Collections : [UCF Special Collections]

The Allene Baus collection, 1989-1995, is comprised of materials taken from two of Baus' albums. It includes documents related to the Orlando chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), which Baus established in 1988. It also contains captioned and uncaptioned photographs, newspapers, programs, and a ribbon related to PFLAG activities. Allene Baus was born on August 10, 1934. She was an activist in the Central Florida region who established the first Florida chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) in Orlando. According to the LGBTQ History Museum of Central Florida, Baus was inspired to start the Orlando chapter of PFLAG after attending the 1987 March on Washington. Baus returned and wrote to Adele Starr of the national PFLAG chapter, who sent Baus information on starting a chapter. After writing articles for gay and lesbian publications to advertise, Baus was able to begin holding meetings in her home in starting in April 1988. After starting the chapter, Baus continued her activism by attending LGBT rights events. Allene Baus passed away on February 10, 2022.

The Brian Arbogast collection, 1987-2000, is comprised of two series. Series I: GLAAD, 1987-1994, undated, contains documents related to Brian Arbogast's involvement with the organization, GLAAD. These documents relate to GLAAD's campaigns against defamation, reports, itineraries, and GLAAD events and activities. Series II: Other Activism 1988-2000, contains documents, newspaper clippings, flyers, bulletin, correspondence letters, publications, and documents related to non-GLAAD organizations that Brian Arbogast participated in. Brian Arbogast de Hubert-Miller was an artist and LGBTQ+ activist that lived and worked in Central Florida. He is responsible for establishing the first GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) chapter in Florida. He is also responsible for registering the GLAAD Florida chapter as the first American GLAAD chapter with the IGLA (International Lesbian Gay Association). He was also heavily active in local LGBT issues, such as working on a community advisory board with WMFE Channel 24. Through his work with GLAAD, Arbogast helped to fight against discrimination against LGBT people, support Paul Tsongas presidential campaign, pursue defamation cases, and more. He also served on a community advisory board with WMFE Channel 24. Arbogast actively participated in anti-discrimination movements and even played an instrumental role in helping Disney to implement an anti-discrimination policy.

The Chris Smith collection, 1985-2012, is comprised of photographs, t-shirts, posters, banners, flyers, newspapers, and other items relating to Daytona LGBTQ+ locals and events, as well as the UCF Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Student Union (GLBSU). The collection documents LGBTQ+ community members and events in Daytona from 1991 to 2012. It includes photographs of drag performances at LGBTQ+ clubs and bars in Daytona Beach. This collection also includes materials relating to speakers and events hosted by the UCF GLBSU, offering insight into the campus experience of LGBTQ+ students in the 1990s. Christopher Lee Smith was a student at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and a former member of the UCF Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Student Union from 1994-1995. Smith was elected as Treasurer of the organization in the Spring 1995 semester. Smith lived in Daytona Beach, FL and participated in various nightlife events within the LGBTQ+ community.

The Ken Kazmerski collection, 1987-2010, contains forms, photos, shirts, banners, newspaper articles, and memorabilia relating to the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Student Union at the University of Central Florida and other LGBTQ+ topics and organizations in Central Florida. Kenneth "Ken" Kazmerski moved to Orlando, Florida in 1980, joining the University of Central Florida (UCF) as an associate professor of Sociology. In 1983, he was named chair of the Department of Social Work. In 1994, he became the faculty advisor for the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Student Union (GLBSU) at UCF. Kazmerski was a staunch supporter, marching alongside GLBSU students and advocating for funding and increased recognition for the group. Kazmerski retired from UCF in 2003. In 2005, he served on the GLBT History Project committee, a group charged with creating a one-day exhibit for the first Come Out With Pride event in Orlando. Later, the GLBT History Project became an independent organization known as the GLBT History Museum. Kazmerski was a founding member and served as president of the GLBT Museum.

This collection comprises of eleven posters gifted by the LGBTQ History Museum of Central Florida. The posters consist of campaign signs for Patty Sheehan, John Ruffier, Jeff Horn, and Billy Manes, a poster of Joel Strack, two posters of drag performers, two protest signs, and a poster made in appreciation of supporters for the GLBT History exhibit. The LGBTQ History Museum of Central Florida began as the GLBT History Project, a group charged with creating a one-day exhibit for the first Come Out With Pride celebration at the Orange County History Center in 2005. With the help of local organizations such as the UCF Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Student Union (GLBSU) and the Metropolitan Business Association (MBA), the GLBT History Project planning team produced an exhibit comprised of personal materials and artifacts from community members. In 2010, the exhibit became an online virtual museum and mobile museum. By 2013, the museum accrued over 10,000 images, artifacts, newspapers, and newsletters. The museum continues to conduct its mission of collecting, preserving, and exhibiting the history of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community in Central Florida.

Patty Sheehan is an Orlando-based LGBTQ+ activist and politician. She is the first out lesbian to be appointed to the Orlando City Commission and the longest-serving Orlando City Council member. The Patty Sheehan collection is primarily comprised of documents, memorabilia, and photographs related to Sheehan's 2000 Orlando City Commissioner electoral campaign and her participation in Pride Parades, marches, and rallies.

Saviz Shafaie attended the University of Central Florida as a student seeking a master's in social work. Originally born and raised in Iran, he was an activist in both Iran and America, fleeing to exile in America upon the change in government in the late 70s. He was also an Iranian poet and a businessman; owning and operating Powerhouse Restaurant in Winter Park. Saviz remained an activist until his passing from cancer in the late 1990s. His mother donated his collection to the LGBT History Museum of Central Florida in 2010 as a gift. These materials, along with an addition, were transferred to the University of Central Florida Special Collections and University Archives in 2021. This collection houses various photos, artifacts, and clippings related to Shafaie's activism through "We the People Coalition," HOMAN, AIDS awareness, the University of Central Florida's GLBSU, and other LGBT and Iranian activist groups.

The Spectrum Awards Records, 1994-2012, contains information relating to the Spectrum Awards, an LGBT+ community service award created by the Gay and Lesbian Community Services of Central Florida, Inc. in 1994. The collection is comprised of event programs, tickets, scripts, documentation of nominees and finalists, and other information relating to planning, as well as memorabilia and photographs.

The Center is a nonprofit organization that has been a staple of Orlando since its creation in 1978. The Center's mission is to promote and empower the LGBT+ community and its allies through advocacy, education, information, and support. This collection contains materials such as correspondence, legal and financial records, membership applications, employee time records, related to The Center as an organization.