Preserving LGBTQ+ history is vital and thankfully, there are collections around the country that capture both the monumental and everyday moments of our past. These archives offer a glimpse into our lives and lay out a path for the battles that lie ahead for our community.
Dr. John P. De Cecco Archives and Special Collections of the GLBT Historical Society (San Francisco, California)
Part of the GLBT Historical Society Museum, located in San Francisco’s Castro District, the Dr. John P. De Cecco Archives and Special Collections contains over 1,000 collections housed in 4,000 square feet of space. In addition to the vast in-person collections, the archives also offer a large selection of digital resources, including the ACT-UP San Francisco Oral History Project, San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Records and TransGender Forum. To explore the physical archives, make an appointment.
The Lesbian Herstory Archives (Brooklyn, New York)
Started in the 1970s by a group of lesbians and queer women members of the Gay Academic Union, this archive has a storied history all on its own. After being housed in the New York apartment of author and activist Joan Nestle for 15 years, the archive moved to its current location in 1992, thanks to support and donations from the community. The collection is the largest in the country to center on lesbian life and history. Make an appointment to visit and check out historic zines and magazines, thousands of photos and periodicals, plus shirts, banners and buttons.
Library of Congress LGBTQ+ Studies Web Archive (Washington, D.C.)
Started in May 2018, this digital archive is a collection of “online content which documents LGBTQ+ history, scholarship, and culture in the United States and around the world” including queer media. Visitors can peruse online collections from organizations like the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and amfAR, queer media sites like The Advocate and Outsports and much more.
ONE Archives at the USC Libraries (Los Angeles, California)
ONE Archives houses the largest LGBTQ+ archive in the country. Part of the USC Libraries, ONE contains a massive collection of print, art, objects, audio and visual files. Its book collection alone is close to 30,000 strong. After being closed to the public for nearly two years, ONE Archives is now accepting in-person researchers and visitors again. If you can’t make it out to LA, there are several pieces of the collection accessible online. Just look for the “eye” icon.
John J. Wilcox, Jr. Archives at William Way Center (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Chronicling Philadelphia’s rich LGBTQ+ history, this collection started in the 1990s when it received the Gay/Lesbian Archives collected by activist Tommi Avicolli Mecca. Now the vast archive is made up of “periodicals (magazines, journals, newspapers and newsletters) from the 1940s to the present; ephemera and newspaper clippings; textiles and artifacts (from political buttons and matchbooks to t-shirts and leather chaps); rare books and pulp fiction novels; posters, calendars, artworks, and travel guides; and audio-visual material, comprised of a wide variety of media types.” Stop by to read about ACT UP Philadelphia and check out scrapbooks from the Girlfriends Motorcycle Club or the LGBT Pulp Fiction collection.
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Archive at UNT (Denton, Texas)
Documenting the LGBTQ+ history of Texas, the South and Southwest, this archive at the University of North Texas houses an impressive collection of “letters, photographs, newspapers and magazines, scrapbooks, diaries, audio-visual materials, organizational records, posters, flyers, and objects.” In the archive, you’ll find the Resource Center Collection, featuring documents and objects from significant events and times in Texas LGBTQ+ history. Every print edition of the Dallas Voice is available there and in digital form, as is the personal collection of writer and advocate David Taffett. For more information about visiting the archives, click here.
New York Public Library LGBTQ+ Collections (New York, New York)
Often considered the birthplace of the LGBTQ+ rights movement, New York is a fitting place for an extensive LGBTQ+ archive. There are over 100 collections housed at the New York Library, including pre-Stonewall personal collections, records from LGBTQ+ organizations from around the country and an extensive collection of information about the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In addition, the NYPL has created research guides for topics like Black LGBTQ+ studies and Stonewall. Visit the collections in person or utilize the digital selections.
LGBT Archives Project of Louisiana (New Orleans, Louisiana)
In 2013, a group of individuals interested in the LGBTQ+ history of Louisiana gathered at the home of longtime activist Stewart Butler. Butler, who was 83 at the time, showed the group dozens of boxes filled with LGBTQ+ history. The group then worked to preserve the material and collect even more for a statewide LGBTQ+ collection. Housed at libraries and research centers across Louisiana, the collection showcases the rich history of LGBTQ+ life in Louisiana and the South. It explores critical moments in queer history, including the devastating UpStairs Lounge arson attack of 1973. The fire was one of the largest LGBTQ+ mass casualties in U.S. history, taking the lives of 32 people. Many of the centers offer in-person visits to the archive and there is also a digital collection available to all.
Exploring these archives reveals the community’s diverse history and resilience. These collections preserve our stories and serve as resources for future generations of the LGBTQ+ community.