Harrisburg in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

MISSING

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Richard Schlegel (1927-2006)

Richard Schlegel Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, December 26, 2022

1. Richard Schlegel Marker

The marker was installed on October 10, 2021. It was retired by the PHMC on June 1, 2022 and removed two days later. The PHMC website (as of submission date) lists the maker as being not missing (“Marker Missing: no”). Although the PHMC considers this marker to be not missing, for the purposes of HMdb - it is. The single visible trace left of the marker is the remains of the pole on which it was mounted (shown here).

Inscription. Fired from federal and state jobs because he was gay, this trail-blazing activist took his job discrimination case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. He lost, but his key arguments were valuable in later cases. In 1965, he founded the first LGBTQ+ group in central Pa.

Erected 2021 by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Civil Rights. In addition, it is included in the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission series list.

Location. Marker is missing. It was located near 40° 15.793′ N, 76° 53.173′ W. Marker was in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in Dauphin County. Marker was on State Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 205 State Street, Harrisburg PA 17101, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location. The Obelisk (within shouting distance of this marker); Saint Patrick's Cathedral (within shouting distance of this marker); Grace Methodist Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Grace United Methodist Church (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Public Sector Unionism

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(about 400 feet away); Present State Capitol Building (about 400 feet away); Old Capitol Building (about 400 feet away); The Nature Conservancy (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Harrisburg.

Also see . . .
1. LGBT activist’s historical marker targeted for removal for ‘predatory, grooming behavior’. Published in PennLive on June 1, 2022. (Submitted on December 26, 2022.)

2. Pennsylvania pulls gay pioneer’s marker over 1993 interview (AP News, June 10, 2022). (Submitted on December 26, 2022.)
3. Richard Schlegel (1927-2006), Interviewed May 10-11, 1993 (outhistory.org). This is the interview, conducted in 1993 by Marc Stein of the Philadelphia LGBT History Project, whose contents were were the basis for State Senator John DiSanto’s request to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission for the removal of the marker. (Submitted on December 26, 2022.)

Additional keywords. LGBT LGBTQ

Richard Schlegel Marker site image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, December 26, 2022

2. Richard Schlegel Marker site

“Schlegel lived at this location while he worked for the PA Dept. of Highways, managed the P.O. Box for the Janus LGBTQ organization, and started the first Harrisburg chapter of that org. The building he lived in is still there.” - Pennsylvania Museum and Historical Commission website.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 26, 2022. It was originally submitted on December 26, 2022, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 76 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 26, 2022, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.