LGBTQ+ Policies Under Gov. Milton Shapp
Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
In 1975 Milton Jerrold Shapp (1912–1994) was the first governor in the U.S. to prohibit discrimination toward LGBTQ+ state employees. Shapp went on to establish the Pa. Council for Sexual Minorities, the first governmental body in the nation devoted to developing public policy for the LGBTQ+ community. He issued a proclamation for Gay Pride Week in 1976 and later expanded the nondiscrimination policy to companies with state contracts.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
In 1975 Governor Milton Shapp made Pennsylvania a national trailblazer, becoming the first U.S. governor to bar discrimination against LGBTQ+ state employees. He created the Pennsylvania Council for Sexual Minorities — the first government body in the nation devoted to LGBTQ+ policy — and issued a proclamation for Gay Pride Week in 1976. He later extended the nondiscrimination policy to companies holding state contracts.
Why it matters
Shapp's actions placed Pennsylvania decades ahead of the nation in recognizing LGBTQ+ rights through official policy, an early milestone in the long march toward legal equality.
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Related people
- · Milton Shapp
Themes & tags
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