 1977 [missing page 2]
July 13, 1977 [missing page 5]
August 10, 1977
September 14, 1977
October 12, 1977 [missing page 3]
November 9, 1977 [missing page 2]
December 14, 1977 [missing page 2]
7. 1978 Minutes:
January 11, 1978 [missing page 2]
February 8, 1978 [missing page 2]
March 8, 1978 [missing pages 1 & 3]
April 12, 1978
May 10, 1978 [missing page 2 & 4]
June 14, 1978
July 12, 1978
August meeting?
September 13, 1978 [missing? pages]
October 11, 1978
November 8, 1978
December 13, 1978 [missing page 3]
8. 1979 Minutes:
January 10, 1979
February 14, 1979
March 14, 1979
April 11, 1979
May 9, 1979
June 13, 1979
July 18, 1979
August 8, 1979 [missing page 3]
September 12, 1979
October 10, 1979 [missing page 2]
November 14, 1979
December 12, 1979 (Constitution and By-Laws as Amended, September 1979)
9. 1980 Minutes:
January 9, 1980
February 13, 1980
March 12, 1980
April 9, 1980
May 14, 1980 (Blessing of Unions)
June 18, 1980
July 9, 1980
August 13, 1980
September 10, 1980
October 8, 1980
November 12, 1980
December 10, 1980
10. 1981 – January to June:
January 14, 1981
February 11, 1981
February 24, 1981 Special Meeting
March 11, 1981
April 8, 1981
May 13, 1981
June 10, 1981
11. 1981 – July to December:
July 8, 1981
August 12, 1981
September 9, 1981
October 14, 1981
November 11, 1981
December 9, 1981
12. 1982 – January to June:
January 13, 1982
February 10, 1982
March 10, 1982
April 14, 1982
May 12, 1982
June 9, 1982
13. 1982 – July to December:
July 14, 1982
August 11, 1982
September 8, 1982
October 13, 1982 (also contains Citibank agreement September 11, 1982)
November 10, 1982
December 12, 1982
14. 1983 – January to April: missing May & June 1983
January 13, 1983
February 9, 1983
March 9, 1983
March 26, 1983 Special Meeting
April 13, 1983
15. 1983 July to September:
July 13, 1983
August 10, 1983
September 14, 1983
16. 1983 October to December:
October 12, 1983
November 9, 1983
December 14, 1983
17. 1984 January to March:
January 11, 1984
February 8, 1984
March 14, 1984
18. 1984 April to June:
April 11, 1984
May 9, 1984
June 13, 1984
June 22, 1984 (special meeting)
19. 1984 July to September:
July 11, 1984
July 31, 1984 (Budget Meeting)
August 8, 1984
September 12, 1984 (Summary of “policy decisions” July 1972 to June 1979 and actions of Board during 1983/1984)
20. 1984 October to December:
October 10, 1984 & executive Session
November 14, 1984
December 12, 1984
End of Box 1
Box 2:
21. 1985 January to March Minutes:
January 12, 1985
February 13, 1985
February 27, 1985 (Special Meeting on Constitution)
March 3, 1985 (Special Meeting on Constitution)
March 13, 1985
22. 1985 April to June:
April 17, 1985
May 8, 1985
June 12, 1985 [includes Responses to Questionnaire concerning Aims, goals and Purposes of Dignity/NY]
June 24, 1985
23. 1985-July to September:
July 17, 1985
August 14, 1985
September 11, 1985
24. 1985 – October to December:
October 9, 1985
October 23, 1985 (Special Meeting)
November 13, 1985
December 11, 1985
25. 1986 – January to March:
January 8, 1986
February 12, 1986
March 12, 1986
26. 1986 – April to June:
April 9, 1986
May 14, 1986
June 22, 1986
27. 1986 – July to September:
July 9, 1986
August 13, 1986
September 10, 1986
28. 1986 – October to December:
October 8, 1986
November 12, 1986
December 10, 1986 (agenda, no minutes)
29. 1987 – January to June:
January 14, 1987 (incorrect year on minutes January 14, 1986)
February 11, 1987 (incorrect year on minutes February 11, 1986)
March 11, 1987 (incorrect year on minutes March 11, 1986) (“A Last Mass at St. Francis Xavier” March 7, 1987)
April 8, 1987 (report on AIDS Memorial Cultural Project on Ward’s Island)
May 13, 1987
May 21, 1987 Special Meeting (Space Search Committee report)
June 6, 1987 Special Membership Meeting (Agenda, no minutes)
June 10, 1987
30. 1987 – July to December:
July 8, 1987
August 12, 1987
September 9, 1987
