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94-578: Lazin is the founder of Equality Forum (a national and international LGBT civil rights organization headquartered in Philadelphia) and the LGBT History Month icon series. As Vince Bellino explains, "Equality Forum has, for the last decade, organized LGBT History Month, which honors 31 icons of the movement each year." Lazin is also the executive producer of three award-winning documentary films and an Off-Broadway play. In 2020 he co-organized

188-569: A 15,000-square-foot outdoor entertainment deck. The corporation also rehabilitated another 70,000-square-foot pier for servicing boats and developed Philadelphia's first full-service marina with 300 slips. Other companies initiated projects in the area; however, the district lacked sufficient infrastructure to accommodate and enhance the development. Lazin founded and was elected chair of the Philadelphia Waterfront Developers Council (1986-1989), which created

282-449: A Dream" speech. In 1964, Lazin stood among the crowd in the nation's capital to witness President John F. Kennedy's funeral cortege. At Lebanon Valley College, Lazin majored in biology and minored in chemistry. He attended Boston University School of Law , where he graduated with a J.D. in 1968. Lazin was married for 10 years to Terry Weinstein. After fulfilling active training in the U.S. Army reserves, Lazin began his career in 1969 at

376-476: A Featured Nation. The annual Equality Forum employed groundbreaking strategy: It framed gay issues as civil rights, it championed bisexual and transgender inclusion, it created the longest-standing role model award, it presented the first annual LGBT art exhibit, it embraced religious programming, and it encompassed international LGBT civil rights by annually exploring the conditions of a featured country or region, including Germany, Russia, Canada, China, Israel, and

470-478: A calm voice against panic." He oversaw emergency response efforts to the partial meltdown at the nuclear power plant and also had a major role in coordinating funding for cleanup efforts. He was widely recognized for economic development and the establishment of the Ben Franklin Partnership, and for implementing welfare reform programs. Pennsylvania's unemployment rate, among the ten highest in

564-749: A civil rights statement about the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. As of 2022, LGBT History Month is a month-long celebration that is specific to Australia, Canada, Cuba, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States. In the United States, Canada, Armenia, Romania, the Netherlands, Southeast Asia, and Australia, it is celebrated in October to coincide with National Coming Out Day on 11 October and to commemorate

658-728: A documentation of his career between 2001 and 2011. Thornburgh died at a retirement community in Verona, Pennsylvania , on December 31, 2020, at age 88. The Dick Thornburgh Papers were donated to the University of Pittsburgh in 1998. The collection is housed in the university's Hillman Library , where it is showcased in a themed reading room. The university also established the Dick Thornburgh Forum in Law and Public Policy in his honor. In April 2019, Thornburgh announced he

752-663: A few events are also organized in larger cities all over the country, e.g. in Debrecen , Pécs , Miskolc and Szeged . In 2013 there were nearly 30 events in the cities of Budapest , Miskolc and Szeged . In 2015 there were 37 events, with some held in Tahitótfalu and Csobánka . As of 2019 there were about 40 events for the celebration. From 2023, LGBT History Month is observed in March in Hungary. LGBT+ History Month

846-614: A former federal prosecutor, Lazin asked the office of Congressional Ethics to investigate U.S. Representative George Santos for immigration fraud. Lazin's request and accompanying letter were covered the same day by The New York Times . Lazin has received the U.S. Attorney General's Distinguished Service Award (the Department of Justice's highest honor); the Creative Leadership in Human Rights Award from

940-601: A law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1957, where he served as an editor of the Law Review . Thornburgh was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa at the University of Pittsburgh in 1973, and was later awarded the society's highest honor, the Laurel Crowned Circle Award, in 1996. He subsequently was awarded honorary degrees from 32 other colleges and universities. He joined

1034-559: A litigation associate. Two years later, he accepted a partnership at Fell Spaulding Goff & Rubin, a Philadelphia law firm. In early 1977, the Philadelphia Republican City Committee approached Lazin to run for district attorney against incumbent Emmett Fitzpatrick. In May, Fitzpatrick faced an upset in the Democratic primary by Edward G. Rendell, Philadelphia's former Homicide Division Chief. In

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1128-545: A long-time supporter of self-determination , authored " Puerto Rico 's Future: A Time to Decide" in 2007, in which he calls for immediate change in the island's territorial/commonwealth status. He describes it as a vestige of colonialism. He concedes, however, that change is difficult because equal segments of Puerto Ricans desire statehood or continuation of the status quo. The book is based in part on ongoing research he has done regarding Puerto Rico's vexing political status problem since he testified as attorney general on behalf of

