Throughout the month of April, the DC History Center is spotlighting local LGBTQ places and spaces, along with a deeper look at an organization that since 2000 has been actively working to preserve and share the history of DC’s LGBTQ communities. And we’ll be launching the first in a planned series discussing DC history books of distinction, led by editors of Washington History, with historian Eric Cervini, author of The Deviant’s War: The Homosexual vs. the United States of America. We hope you’ll join us for one or all of the engagements listed below!
On our blog, you can take a look back at the ClubHouse (1296 Upshur Street NW), which from 1975 to 1990 served as a key music venue and community hub for the African American LGBTQ community.
Through Instagram Takeovers, we invite you to learn more about the Rainbow History Project, the all-volunteer organization for which the DC History Center serves as the archival repository. We’ll be spotlighting both the organization’s history as well as its current initiative to preserve, digitize and share photograph, videos, and other documentation collected by community pioneer Cheryl Spector.
And on April 22, join us on Zoom for our next Context for Today program,
Gay is Good: Frank Kameny and the Fight for LGBTQ Rights. Washington History managing editor Jane F. Levey and historian Eric Cervini will discuss how Kameny’s battle to decriminalize homosexuality fundamentally changed Washington and the world. As Cervini’s research in the extensive Frank Kameny Papers at the Library of Congress revealed, Kameny (1925-2011) developed what would become known as Gay Pride inspired by the legacy and tactics of the Black Freedom movement. This talk is part of our on-going Context for Today series of online conversations with thoughtful and thought-provoking historians.
Upcoming Spotlight: LGBTQ DC Programs
Instagram Takeover I with Rainbow History Project
Friday, April 9
Instagram Takeover II with Rainbow History Project
Tuesday, April 13
Context for Today: Gay is Good: Frank Kameny and the Fight for LGBTQ Rights
Historian Eric Cervini, author of The Deviant’s War, discusses Frank Kameny’s legacy with Washington History managing editor Jane F. Levey.
Thursday, April 22 @ 7:30 pm
Featured Organization
The mission of the Rainbow History Project is to collect, preserve, and promote an active knowledge of the history, arts, and culture relevant to sexually diverse communities in metropolitan Washington DC.
Now in its 21st year, the organization was founded following failed attempts to identify archives and sources of information on gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender history in metropolitan Washington DC. Mark Meinke placed a notice in the Washington Blade for community discussion about the problem. On November 4, 2000 Charles Rose, Bruce Pennington, Jose Gutierrez, and James Crutchfield met with Meinke at the CyberStop Cafe, formerly at 1534 17th Street NW. The outcome of the discussions was to create the Rainbow History Project which would work to preserve the community’s memories. Since 2008, the DC History Center has served as the archival partner of the Rainbow History Project.
Facebook: rainbowhistory.org
Facebook public forum: groups/rhpspublicforum
Learn more: https://www.rainbowhistory.org/