October 14, 1987
November 11, 1987
December 9, 1987
December 15, 1987 (Committee Meeting)
31. 1988 – January to June:
January 13, 1988
February 10, 1988
March 9, 1988 (several members resigned, see February 1988 letter [Cathedral Project])
April 13, 1988
April 27, 1988
May 11, 1988
May 14, 1988 (Special Meeting))
May 25, 1988 (Special Meeting)
June 4, 1988 (Special Meeting)
June 8, 1988
June 22, 1988
32. 1988 – July to December:
July 13, 1988 (includes list of Board of Director members 1988-1989)
August 11, 1988
September 14. 1988
September 28, 1988
October 12, 1988
October 26, 1988
November 9, 1988
December 14, 1988
33. 1989 – January to June:
January 11, 1989
February 8, 1989 (Town Meeting Sunday January 29, 1989)
March 8, 1989
April 12, 1989
May 10, 16, & 21, 1989
June 4, 1989 (Special Meeting)
June 14, 1989
34. 1989 July to November
July 12, 1989
August 8, 1989
September 9, 1989
November 18, 1989
35. 1990
February 28, 1990
March 14, 1990
July 11, 1990
August 8, 1990 Agenda only
36. 1991 [Note: name changed to “Steering Committee”]
January 9, 1991
September 10, 1991
37. 1992 – January to November
January, February or March 1992 (no minutes)
April 8, 1992
May 13, 1992
June 19, 1992
July 8, 1992
August no meeting, no quorum
September 9, 1992
October 14, 1992
November 11, 1992 (agenda, no minutes
December (no minutes)
38. 1993 – February to December
January – no meeting
February 10, 1993
March 10, 1993
April 13, 1993
May 12, 1993
June 9, 1993 (no minutes)
July 14, 1993
July 18, 1993 Special meeting
August 11, 1993
September 8, 1993 (no minutes)
October 13, 1993
November 10, 1993
December 8, 1993
39. 1994 – January to December
January 12, 1994
February 9, 1994
March 9, 1994
April 13, 1994
May 11, 1994
June 8, 1994
July 13, 1994
August 10, 1994
September 14, 1994
October 13, 1994
November 9, 1994
December 14, 1994
40. 1995 – January to August
January 11, 1995 (Agenda only, no minutes)
January 28, 1995 Steering Committee retreat
February 8, 1995
March 8, 1995
April 12, 1995
April 24, 1995 (Agenda, no minutes)
May 10, 1995 (Agenda, no minutes)
June 14, 1995
July 12, 1995 (Agenda, no minutes)
August 9, 1995
September, to December 1995 minutes missing
41. 1996 – minutes missing
42. 1997 – minutes missing (agenda only October 1, 1997)
(Attachments to Board of Directors/Steering Committee Minutes:
Includes committees, special interest groups, reports, and correspondence typically covered at the Board of Directors meetings: (in alphabetical order): Advertising/Public Relations Committee, AIDS Ministry (started 1984), Cathedral Project, Correspondence with Archdiocese, Defenders, Ethical Standard for Ushers, Lay Ministers and Board of Directors, Feminist Issues committee, Financial Reports, Lawsuit Liaison, Liturgy Committee, Membership Committee, Newsletter Committee, Peer Counseling committee, Program Committee, PROM Committee, Region II reports, Service Committee, Social Action Committee (Social Justice), Space Search Committee ,Spiritual Development Committee, Standing committee, Voting procedures.
43. Constitution and By-Laws 1985, 1981, 1992
44. Dignity NY AIDS Ministry
45. Catholic Italian American Outreach
46. CSLDC 1984 Certificate
47. Statement of Position and Purpose
48. Certificate of Appreciation
Intro 386 CLGR
49. Stonewall 25
50. Dignity Conventions (Fist Annual, 1972, First Biennial 1973)
51. National Convention 1989
52. Statement of Purpose Constitution and By Laws
53. Membership Database & applications
54. Membership applications A to Z 1988
55. Membership list 992
End of Box 2
Box 3:
56. Newsletters:
“Concern” Newsletter of the Southern California Council on Religion and the Homophile – July 1966 Issue #1, September 1966 Issue #2, January 1967 Issue #4, February 1967 Issue #5, April 1967 Issue #6, February 1968 Issue #7, June 1969 Issue #9 – missing Issues #3 and #8.