1222-458: A media point person, commenting regularly on regional and national news programs. Lazin resigned from the commission April 27, 1983. Lazin also ran for City Council in 2011, losing by 250 votes. In 1974, Lazin conceived the idea to hold a rodeo as part of Philadelphia's U.S. Bicentennial Celebration. A neophyte to both rodeos and public event organizing, he visited major rodeos across the country and acquainted himself with Howard Harris III, one of

1316-574: A plan to redesign and rebuild the then dilapidated Delaware Avenue into a waterfront boulevard and successfully lobbied for access ramps to and from Interstate 95. In 1985 when few buildings in Philadelphia were lit at night, Lazin conceived the notion to light the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. He presented the idea to the mayors of Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey, and helped organize a bi-state development committee to undertake

1410-749: A report criticizing the conclusions of Louis Freeh about the Penn State child sex abuse scandal involving Jerry Sandusky . Thornburgh was hired by the family of the late coach Joe Paterno to conduct an independent review of the Freeh report. Thornburgh also served as a consultant to the United Nations, the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank on efforts to battle fraud and corruption. Thornburgh,

1504-702: A staff of 60. On April 20, 1982, Lazin was named chairman of the commission. He helped champion the Mid-Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime Network (MAGLOCN)—the first computerized organized crime law-enforcement database, which resulted from the work of the commission, and which aggregated and shared information inter- and intrastate. During his tenure as chair, the New York and Philadelphia organized crime families were warring over Atlantic City, where gambling had been recently approved. Mob murders were rampant. Lazin became

1598-528: A weekend. By 1996, what was now PrideFest America had become a week-long event, including 60 regional, state and national organizations. In 1999, PrideFest named Lazin its first executive director. In 2003, the organization changed its name to Equality Forum, and its annual event included international organizations. At its peak, the annual Equality Forum was the largest national and international LGBT summit, featuring panel discussions, art exhibits, parties, programs and special events. Beginning in 2004, it included

1692-419: Is a 2015 drama based on The New York Times Magazine article, "My Ex-Gay Friend," by Benoit Denizet-Lewis, and the film JIM IN BOL D. The movie stars James Franco, Zachary Quinto, Emma Roberts and Charlie Carver. Lazin is Executive Producer of 217 Boxes of Dr. Henry Anonymous , an Off-Broadway play. As the executive director of Equality Forum, Lazin led numerous initiatives. The FORTUNE 500 project lobbied

1786-660: Is a feature-length documentary about Father Mychal Judge, Chaplain of the New York City Fire Department and the first official victim of 9/11. Narrated by Ian McKellen, the film premiered at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival and was an official selection of the Montreal World Film Festival. It received a favorable review by The New York Times . Co-Executive Producer, I Am Michael I Am Michael , written and directed by Justin Kelly,

1880-596: Is an annual festival of LGBT history. It runs throughout February and into March. OUTing The Past was first celebrated in 2015. The festival started in three venues in Manchester : the LGBT Foundation , The Central Library and the People's History Museum . An academic conference with the inaugural Allan Horsfall Lecture was given by Charles Upchurch of Florida University. This is now a yearly event funded by

1974-584: The Campaign for Homosexual Equality . Stephen M Hornby was appointed as the first National Playwright in Residence to LGBT History Month. The first production was a three part heritage premiere called "A Very Victorian Scandal", which dramatised new research about a drag ball in 1880 in Hulme. In 2016 the festival expanded to six hubs around England and the conference had its own slot. The Alan Horsfall lecture

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2068-538: The Concerned Women for America and others who believe it to be a form of " indoctrination ". In 2006, Equality Forum began picking 31 LGBTQ icons from all over the world through all eras of history and highlighting one each day in October. In 2011, Equality Forum introduced an internal search engine for all Icons from inception in 2006 to present. such as African-American, athlete, California, Germany, HIV/AIDS, Military, Religion, Transgender, Youth; visitors to

2162-728: The Crown Prosecution Service . Each year, a "launch event" takes place in November, to build awareness for the following February. These events took place in the following locations: On 5 March 2009, Prime Minister Gordon Brown hosted a reception at Downing Street to mark the Month. Since 2011, the month has been linked to a subject in the National Curriculum. The steering committee hope to cover all subjects eventually. There are free resources available on

