Lowcountry Gay & Lesbian Alliance (LGLA) records

The Lowcountry Gay & Lesbian Alliance (LGLA) was founded in Charleston, S.C., in August 1990 as a nonprofit organization with the goal of ending prejudice and discrimination against gays and lesbians through public education and service to the Charleston-area gay and lesbian community. LGLA received tax-exempt status as a 501(a) in 1992. By 1998, LGLA had expanded its mission to include bisexual and transgender people, and modified its governing structure from two co-chairs to a president and vice president. Joseph Sass and Birgit Pols were the first co-chairs in 1990 and 1991. Other leading officers included co-chairs Allen Reardon (two terms), Kevin Campbell, Margaret Loos, Kathy Hartman (1997-1998), and Mike Schwarzott (1997-1998). Presidents included Frances Wright (1998-1999), Trish Bender (1999-2000), Dick Latham (2000-2002), and Allen Reardon (2002-2004). One of the organization’s main services was a telephone information line. It provided event news, referrals, and general information to Lowcountry residents on gay and lesbian issues. LGLA’s telephone information line was one of the first listings in local telephone directories concerning gays and lesbians. LGLA provided regular social activities for LGBTQ people, including monthly potlucks, an annual cruise in Charleston harbor, and an annual beach party. The organization also participated in local celebrations of national and international LGBTQ activities like National Coming Out Day, World AIDS Day, and pride marches. OutFest, the first coming out festival in the Charleston area, was started by LGLA in 1997. LGLA also participated in activism movements, like letter writing campaigns to political representatives and government institutions in support of LGBTQ rights. LGLA assisted other Charleston-area LGBTQ organizations like We Are Family, Metropolitan Community Church, and Lowcountry AIDS Services (now known as Palmetto Community Care). For example, LGLA raised money for Lowcountry AIDS Services through their Festival of the Arts, a weeklong arts exhibition hosted at Circular Congregational Church. Throughout its existence, LGLA issued a monthly newsletter, which was published under several different names, including Gay Daze, Rainbow Times, and Rainbow Times Newsource. The newsletter provided LGLA members with information on the organization’s activities; state, national, and international LGBTQ news; and events at other local LGBTQ organizations and bars. Local businesses also advertised in the newsletter. The exact year that the organization ceased operations is unclear. No activities appear in these records after LGLA’s annual harbor cruise in April 2005, although it continued to be referenced as an area LGBTQ resource in the Charleston City Paper as late as 2010.