57. Dignity/NY “Weekly Bulletin” 1983-1985 and 3 issues 1987
58. Dignity/NY Newsletters, February 1973-February 1974
59. Dignity/NY Newsletters, May 1974 – March 1975 (May 1974 to March 1975 title “Insight” used.)
60. Dignity/NY Newsletters, April 1975 – December 19758 “Calendar”
61. Dignity/NY Newsletters, January 1976 – December 1976
62. Dignity/NY Newsletters, February 1977 – January 1978
63. Dignity/NY Newsletters, February 1978 – January 1979
64. Dignity/NY Newsletters, February 1979 – January 1980
65. Dignity/NY Newsletters, February 1980 – January 1981
66. Dignity/NY Newsletters, February 1981 – December 1981
67. Dignity/NY Newsletters, February 1982 – September 1983
68. Dignity/NY Newsletters, various issues October 1984 – June 1990
69. “Insight: A Quarterly of gay Catholic Opinion/Lesbian/Gay Christian Opinion: 1976-1982 all issues
Vol. 1, No. 1, Fall 1976;
Vol. I, No. 2 Winter 1977;
Vol. I, No. 3 Spring 1977
Vol. I, No. 4 Summer 1977;
Vol. II, No. 1 Fall 1977;
Vol. II, No. 2. Winter 1978;
Vol. II, No. 3, Spring 1978;
Vol. II, No. 4 Summer 1978;
Vol. III, No. 1 Fall-Winter 1978-1979;
Vol. III, No. 2 Spring-Summer 1979;
Vol. III, No. 3 Summer 1979 (changed to Lesbian/Gay Christian Opinion)
Vol. III, No. 4 Fall, 1979;
Vol. IV, No. 1 Winter 1980;
Vol. IV, No. 2 Spring-Summer 1980
Vol. IV, No. 3 Winter-Spring 1981;
Vol. IV, No. 4 (Spring?) 1982.
Also see Periodical Collection “Insight”.
70. Dignity Inc. (USA) Newsletters April 7, 1971 to March 1989 published from Los Angeles, Boston, San Diego, then Washington, D.C. (the first Newsletter was February 1970, Vol. I, No. 1):
March 10, 1971 Vol. II, No. 1 (Los Angeles, CA)
April 7, 1971, Vol. II, No. 2
July 5, 1971, Vol. II, No. 5
August 5, 1971, Vol. II, No. 6
September 5, 1971, Vol. II, No. 7
October 5, 1971, Vol. II, No. 8
November 5, 1971, Vol. II, No. 9
December 5, 1971. Vol. II, No.10
January 5, 1972, Vol. II, o. 11
February 5, 1972, Vol. II, No. 12
March 5, 1972 Vol. III, No. 1
May 5, 1972, Vol. III, No. 3
June 5. 1972, Vol. III, No. 4
July 5, 1972, Vol. III, No. 5
August 5, 1972, Vol. III, No. 6
September 5, 1974, Vol. III, No. 7
October 5, 1972, Vol. III, No. 8
February 5, 1973, Vol. III, No. 12
April 1973, Vol. IV, No. 2
June 1973, Vol. IV, No. 4
July 1973, Vol. IV, No. 5
August 1973, Vol. IV, No. 6
September 1973, Vol. IV, No. 7
November 1973, Vol. IV, No. 9
June-July 1974, Vol. V, No. 6-7 (Boston, MA)
August 1974, Vol. V, No. 9
January 1975, Vol. VI, No. 1
September 1975, Vol. VI, No. 9
November 1975, Vol. VI, No. 11
December 1975, Vol. VI, No. 12
March 1976, Vol. VII, No. 3
July 1976, Vol. VII, No. 7
August 1977, Vol. VIII, No. 8
[September 1977 Dignity, Inc. becomes Dignity USA
February 1978, Vol. IX, No. 1(San Diego, CA)
March 1978, Vol. IX, No. 2
April 1978, Vol. IX, No. 3
August 1978, Vol. IX, No. 7
December 1978, Page 5-8
January 1979, Vol. X, No. 1
June 1979, Vol. X, No. 6 (missing pages)
July 1979, Vol. X, No. 7
August 1979, Vol. X. No. 8
December 1979, Vol. X, No. 11 (Washington, DC)
71. Dignity, Inc. (USA) Newsletter 1980-1997 (incomplete)
January 1980, Vol. 11, No. 1
March 1980, Vol. 11, No. 3
June 1980, Vol. 11, No. 6
September 1980, Vol. 11, No. 9
Date? Vol. 14, No. 11
March 1989, Vol. 21, No. 2
November 1989, Vol. 21, No. 6
December 1989, Vol. 21. No. 7
February 1990, Vol. 22, No. 1
March 1990, Vol. 22, No. 2
April 1990, Vol. 22, No. 3
May/June 1990, Vol. 22, No. 4
July/August 1990, Vol. 22, No. 5
First Quarter 1991, Vol. 23, No. 1
Fall 1992, Vol. 24, No. 4
Winter 1993, Vol. 25, No. 1
Summer 1997, Vol. 29, No. 3
72. Other chapters, Newsletters
73. Speakers Bureau
74. Correspondence with Cardinal O’Connor 1987