2256-706: The Gerber/Hart Gay and Lesbian Library and Archives in Chicago; Paul Varnell, writer for the Windy City Times ; Torey Wilson, Chicago area teacher; Johnda Boyce, women's studies graduate student at The Ohio State University and Jessea Greenman of University of California, Berkeley. Many gay and lesbian organizations supported the concept early on as did Governors William Weld of Massachusetts and Lowell Weicker of Connecticut, Mayors such as Thomas Menino of Boston and Wellington Webb of Denver, who recognized

2350-467: The LGBT community while celebrating its achievement and diversity and making it more visible. History Month has three taglines: "Claiming our past. Celebrating our present. Creating our future", in addition to the "Educate OUT Prejudice" motto of parent charity Schools OUT UK. The initiative received UK Government backing from the deputy DfES and Equalities Minister Jacqui Smith , although some sections of

2444-697: The National COVID-19 Remembrance Archived 2020-10-15 at the Wayback Machine , held on October 4 in Washington, D.C. Lazin's political commentaries following the 2016 U.S. presidential election have been published in the Chicago Tribune , Philadelphia Inquirer , and Washington Blade and following the U.S. Capitol insurrection on January 6, 2021, by Smerconish . On February 15, 2023, acting as

2538-470: The Scottish Government provided funding for a post at LGBT Youth Scotland to bring LGBT History Month into the wider community, including schools and youth groups. In 2020 Scotland's theme was "What have we learned? 20 years since the repeal of Section 28." LGBTQ+ History Month originated in the United States as Lesbian and Gay History Month, and was first celebrated in October 1994. It

2632-571: The U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of New York appointed him as an examiner in the WorldCom bankruptcy proceedings. His report to the court included damning criticism of Arthur Andersen , WorldCom's accounting firm, and banking giant Citigroup . The report concluded that the two companies aided WorldCom executives in committing fraud . In 2004, Thornburgh was asked by CBS to undertake an independent investigation of

2726-903: The University Marta Abreu of Las Villas, a festival co-organizer, said a “great wave of conservative religious fundamentalism has been developing in Cuba”. In Berlin , it is known as Queer History Month instead of LGBT History Month. Every year it takes place in May. It is to educate and help people deal with sexuality, sexual diversity , and anti-discrimination in small projects. During Queer History Month (QHM), people are able to find detailed lessons on queer history suitable for both school and non-school education. Also, educational institutions provide education to schools and youth institutions directly. Dick Thornburgh Richard Lewis Thornburgh (July 16, 1932 – December 31, 2020)

2820-537: The Wiley A. Branton Award of The Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs in recognition of his "commitment to the civil rights of people with disabilities." Following an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. House of Representatives against William S. Moorhead in 1966, Thornburgh served as an elected delegate to the 1967–1968 Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention where he spearheaded efforts at judicial and local government reform. In 1969 President of

2914-418: The commonwealth , he and running mate Bill Scranton (whose father served as governor in the 1960s) defeated Pittsburgh mayor Pete Flaherty and his running mate, educator Bob Casey (who bears no relation to Robert P. Casey , the 42nd Governor of Pennsylvania). The victory was attributed in part to Thornburgh's campaign promises to crack down on government corruption, at a time when more than 60 persons in

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3008-685: The AZA's Southeast Pennsylvania and Delaware region. In 1961, Lazin enrolled in Lebanon Valley College, his father's alma mater. He was president of his college class (freshman, junior, and senior years) and became president of the faculty student council in his senior year. In 1963, he participated in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom —the civil rights demonstration at which Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have

3102-1068: The Chair of the Local Legislative Committee of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. He has also served as President of the Society Hill Civic Association, Vice President of the Society Hill Synagogue, Vice President of the Golden Slipper Club, board president of the Academy House Office Complex Association, board president of the Gulf & Bay Club Condominium Association in Sarasota, Florida, and on

3196-775: The Director, the deputy director and the Chief of the Property Management Section of the Philadelphia FHA Insuring Office. At the request of the U.S. Department of Justice, he taught his white-collar-crime investigative techniques to nine U.S. Attorney's offices. Lazin also led a successful investigation into fraudulent relocation payments made by the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority. He brought

3290-546: The History Month website. In addition, Schools OUT UK (the initiative's founding charity) also created a unique website of free-to-download lesson plans for teachers – The Classroom – in 2011. After Schools OUT UK paid tribute to Alan Turing in November 2012 (the centenary of his birth) at the launch of STEM 2013, Promotions Officer Andrew Dobbin suggested the month regularly feature LGBT figures whose lives have been forgotten or 'straight-washed' by history, to illustrate

