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Concerned Americans for Individual Rights (CAIR) records

 Collection — Box: 1
Identifier: Coll2008-056

Scope and Content of Collection

The collection consists of a single loose-leaf notebook containing Bruce Decker's records of CAIR. The materials, which date from June 1984 through March 1985, include position papers, minutes, reports, budgets, correspondence, lists of contributors, press releases, and a small number of newspaper clippings, all but one from the Washington Blade, found loose. The annual meeting materials include signed letters of regret from senators William S. Cohen, Charles E. Grassley, Arlen Specter, and Lowell Weicker, and from representatives Silvio Conte and Olympia Snowe.

Dates

  • Creation: 1984-1985

Creator

Access

The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.

Publication Rights

Researchers wishing to publish materials must obtain permission in writing from ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives as the physical owner. Researchers must also obtain clearance from the holder(s) of any copyrights in the materials. Note that ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives can grant copyright clearance only for those materials for which we hold the copyright. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain copyright clearance for all other materials directly from the copyright holder(s).

Administrative History

Concerned Americans for Individual Rights (CAIR) was formed in the spring of 1984 by Bruce B. Decker (1950-1995), a gay Republican political consultant who had served as an advance man for President Gerald R. Ford and Vice President Nelson A. Rockefeller. Decker intended CAIR to be a national organization of moderate and conservative gays and lesbians whose goal was to expand Republicans' awareness of GLBT issues and to counter the rising influence of the religious right. The original Board of Directors consisted of Decker, Robert Bauman, Leonard Matlovich and Bonnie McGinley, who succeeded Decker as president in December 1984. Little is known about the activities of the organization: a national convention was announced for April 5-7, in Dallas, at which congressman Bill Green (R-NY) was to speak, but the extant records end before the event was scheduled to be held. In January 1986, the organization honored the two Log Cabin Clubs of Southern California ( Advocate, February 18, 1986, p. 26). Christopher Hitchins states that the organization was "shipwrecked by the AIDS crisis", although it continued to exist, at least on paper, as late as 1993 ( For the Sake of Argument, 1993, p. 53).

Extent

0.25 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Position papers, correspondence, financial reports, planning papers, press releases and other materials relating to Concerned Americans for Individual Rights (CAIR), an organization of moderate to conservative gay and lesbian members of the Republican party formed by Bruce Decker to work to change the negative image of the GLBT community within the party and to counter the rising influence of the Religious Right. The materials date from the foundation of the organization in the spring of 1984 until the spring of 1985.

Acquisition Information

Date and method of acquisition unknown.

Processing Information

Collection processed by Michael P. Palmer, October 21, 2008.

Processing this collection has been funded by a generous grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Title
Finding aid of the Concerned Americans for Individual Rights (CAIR) Records
Status
Completed
Author
Michael P. Palmer
Date
© 2008
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in: English

Repository Details

Part of the ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, University of Southern California Repository

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