VCU James Branch Cabell Library
Elizabeth Cramer LGBT activism collection
Cramer, Elizabeth
Cramer, Elizabeth
M 598
/repositories/5/resources/671
1 Linear Feet
1 records storage box
1991-2013
English
1
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Use restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Preferred Citation
Elizabeth Cramer LGBT activism collection, 1991-2013, Collection # M 598, Special Collections and Archives, James Branch Cabell Library, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Elizabeth Cramer, 2013 and 2018.
Biographical / Historical Information
Dr. Elizabeth (Liz) Cramer retired from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Social Work in 2024 after 28 years of service. Upon her retirement, she was awarded emerita faculty status and was named a VCU Distinguished Career Professor. In addition to her role in the School of Social Work, Dr. Cramer also served as a special assistant to the provost for diversity; as an affiliate faculty in the Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies; and affiliate faculty with the VCU Institute for Inclusion, Inquiry and Innovation's Transdisciplinary Core: Intersections in the Lives of LGBTQIA+ Communities.
Dr. Cramer earned her M.S.W. from the University of Michigan and her Ph.D. in social work and a graduate certificate in women's studies from the University of South Carolina. Prior to joining VCU, she taught at Eastern Michigan University. Dr. Cramer worked in the interpersonal violence field for over 40 years, including as a direct practitioner, administrator, activist, and researcher. Dr. Cramer's research/scholarship areas include domestic violence, especially abuse of persons with disabilities; LGBTQ issues; and group methods. Dr. Cramer and her wife, Jewel Stewart, retired in Richmond, and spend time with their daughter and grandkids, while still volunteering for Special Olympics, the Neighborhood Resource Center, and the Richmond Folk Festival.[1]
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[1] VCU School Of Social Work Communications. "After 28 Years of 'Doing' at VCU, Liz Cramer Plans to Stay Busy as a Human 'Being,'" August 15, 2024. https://blogs.vcu.edu/social-work/2024/08/15/after-28-years-of-doing-at-vcu-liz-cramer-plans-to-stay-busy-as-a-human-being/.
Scope and Contents
The Elizabeth Cramer LGBT activism collection mostly consists of correspondence and newsletters that Dr. Cramer collected from various LGBT activism organizations. Although some of the organizations and materials used "LGBT" or covered LGBT issues, especially during the later years of the collection, the vast majority of the collection is focused on lesbian and gay related issues. The strongest subject coverage of the collection was advocacy for legal change related to LGBT issues, most noticeably, the advocacy for marriage equality. Dr. Cramer collected largely from national organizations, with about 25% of the collection from Virginia or Richmond based organizations. The material spans from 1991-2013, with the most material collected being from these organizations: In the Family, 1997-2005; Lambda Legal, 1993-2013; National Center for Lesbian Rights, 1996-2010; National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 1993-2009; and Virginians for Justice, 1996-2001. Additionally, the collection contains some organizational resources on legislative action from Equality Virginia and Virginians for Justice. Dr. Cramer also collected materials on the fight for nondiscrimination of domestic partnerships, spanning 1992-2005. Ephemera in the collection includes information from religious organizations supporting LGBT issues, a flyer for an award-winning internationally distributed weekly LGBT radio program, a newsletter from a Richmond organization called the Gatekeepers, lesbian or LGBT themed bookmarks, and LGBT themed magnets.
Arrangement
Folders are arranged alphabetically and, for publications and where applicable, chronologically. Within the nondiscrimination domestic partnerships binder folders, the original file organization was maintained.