3384-690: The Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights Award from the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights in April 2005. The Thornburghs have four sons (John, David, Peter, and Bill), six grandchildren, and five great-granddaughters and two great-grandsons. As parents of a son with a disability, they took an interest in the needs of people with disabilities and, with their son Peter, were named "Family of the Year". Both Ginny and Dick Thornburgh were featured speakers at

3478-668: The Marty Forsythe , based on events in Ulster's LGBT+ history. The play earned actor Christopher Grant a nomination as best supporting actor at the Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards 2020 In 2005 and 2006, LGBT History Month was celebrated in Scotland as an LGBT community event, receiving support from LGBT community history projects such as Our Story Scotland and Remember When. For 2007 and 2008,

3572-604: The Middle East, Russia, Ukraine, Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, India, Cambodia, Australia, New Zealand and Central and South America. He served as an observer to the Russian Federation's first legislative (1993) and presidential (1996) elections. He was a former member of the Council on Foreign Relations . The K&L Gates site includes nearly 50 published articles and white papers by Thornburgh; they serve as

3666-512: The Muslim world. In 2006, at Lazin's initiative, Equality Forum assumed responsibility for LGBT History Month. Celebrated in October, LGBT History Month honors 31 Icons, one each day, with a video, bio, bibliography and other online resources. The website archives the Icons, which are searchable from a tag cloud of approximately 150 descriptors. Co-Executive Producer, Gay Pioneers Gay Pioneers

3760-830: The National Education Association; the Lifetime Hero Award of the Delaware Valley Legacy Fund; and is a Prime Mover of the Hunt Alternatives Fund. He serves as an adjunct professor at the New College of Florida and an Emeritus Trustee of Lebanon Valley College. He has presented lectures on LGBT civil rights at high schools, colleges, and national meetings in the United States and Canada. Lazin resides in Sarasota, Florida, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. He

3854-453: The National LGBT 50th Anniversary Celebration, July 2–5, 2015, in Philadelphia. In 2018, Lazin established the Lazin Scholarship, awarded annually to a high-achieving, financially needy graduate of Lebanon High School, Lazin's high school alma mater. The Lazin Scholarship provides tuition for an associate degree at Harrisburg Area Community College, Lebanon Campus. If the student matriculates to Lebanon Valley College, Lazin's college alma mater,

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3948-438: The Pittsburgh-based law firm Kirkpatrick & Lockhart in 1959. Thornburgh married Ginny Hooton, and they had three sons together (John, David and Peter). Ginny Hooton was killed in an automobile accident in 1960, which left Peter, the youngest of their three sons, with physical and intellectual disability. In 1963 Thornburgh was remarried, to Ginny Judson, with whom he had another son, Bill, in 1966. Ginny (Judson) Thornburgh

4042-419: The Secretary-General of the United Nations was widely praised. It pertained to reform, restructuring, and streamlining efforts designed to make the United Nations peacekeeping, humanitarian and development programs more efficient and cost-effective. After his 25 years in public service, Thornburgh re-entered private legal practice returning to K&L Gates , the law firm he originally joined in 1959. In 2002,

4136-399: The Shapp administration were indicted on criminal charges. Thornburgh and Scranton were reelected in 1982 . However, Scranton failed to win the governorship on his own in 1986 . Following the unprecedented 1979 Three Mile Island nuclear power plant accident near Harrisburg , Pennsylvania, Governor Thornburgh was described by observers as "one of the few authentic heroes of that episode as

4230-440: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the Philadelphia regional office. He went on to become an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 1970 to 1974. In the early 1970s, The Philadelphia Inquirer ran front-page stories on alleged abuses in the Federal Housing Administration's (FHA) low-income mortgage insurance programs. U.S. Attorney Louis Bechtle asked Lazin to examine

4324-408: The United States Richard Nixon appointed Thornburgh as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania , where he earned a reputation for toughness on organized crime . In 1971, Thornburgh successfully prosecuted Pittsburgh steel companies for polluting rivers based on the 1899 Refuse Act. This was before the passage of the major environmental laws that are the foundation of the EPA and

4418-580: The United States Senate, and served three years as attorney general, from 1988 to 1991. He mounted a vigorous attack on white-collar crime as the Department of Justice obtained a record number of convictions of savings and loan crisis and other securities officials, defense contractors and corrupt public officials. Thornburgh established strong ties with law enforcement agencies around the world to help combat drug trafficking, money laundering, terrorism and international white-collar crime. During his tenure as attorney general, he twice argued and won cases before

