LGBT Studies: Libraries and Archival Collections

A full-text collection of over 100 interviews with surviving members of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power- New York.

Collects and preserves all types of documentation (both paper and media) relating to the gay or lesbian community of the province of Quebec.

Created in 1973 by the collective that produced the newspaper The Body Politic, the Archives' mission is “to collect and maintain information and materials relating to the gay and lesbian movement in Canada and elsewhere.” Researchers investigating any aspect of Canadian gay culture should also visit the site for the Archives Gaie du Quebec for the Francophone viewpoint on specific issues.

Founded in 1981, this collection's primary focus is on the collection and preservation of the Midwest's homosexual and bisexual history.

Originally known as the West Coast Lesbian Collection, these are the only archives in the western United States “dedicated exclusively to preserving lesbian history.” Holdings reach back to 1895 and include the papers of veteran lesbian activists Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin.

A unique institution based in Chicago covering the history of the leather/levi community,

Housed at the University of Southern California, this collection was formed in 1994 through the merger of the library of ONE (the oldest continuing homosexual activist group in the western hemisphere, founded in 1952) and the huge private collection of veteran activist Jim Kepner.

”The mission of the Queer Zine Archive Project (QZAP) is to establish a “living history” archive of past and present queer zines and to encourage current and emerging zine publishers to continue to create. In curating such a unique aspect of culture, we value a collectivist approach that respects the diversity of experiences that fall under the heading “queer.””

The Rainbow History Project formed November 4, 2000, .... came out of frustration at trying to identify archives and sources of information on gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered history in metropolitan Washington DC. ...The group's purpose has always been to preserve our community's memories. Among our highest priority initial projects was the capturing of community members' memories for an oral history project. Our mission is to collect, preserve, and promote an active knowledge of the history, arts, and culture relevant to sexually diverse communities in metropolitan Washington DC.

Based at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee, the primary materials in this collection offer access to the history of the first major gay rights activist group in the city.