LGBT activism -- Virginia -- Richmond
LGBTQ+ people
Correspondence
newsletters
Cramer, Elizabeth
Cramer, Elizabeth
Virginia Commonwealth University. School of Social Work -- Faculty
American Civil Liberties Union/repositories/5/archival_objects/78612199311Equality Virginia - Correspondence/repositories/5/archival_objects/786132004-2009, Undated12Equality Virginia - Legislative action/repositories/5/archival_objects/786142003-200613Equality Virginia - Newsletter/repositories/5/archival_objects/786152003-200714Equality Virginia - Pamphlets/repositories/5/archival_objects/786162005, Undated15Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation/repositories/5/archival_objects/786171998, 200016Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network/repositories/5/archival_objects/78618Undated17The Hetrick-Martin Institute/repositories/5/archival_objects/786191998, Undated18Human Rights Campaign/repositories/5/archival_objects/786201993, 2002, Undated19In the Family/repositories/5/archival_objects/786211997-1999110In the Family/repositories/5/archival_objects/786221999-2002111In the Family/repositories/5/archival_objects/786232002-2004112In the Family/repositories/5/archival_objects/786242004-2005113Institute for Gay and Lesbian Strategic Studies/repositories/5/archival_objects/786251997-2000114Lambda Legal - Correspondence/repositories/5/archival_objects/786261993-1999, Undated115Lambda Legal - Ephemera/repositories/5/archival_objects/786271994, 1998, Undated116Lambda Legal - Guides/repositories/5/archival_objects/786282004, Undated117Lambda Legal - Newsletter/repositories/5/archival_objects/786292000-2001118Lambda Legal - Newsletter/repositories/5/archival_objects/786302002-2006119Lambda Legal - Newsletter/repositories/5/archival_objects/786312007-2009120Lambda Legal - Newsletter/repositories/5/archival_objects/786322010-2013121Lesbian Herstory Archives/repositories/5/archival_objects/786331994-2004122Lesbian and gay news clippings/repositories/5/archival_objects/786341994-1996123March on Washington - Newspaper and programs/repositories/5/archival_objects/786351993124Miscellaneous national lesbian and gay rights organizations - Correspondence/repositories/5/archival_objects/786361994-1998, Undated125Mothers and Others of Virginia/repositories/5/archival_objects/786372008, Undated126National Association of Catholic Diocesan Lesbian and Gay Ministries/repositories/5/archival_objects/786381999, Undated127National Center for Lesbian Rights - Correspondence, ephemera/repositories/5/archival_objects/786391996-2002, Undated128National Center for Lesbian Rights - Newsletter/repositories/5/archival_objects/786401998-2006129National Center for Lesbian Rights - Newsletter/repositories/5/archival_objects/786412007-2010130National Gay and Lesbian Task Force - Correspondence/repositories/5/archival_objects/786421993-2003, Undated131National Gay and Lesbian Task Force - Newsletter/repositories/5/archival_objects/786431993-2003132National Gay and Lesbian Task Force - Newsletter/repositories/5/archival_objects/786442003-2006133National Gay and Lesbian Task Force - Newsletter/repositories/5/archival_objects/786452006-2009134Nondiscrimination domestic partnerships binder (1/3)/repositories/5/archival_objects/786461992, 1998-2012135Nondiscrimination domestic partnerships binder (2/3)/repositories/5/archival_objects/786471991-2011136Nondiscrimination domestic partnerships binder (3/3)/repositories/5/archival_objects/786481998-2005137Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays/repositories/5/archival_objects/786491993 and Undated138People for the American Way/repositories/5/archival_objects/786501994 and Undated139Richmond LGBT ephemera/repositories/5/archival_objects/786511997-2005140Richmond Queer Space Project /repositories/5/archival_objects/786522001141The South Carolina Gay and Lesbian Pride Movement/repositories/5/archival_objects/786532002142Stonewall 25/repositories/5/archival_objects/786541994143Virginians for Justice - Brochures and information sheets/repositories/5/archival_objects/786551998-1999, Undated144Virginians for Justice - Correspondence/repositories/5/archival_objects/786561997-2001145Virginians for Justice - Legislative action/repositories/5/archival_objects/786571996-2001, Undated146Virginians for Justice - Newsletter/repositories/5/archival_objects/786581995-1999147Virginians for Justice - Newsletter/repositories/5/archival_objects/786591999-2001148Virginians for Justice - Organization files/repositories/5/archival_objects/78660Undated149Whitman-Walker Clinic/repositories/5/archival_objects/786611992150