4512-437: The United States Supreme Court. The Legal Times noted that Thornburgh as Attorney General "built a reputation as one of the most effective champions that prosecutors have ever had." As honorary Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, he chaired a panel of the National Academy of Public Administration examining the FBI's post-9/11 transformation process and was a member of the FBI Director's advisory board. He oversaw

4606-438: The Vatican Conference on Disabilities held in Rome in November 1992, and were co-recipients in 2003 of the Henry B. Betts Award, the proceeds from which were used to establish the Thornburgh Family Lecture Series on Disability Law and Policy at the University of Pittsburgh. As Attorney General of the United States, Thornburgh played a leading role in the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act . In 2002, Thornburgh received

4700-400: The Washington Square Committee. Its purpose was to secure inclusion of Washington Square into Independence National Historical Park (INHP) and to have an honorary military guard posted at the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier. Situated across from Independence Hall, the area is the largest Revolutionary War burial ground. Lazin successfully led a nearly two-decades-long campaign for

4794-416: The abolition of Section 28 in 2003, with the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 ; and between 150 and 200 events took place across the UK to celebrate, as well as the government's proposals to bring in a single equality act and a public duty, although this, in fact, did not come to fruition until 2010. The Month is intended as a means to raise awareness of, and combat prejudice against

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4888-407: The allegations. Lazin enlisted the help of neighborhood activists who accompanied FBI agents on interviews. After a preliminary investigation suggested a pattern of abuse, Lazin involved the IRS as well as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General. The probe resulted in the convictions of 18 real estate brokers; the largest FHA mortgage company in Pennsylvania; and

4982-633: The boards of various nonprofit organizations. Lazin is the founder and executive director of Equality Forum, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that coordinates LGBT History Month, produces documentary films, undertakes high-impact initiatives and annually presents an international LGBT civil rights summit. In 1993, Lazin founded PrideFest Philadelphia and served as its board co-chair. In the early 1990s, gay pride parades abounded. PrideFest focused instead on gay and lesbian organizations and on civil rights issues and aspirations. The first PrideFest involved 15 regional organizations presenting panel discussions over

5076-464: The date of the Second March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1987, and October is within the academic calendar year. LGBT History Month is intended to encourage honesty and openness about being LGBT. While it was first known as Lesbian and Gay History Month, the coordinating committee soon added "bisexual" to the title. It has subsequently become known as LGBTQ+ History Month. The event has received criticism from conservative groups, such as

5170-457: The election. Under the Thornburgh administration, Lazin served as the volunteer Pennsylvania co-chair for the International Year of the Child. With the first lady of state, Ginny Thornburgh, Lazin successfully lobbied to make Pennsylvania the first state to mandate child automobile safety seats. In 1979, Governor Thornburgh appointed Lazin to the five-member Pennsylvania Crime Commission—the principal state agency investigating organized crime with

5264-415: The first Australian LGBTQ+ History Month. LGBT History Month has been celebrated in February since 2013. The program series is coordinated by Háttér Society , Szimpozion Assiciation and Labrisz Lesbian Association , events are organized in partnership with other LGBT organizations, cultural and academic institutions, professional organizations etc. The majority of the events take place in Budapest , but

5358-409: The first Bush administration on the issue before the Energy and Natural Resources Committee of the United States Senate in 1991 and for an amicus curiae brief he filed in a Puerto Rico voting rights case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit . Throughout his career, Thornburgh traveled widely by visiting over 40 countries and meeting with leaders from Canada, Mexico, Europe, Africa,

5452-430: The first and second marches on Washington in 1979 and 1987 for LGBT rights. In the United Kingdom it is observed during February; in the UK this coincides with a major celebration of the 2003 abolition of Section 28 . In Berlin, the capital of Germany, it is known as Queer History Month and is celebrated in May. In October 2016, Minus 18 , Australian Queer Archives , and the Safe Schools Coalition Victoria organised

5546-410: The first successful civil litigation in the nation under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and the first criminal environmental prosecutions in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. In 1972 in the Great Hall of Justice, Lazin received the U.S. Attorney General's Distinguished Service Award, the department's highest honor. In 1973, Lazin left the U.S. Attorney's Office to enter private practice as

