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The Hell We’ve Been Through
Stories of LGBTQ+ Discrimination in Central Pennsylvania

Bookstore Bombings

Nancy Helm opened The Closet, an LGBTQ+ bookstore, at 25 N. Prince St. in Lancaster City on May 15, 1991. The Closet underwent police raids, numerous threats, and two bombings during its operation. The Ku Klux Klan singled out the store as an excuse to protest against “homosexual activities” on August 24, 1991. Helm stated the second bombing “blew … a nice sized piece of brick out of the wall. It did a lot of damage. I had an old candy case from way back when that I had a lot of my display in, and the glass shards scratched the entire front of it. It was like, it was like a sun burst, you know. My flag was burnt up, my gay flag that hung in the window was burnt up.” The Closet officially closed down on May 14, 1992.
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Harrisburg, PA 17102
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info@centralpalgbtcenter.org

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  • Home
  • The Long Road
    • Beginning
    • Philadelphia >
      • Philadelphia Part 2
    • Harrisburg
    • Lancaster
    • York
    • Allentown
    • Montgomery >
      • Montgomery Part 2
    • Work Continues >
      • Acknowledgments
  • With Open Hearts & Open Arms
    • Gay LIfe in Pre-Castro Cuba/Homophobia/What's In a Name? Part 1
    • What's in a Name? Part 1 Continued/UMAP/Mattachine Society
    • Leftist Gays in the US/The Mariel Boatlift
    • The Mariel Boatlift Part 2/Resettlement Camps
    • Resettlement Continued/Press Coverage
    • Immigration/What's In a Name? Part 2
    • LGBTQ+ Organizing
    • The Mariel Generation/Life in PA
    • The Eromin Center/Impact of AIDS
    • AIDS in Cuba/LGBTQ+ Rights in Cuba
    • Acknowledgements
  • We Believe?
    • Early Expereriences >
      • Praying the Gay Away
    • Coming Out
    • LGBTQ+ Groups >
      • Religious Life
      • Social Life
      • Political Life
    • Faith and Identity
    • LGBTQ+ Clergy
    • Responses: Backlash >
      • Responses: Acceptance
    • Looking Forward
  • Duty, Honor, Pride
    • Vietnam War Era >
      • Investigations
    • Post-Vietnam Experiences
    • Closing >
      • Citations
  • Other Resources