History 695: Research Seminar

The speaker talks about his work with gay and lesbian communities in Cleveland

Brian Dewitt, associate editor for the Gay People's Chronicle, discusses being homosexual in Cleveland, coming out, and his experiences and interactions with the local gay community. With a wealth of knowledge pertaining to so many facets of the gay and lesbian community, Dewitt is an important source for material on this segment of society from his coming out in the 1970s through the present. His various roles behind the scenes are explored. He also reflects on how AIDS impacted the gay and…

Mary Jane Schiros began working for unions in 1974, at the International Associations of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, District 54. She worked there for 20 years. In this 2012 interview, she discusses her duties and experiences working for a large district union. She also discusses her experiences attempting to join the DALU union and not being allowed.

Joan Yarano has worked for unions since 1953. She began with Local 217 and in 1955 began working for the Cleveland Industrial Union Council. In this 2012 interview she describes her work for the unions and some of her experiences. Yarano was also a member of a union herself, the DALU 1794, which was a union for secretaries who worked for unions. She describes her role within that union and some of the difficulties the union came across during her time in it.

Jene Wilson grew up in a union family, and when she was 16 had her first experience working for a union, the AFLCIO. She describes her experience working for the union as a young girl. Later in life she became part of a teacher's union and became very involved in that. She discusses her involvement in the union, as well as some of the gender issues that she found working for the union.