5640-500: The general election, Lazin received the Philadelphia Inquirer's endorsement. Democrats outnumbered Republicans by roughly 4 to 1; Lazin lost the race by roughly 3 to 2. In 1978, Pennsylvania governor Dick Thornburgh named Lazin a leader of his gubernatorial campaign. Lazin "played a key role in the campaign." In prior gubernatorial elections, Republicans lost the city by approximately 300,000 votes. Thornburgh lost Philadelphia by only about 70,000 and garnered enough votes statewide to win

5734-465: The group's tagline of "claiming our past", and to give LGBT+ students some of the role-models and heroes their straight classmates had an abundance of. The idea was adopted from 2014, with every February since highlighting the life of a lesbian, gay man, bisexual and trans person. In 2021, the committee were able to add a fifth individual as part of the intention to represent the "+" in LGBT+. (In order of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, +): OUTing The Past

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5828-496: The historical site. In 1992, Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujon signed a Memorandum of Understanding whereby the Department of the Interior committed to incorporate Washington Square into INHP, if the site could be brought up to National Park Service standards. After a 13-year undertaking to fund improvements and meet requirements, Washington Square was made part of Independence National Historical Park, which thereafter has overseen management and guided tours. In 2005, Lazin chaired

5922-482: The history of the LGBTQ+ Cuban community throughout the month of May. The event showcases the work of the National Center for Sex Education (CENESEX) and seeks to strengthen education and debate on the Family Code and promote the visibility of LGBT rights in Cuba . Historian Raúl Pérez Monzón told Inter Press Service "we want to rescue the history of people with non-heteronormative sexualities and create spaces to promote research". Juan Carlos Gutierrez Perez of

6016-463: The impact of bullying on LGBTQ youth. It has been screened at the annual meetings of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Psychiatric Association, and in other venues on four continents. For his work on the film, Lazin received the National Education Association's Virginia Uribe Award for Creative Leadership in Human Rights, the NEA's highest annual civil rights honor. Executive Producer, Saint of 9-11 Saint of 9/11

6110-421: The inaugural month with official proclamations. In 1995, the National Education Association indicated support of LGBT History Month as well as other history months by resolution at its General Assembly. October was chosen by Wilson as the month for the celebration because the first and second LGBT Marches on Washington, in 1979 and 1987, were in October; National Coming Out Day is on 11 October, chosen to mark

6204-436: The major environmental litigation that resulted from the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. All told, Thornburgh served in the Justice Department under five Presidents, beginning in Pittsburgh when serving as United States Attorney, from 1969 to 1975. He resigned as attorney general in 1991 to run for the U.S. Senate seat left vacant when Senator John Heinz was killed in a plane crash; major-party candidates were chosen by

6298-401: The most highly regarded stock contractors. Through Harris, Lazin secured endorsement from the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association to hold a sanctioned American Bicentennial Rodeo in Philadelphia. The rodeo took place at JFK Stadium in late June through early July 1976. It included six competitions over five days with Congressman Clem McSpadden , the voice of American rodeos, announcing. Five of

6392-433: The movement's seminal leaders and participants, most notably Frank Kameny and Barbara Gittings. It premiered on PBS and has been screened widely at film festivals; by high school and college GSAs; at the CIA in Langley, Virginia; and at annual meetings of national organizations, including the American Historical Association. Executive Producer, Jim in Bold Jim in Bold was the first feature-length documentary produced about

6486-493: The nation when he was elected, was among the ten lowest when he left office as 50,000 new businesses and 500,000 new private sector jobs were created during his tenure. Thornburgh was also responsible for consolidating all of Pennsylvania's state-owned colleges and universities into the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education . He also created the Governor's Schools , which were summer programs for talented and gifted high school students. In January 1987, Governor Thornburgh

6580-413: The nation's largest companies to provide anti-discrimination protection for sexual orientation. The project launched in 2004 when just under 64% of the FORTUNE 500 offered their employees this assurance; today the number is nearly 94%. Project 1138 increased public awareness of the 1,138 federal marital benefits and protections denied to same-sex couples as the result of marriage inequality. Lazin chaired

6674-416: The nation. After leaving office in 1987, Thornburgh served as director of the Institute of Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University . In 1988, President Ronald Reagan appointed Thornburgh as the United States Attorney General ; he was retained in office after President George H. W. Bush was inaugurated. Thornburgh was sworn into office after unanimous confirmation by

