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Bill Schafer Papers (MS-00874)

Abstract

The Bill Schafer Papers (1980-2018) contain personal and professional papers of Las Vegas, Nevada journalist and publisher, Bill Schafer, and photographs from various LGBTQIA+ related events in Las Vegas. The materials include files related to Schafer's work managing the Las Vegas Night Beat and Las Vegas Bugle publications. The collection contains copies of various LGBTQIA+ directories and photographs from events such as the Las Vegas Pride parade and the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada's annual Honorarium. Also included are photographs and papers from Schafer's involvement with the Imperial Royal Sovereign Court of the Desert Empire, Inc.

Finding Aid PDF

Date

1980 to 2018

Extent

0.62 Cubic Feet (1 box, 1 oversized box)
1.42 Linear Feet
23,679 digital_files (34.077 GB)

Related People/Corporations

Creator: Schafer, Bill

Scope and Contents Note

The Bill Schafer Papers (1980-2018) contain personal and professional papers of Las Vegas, Nevada journalist and publisher, Bill Schafer, and photographs from various LGBTQIA+ related events in Las Vegas. The materials include files related to Schafer's work managing the Las Vegas Night Beat and Las Vegas Bugle publications. The collection contains copies of various LGBTQIA+ directories and publications, including drafts and notes for Fairy Tales: A Chronology of the Las Vegas Gay Community 1861-2001 by Dennis McBride. The majority of this collection consists of digital photographs from events such as the Las Vegas Pride parade, Golden Rainbow Home's Annual Ribbon of Life, the Nevada Gay Rodeo Association, and the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada's annual Honorarium. Also included are photographs and papers from Schafer's involvement with the Imperial Royal Sovereign Court of the Desert Empire, Inc.

Access Note

Collection is open for research. Where use copies do not exist, production of use copies is required before access will be granted; this may delay research requests. Advanced notice is required.

Publication Rights

Materials in this collection may be protected by copyrights and other rights. See Reproductions and Use on the UNLV Special Collections and Archives website for more information about reproductions and permissions to publish.

Arrangement

Materials are roughly organized by topic.

Biographical / Historical Note

William "Bill" Schafer was born on January 1, 1949 in Buffalo, New York. He attended college at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where he was editor of the school paper, the Rebel Yell. Schafer worked at the Castaways Hotel and Silver Slipper Casino prior to his career in publishing. In the 1980s and 1990s, Schafer was the managing editor of the Las Vegas Bugle, a newspaper focused on LGBTQIA+ issues. The publication later became incorporated into the Las Vegas Night Beat and Schafer took over as publisher of the magazine. He retired in 2018 after publishing his last issue of the Las Vegas Night Beat in December 2018.

Schafer was an active supporter of local organizations in Las Vegas like Saint Therese HIV Outreach and the Sin Sity Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Inc. He was also a member of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA) and was a founding member of the Imperial Royal Sovereign Court of the Desert Empire, Inc. (IRSCDE), which prior to 1998, was known as the Royal Barony of the Desert Empire. Schafer was ordained as a minister by the Universal Life Church under his given name and also under his female impersonator identity, Wilhelmina Parsons.

Schafer passed away on July 27, 2020 in Las Vegas.

Sources:

McBride, Dennis. "The Bugle Celebrates 25 Years," May 26, 2008. https://www.edgemedianetwork.com/entertainment/culture//74738.

"Mission Statement." Desert Empire. 2017. http://desertempire.org/IRSCDE/who-we-are/.

Schlegel, Rob. "Remembering Bill Schafer, former publisher and editor of Las Vegas LGBTQ magazines," Las Vegas Spectrum, August 12, 2020. https://lasvegasspectrum.com/2020/08/12/remembering-bill-schafer-former-publisher-and-editor-of-las-vegas-lgbtq-magazines/.

Related Collections

The following resources may provide additional information related to the materials in this collection:

Dennis McBride Collection on LGBTQ Las Vegas, Nevada, 1990-2017. MS-00802. Special Collections

and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.

Imperial Royal Sovereign Court of the Desert Empire Records, 1997-2003. MS-00556. Special

Collections and Archives, UNLV Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.

Tommy. Interview, 1998 April 28. OH-02056. Oral History Research Center, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.

Las Vegas Bugle Photograph Collection on Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual History, 1993-2002. PH-00336. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.

Las Vegas Bugle Collection on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender History, 1984-2002. MS-00476. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.

Preferred Citation

Bill Schafer Papers, 1980-2018. MS-00874. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.

Acquisition Note

Materials were donated in 2017 and 2021 by the Nevada State Museum; accession numbers 2017-160, 2021-006.

Processing Note

In 2019, Mary Anilao, Chriziel Childrens, and Landon Palujsaj accessioned the collection and created the finding aid in ArchivesSpace. In 2021, Tammi Kim processed the 2021 addition and updated the finding aid. Tammi Kim minimally processed the born-digital materials and subsequently entered descriptive information into ArchivesSpace. Files were transferred off of floppy disks, optical discs, and zip disks. No access files were created for any files at this time.

Resource Type

Papers

Collection Type

EAD ID

US::NVLN::MS00874

Appraisal Note

Tammi Kim appraised digital files transferred from optical discs. The majority of digital files contained redundant images used for issues of the Las Vegas Night Beat. Digital files were subsequently reviewed and deaccessioned.

Finding Aid Description Rules

Describing Archives: A Content Standard
English