Beth Marschak Richmond lesbian activist collection, 1971/2004

Access and use

Location of collection:
Virginia Commonwealth University, Cabell Library
James Branch Cabell Library
Virginia Commonwealth University
P.O. Box 842003
901 Park Avenue
Richmond, VA 23284-2003
Contact for questions and access:
POC: SCA Staff
Phone: (804) 828-1108
Fax: (804) 828-0151
Restrictions:

The collection is open to research.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions.

Preferred citation:

Beth Marschak Richmond lesbian activist collection, 1971-2004, Collection # M 601, Special Collections and Archives, James Branch Cabell Library, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.

Summary

Extent:
0.21 Linear Feet 1 half-size legal document box
Creator:
Marschak, Beth
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Beth Marschak Richmond lesbian activist collection, 1971-2004, Collection # M 601, Special Collections and Archives, James Branch Cabell Library, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.

Background

Scope and content:

The Beth Marschak Richmond lesbian activist collection consists of news clippings related to LGBT activism and issues in Richmond, Virginia, including a photocopy of a scrapbook of clippings collected by Barbara Weinstock; Richmond Lesbian-Feminists Flyer newsletters and correspondence; and ephemera related to women's and LGBT activism and events in Richmond, Virginia.

Biographical / historical:

Romayne Elizabeth (Beth) Marschak was born in Pennsylvania and grew up in Richmond, Virginia, in Lakeside and the far west end of the city. She graduated from Westhampton College, University of Richmond, with a BA in political science in 1972. While at University of Richmond, Beth started a local chapter of the National Women's Political Caucus, engaged with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference through marches and other actions, and was an active member of the Woody Guthrie Community Center. Beth was one of the founders of the Richmond Lesbian-Feminists in 1975, and helped found the Virginia Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights and the Richmond Lesbian and Gay Pride Coalition. She served on the National Steering Committee of the National Women's Political Caucus for 16 years, originally starting as a representative of the Lesbian Caucus; the Board of the Richmond YWCA for 8 years; in 1978 was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to the International Women's Year Continuing Committee; and in 1988 was the first out Virignia delegate to a national presidential convention.

Due to her activism and advocacy, Beth was awarded the Richmond Human Rights Coalition Human Rights Award in 1983; the Richmond YWCA Outstanding Woman of the Year Award in Human Relations in 1990; won awards from the Richmond Lesbian and Gay Pride Coalition in 1990, 1993, and 1999; and was named one of the 20 Outstanding Virginians by Equality Virginia in 2009.

Beth was an LGBTQ+ historian and co-authored the book Lesbian and Gay Richmond, published in 2008.[1] She worked for over two decades at the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), originally as a Hotline Counselor and later as a Contract Administrator. She also oversaw the free condom program for most of her time at VDH, which distributes over half a million free condoms each year. She passed away on June 3, 2026.[2]

1 - "Beth Marschak," Race and Racism Project - Oral Histories, University of Richmond, June 1, 2019, https://raceandracism.richmond.edu/oralHistory/MarschakBeth 2 - Ryan Nadeau, "Beloved Richmond historian, LGBTQ+ activist dies," WRIC+, June 5, 2026, https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/richmond/romayne-beth-marschak-obituary-june-3/

Acquisition information:
Gift of Beth Marschak, February 2007.
Arrangement:

Folders are arranged alphabetically, and chronologically for material within folders.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Names:
Marschak, Beth