75. Correspondence 1984-1985
76. Correspondence General 1988-1989
77. Social Action Committee-1982
78. Father Robert Carter File
79. Father Bernard Lynch (defense on subject of child molestation) 1987-1988
80. Subject – Oppression
81. Flyers
82. Worship Services
83. Memorial Mass
84. Spiritual Development Committee c. 1984
85. Election Guidelines
86. St. Francis Xavier (meeting space)
87. Subject – Meeting Space
88. St. John’s in the Village
End of Box 3
Box 4:
89. Dignity Social Justice Exhibit
90. Founding
91. Worship and Spiritual Life
92. Organization and Structure
93. Service and Outreach
94. Dignity Fan
95. Social Life and People
96. Steering Committee
97. Weekly bulletin
98. Dignity USA Dateline
99. Photos people
100. Photos Baily House Christmas Party
101. “25 Years of Faith and Activism”
102. Photos Dinner event (no date)
103. News Paper Clippings
104. Photos Gay Pride March Year?
105. Photos AIDS Quilt
106. Photos 22nd Dinner 1994
107. Proof Sheets
108. Non-Exhibit items
25 year booklet
109. Proclamation The Council of the City of New York, October 25, 1997
110. Dignity T-Shirt
111. Publications
112. Articles 1 of 2
113. Articles 2 of 2
114. Cathedral Project
115. Cathedral Project Clippings
116. The Defenders
117. Donahue Interview Transcript Father John O’Neal, etc.)
118. Dignity NY Banner (cloth)
End of box 4
Box 5:
119. 85 civ. 3269 (8 inches laid flat) United States District Court: Michael Olivieri (Dignity/NY) vs. Benjamin Ward, Police Commissioner. Eight inches (flat) of Motions and depositions. (Dignity appealed to be allowed under the US Constitution to claiming their right to freedom of speech and hold a peaceful demonstration in front of St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Gay Pride Sunday.)
120. United State Court of Appeals Decided on June 28, 1985 that Dignity/NY could have a “reasonable” number of demonstrators in front of St. Patrick’s. (It was finally allowed that 25 Dignity members could assemble in front of St. Patrick’s for 30 minutes during the June 30, 1985 parade.
121. Supreme Court of US 1986/1987 confirming Court of appeals
122. Brief of Amicus Curiae Executive Order 50 (prohibiting City contractors from discrimination based on “sexual orientation”).Under 21, Catholic Home Bureau for Dependent Children
123. Lawsuit Catholic war Veterans vs. City of New York 1983, Petition to prevent the City of NY from issuing a parade permit for CSLDC for Gay Pride March – lists detailed complaints about 1980, 1981, and 1982 Marches.
124. Discovery document from St. Patrick’s 1981-1986
125. Trustees of St. Patrick’s vs. Dignity NY 1987, Injunction to prevent interruption of Service. (2 folders)
126. People of State of NY versus individuals arrested 1988, arrest of Dignity & ACT-UP individuals
End of Box 5
Box 6: (five inches)
127. Lawsuits 1987 St. Patrick's vs. Dignity (individuals)
128. Heritage of Pride Application 1986
129. Police Department File 1976 Gay Pride Parade
130. Police Department File 1983 Gay Pride Parade
131. Police Department Deposition Outline
132. Police Department Response to Police Department 1986
133. Police Department Response to Mayor 1986
134. Police Department Production of Document 1986
135. Police Department Report of Gay Pride March 1978
136. Police Department Report of Gay Pride March 1
137. Minutes, Steering Committee, Oct 2001 - Sep 2002 (Previously minues ended 1997 [missing ome[)
138. Minutes, Steering Committee, Oct. 2002 - Sep 2003
139. Minutes, Steering Committee, Oct. 2003 - Oct 2004
Video Tape List
1. 4 VHS video tapes
Unfoldered Items
Photo NY Times June 30, 1980
Audio Tape List
1. 1 Cassette