6768-412: The party committees because it was too late for a primary. There was widespread speculation that Thornburgh had struck a deal with Democratic Pennsylvania Congressman and House Majority Whip William H. Gray . Gray had been the subject of an investigation into alleged campaign finance irregularities and a grand jury investigation into his church's financial affairs. It was reported that Gray would not run in

6862-566: The press argued against its political correctness , and pointed out that the sexuality of some historical figures is more a matter of speculation than fact. The DfES promised funding for LGBT History Month for the first two years to help get the event off the ground. Long standing sponsors include the Metropolitan Police Service , the Metropolitan Police Authority , Amnesty International and

6956-674: The project. The goal was to light the bridge named for a founding father, which connects two of the colonies, in time for the bicentennial of the Constitution. Lazin and City Representative Diane Semingson successfully co-chaired the project's finance and public relations sub-committee, The Benjamin Franklin Bridge was lit on September 17, 1987, for the bicentennial celebration. The lit bridge has become an iconic Philadelphia landmark. In 1989, with support from U.S. Senators John Heinz III and Arlen Specter , Lazin organized and chaired

7050-537: The scholar receives tuition assistance for a baccalaureate degree. 1972: Distinguished Service Award, Office of the U.S. Attorney General, Department of Justice LGBT History Month LGBT History Month is an annual month-long observance of lesbian , gay , bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. It was founded in 1994 by Missouri high-school history teacher Rodney Wilson. LGBT History Month provides role models, builds community, and represents

7144-624: The site will be provided with links to all Icons in that category. In 2012, for the first time, two American school districts celebrated LGBT History Month. The Broward County school district in Florida signed a resolution in September in support of LGBT Americans, and later that year the Los Angeles school district, America's second-largest, also signed on. The LGBTQ+ Cuba History Month had its first celebration in May 2022, to celebrate

7238-558: The six 1975 world champions and top competitors in the women's barrel racing participated. Each rodeo also featured Buffalo Bill Cody's grandson riding an Appaloosa horse, an antique stagecoach that traveled between Cheyenne and Deadwood City, Wyoming, a performance by the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, and a race between the Philadelphia mounted police unit and the Cheyenne Sheriff's Posse. At a time when Baltimore's Inner Harbor

7332-709: The so-called Rathergate controversy with former Associated Press CEO, Lou Boccardi. Following the investigation and report, Dan Rather relinquished his anchor position on the "CBS Evening News." Then in October 2005 Thornburgh was asked to represent controversial Democratic Pennsylvania politician and nationally renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht , who was then serving as Coroner of Allegheny County . The federal grand jury in Pittsburgh had returned an 84-count felony indictment against Dr. Wecht. Ultimately all charges were dismissed after 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 years, on May 14, 2009. In February 2013, Thornburgh released

7426-524: The special election, and in return Thornburgh would drop the investigation of him. Gray did not run in the election, and in fact resigned from Congress two months prior to it, in order to take a job as president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund . Thornburgh was widely expected to win the seat; however, he was defeated in a landslide by Democrat Harris Wofford , who had been the interim appointee to that seat. Wofford's victory

7520-809: The transfer ceremony from the City of Philadelphia to Independence National Historical Park. U.S. Senator Specter and representatives from Philadelphia, the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of the Interior participated in the event. Lazin continues to chair the Washington Square Committee (as of 2002), with the goal of having an honorary military guard posted at the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier. Lazin served for approximately 10 years as

7614-792: Was a former schoolteacher from New York, who holds degrees from Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts , and the Harvard Graduate School of Education . A lifelong advocate of people with disabilities, she served as Director of the Interfaith Initiative of the American Association of People with Disabilities , based in Washington, D.C., has co-authored and edited "That All May Worship," an award-winning handbook for religious congregations working to include people with all types of disabilities. She received

7708-566: Was a sign of future environmental enforcement. In 1975, President Gerald Ford appointed him to serve as the Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Criminal Division. After two years at that post, Thornburgh returned to law practice in Pittsburgh and initiated a campaign for governor. In 1978 , Thornburgh launched a campaign for governor of Pennsylvania. Despite a Democratic majority in

7802-453: Was a thriving tourist destination, Philadelphia's waterfront remained largely undeveloped. In 1983, Lazin became president of Penn's Landing Development Corporation. Under his leadership, the corporation won the rights from Philadelphia to develop five piers in the central waterfront district. It rehabilitated a 180,000-square-foot pier for entertainment use, built a 90,000-square-foot parking deck where charred pilings once stood and constructed

7896-738: Was an American lawyer, author, and politician who served as the 76th United States attorney general from 1988 to 1991 under presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush . A Republican , he previously served as the 41st governor of Pennsylvania and as the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania . Thornburgh was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania , on July 16, 1932, the son of Alice (Sanborn) and Charles Garland Thornburgh, an engineer. Thornburgh attended Mercersburg Academy then Yale University from which he obtained an engineering degree in 1954. Subsequently, he received

7990-667: Was an osteopathic physician and his mother a homemaker. Lazin attended Lebanon High School. In his junior year, he won the Lebanon County Optimist Oratorical Contest. In his senior year, against the advice of his teacher, he selected the topic "The Plight of the American Negro" for the school's contest, which began his lifetime of activism. He was also president of the Lebanon AZA , a Jewish youth organization, and became president of

8084-513: Was conceived by Lazin, who wanted to document the start of the organized LGBT civil rights movement. The movement began with protests in New York and Washington D.C. which led to milestone demonstrations in Philadelphia known as Annual Reminders, held each Fourth of July from 1965 to 1969 in front of Independence Hall. Lazin approached Philadelphia PBS affiliate WHYY, which agreed to co-produce the film. Directed by award-winning documentarian Glenn Holsten, Gay Pioneers includes on-camera interviews with

8178-638: Was founded by Missouri high-school history teacher Rodney Wilson. Wilson, the first openly gay public school teacher in Missouri, originated the idea, served as founder on the first coordinating committee, and chose October as the month of celebration. Among early supporters and members of the first coordinating committee were Kevin Jennings of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN); Kevin Boyer of

8272-614: Was given by Diana Souhami . The national heritage premieres were "The Burnley Buggers' Ball", which told the story of the first public meeting to establish an LGBT Center in the UK in 1971 at Burnley Library, and "Burnley's Lesbian Liberator", which told the story of one of the first demonstrations in support of a woman sacked for wearing a Lesbian Liberation badge by the Burnley & Pendle Bus Company in 1978. In 2018, there were 11 venues which included Wales and Northern Ireland . The lecture

8366-546: Was given by Susan Stryker of the University of Arizona. The national heritage premieres were "Mister Stokes: The Man-Woman of Manchester", which told the story of Harry Stokes, a Victorian trans pioneer and "Devils in Human Shape", which dramatized Georgian sodomy trials in Bristol. In 2017, there were 18 venues round the country and over a hundred presentations on LGBT history had been given. The Alan Horsfall lecture

8460-632: Was given by Tom Robinson . In 2019, there were 18 venues, including the first international events in the Republic of Ireland , Sweden, Norway and New York. The national heritage premiere was "The Adhesion of Love", which toured to a number of venues in the North West of England. It told the story of a visit by a member of the Eagle Street College to Walt Whitman in 1891. The festival also premiered another play, A Queer Céilí at

8554-468: Was initiated in the UK by Sue Sanders and Paul Patrick , then co-chairs of Schools OUT UK, and first took place in February 2005. After Patrick's death in 2008, Tony Fenwick became co-chair alongside Sanders, then later CEO. In 2016 he was awarded an MBE on behalf of the charity. LGBT+ History Month is an annual event in the United Kingdom taking place every February. It coincided in the same month of

8648-410: Was made an honorary Pennsylvania State Police Trooper . This honor was presented to him upon the graduation of the 64th Pennsylvania State Police Academy Class at Hershey, Pennsylvania . Thornburgh was the first Republican to serve two successive terms as governor of the commonwealth, and he was recognized by fellow governors in a 1986 Newsweek poll as one of the most effective big-state governors in

8742-666: Was profiled in the June 2019 issue of Sarasota Magazine . Lazin is the 2020 recipient of the American Psychiatric Association's (APA's) Special Presidential Commendation. He is the first person to receive this distinction who is not a medical doctor. Additionally, the APA selected Lazin as the recipient of its 2021 John Fryer Award. The oldest of five children, Lazin was raised in Lebanon , Pennsylvania. His father

8836-593: Was widely considered a major upset. In 1993, Thornburgh's campaign committee was sued in federal court for unpaid campaign debt by Karl Rove , who won the case and collected $ 180,000 from the Thornburgh committee. Thornburgh served a one-year appointment as Under-Secretary General at the United Nations (1992–1993) at the personal request of President Bush. This top management position at the UN put Thornburgh in charge of personnel, budget, and finance matters. His Report to

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