LGBTQ+ History in the Archives
The purpose of The Compass Rose is to raise awareness of Special Collections' resources and to foster the use of these resources. The blog series also reports significant new programs, initiatives, and acquisitions of Special Collections.
To celebrate Pride Month, we are sharing some LGBTQ+ related materials from Special Collections. The first Pride events were held to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising in New York City, which took place in June 1969. Stonewall was a watershed moment for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. Pride events occurred in the years following Stonewall and are usually celebrated throughout the month of June.
Lois Ham Papers
Lois McGoodwin Ham was a political activist from Arlington, Texas and a member of the 1976 Democratic National Platform Committee. The Lois Ham Papers contain correspondence, statements and testimonies, a member's kit, and booklets. All materials pertain to organizational announcements and rules for the Democratic National Platform Committee and platform proposals under consideration in 1976. This collection contains a document with supporting statements and resolutions created by the National Gay Task Force. These recommendations were presented to the Democratic National Platform Committee.
Cover of the National Gay Task Force Statements and Resolutions. From the Lois Ham Papers.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection
These photographs from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection are just a few that highlight LGBTQ+ history in Tarrant County.
Canary Conn
Canary Conn grew up in San Antonio, Texas. She was a performer and author. Conn wrote a memoir titled Canary: The Story of a Transsexual, which was published in 1974. She was interviewed by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in 1977 about her book.
Agape Metropolitan Community Church
The Agape Metropolitan Community Church, part of a nationwide organization founded to minister to the LBGTQ community, was officially chartered in 1973 in Fort Worth by Reverend Troy Perry.
The NAMES Project (AIDS Memorial Quilt)
The NAMES Project, also known as the AIDS Memorial Quilt, is a memorial to celebrate the lives of people who have died of AIDS-related causes. The idea was conceived in 1985 and was one of the largest community art projects ever. You can learn more about the National Aids Memorial on the organization's website.
Ken Cyr
Ken Cyr was a gay rights activist in Tarrant County. He was one of the founding members of Fort Worth’s first gay organization, AURA (Awareness, Unity and Research Association).
Raina Lea
Gary Taylor, also known by the stage name Raina Lea, was largely responsible for the first Tarrant County Pride events of the early 1980s. Taylor was a gay rights activist who was involved with Tarrant County Pride, the Tarrant Lesbian and Gay Alliance, and the Tarrant County gay church movement. Raina Lea, a name inspired by the actress Ruta Lee, performed weekly at benefits for education, community outreach, and AIDS awareness events.
Chris Miller Papers
Chris Miller served in the Texas House of Representatives as the Democratic representative for Tarrant County from 1972 to 1978. Miller’s interest in social justice was reflected in her accomplishments as a state legislator and her participation in many civic organizations. The Chris Miller Papers consist of materials relating to Miller’s service as a Representative for Tarrant County, which includes documents related to the Texas Gay Task Force. The Texas Gay Task Force grew out of the Texas Gay Conference, which was established in 1973. It would eventually become the Texas Gay/Lesbian Task Force.
Cover of the Texas Gay Task Force program from March 1977. From the Chris Miller Papers.
Texas Civil Rights Project Records
First page of a letter from Abby Rubenfield, Legal Director for Lamda Legal, to the Texas Department of Health. From the Texas Civil Rights Project Records.
The Texas Civil Rights Project Records consist of administrative and operational materials, many of which show the daily functions, outreach, and objectives of running a public assistance legal clinic. This collection contains materials related to local activism for those impacted by AIDS. Lambda Legal was founded in 1973 as the nation’s first legal organization dedicated to achieving full equality for lesbian and gay people. It began with a group of volunteer lawyers fighting for LGBTQ rights. Throughout the 1970s, Lambda Legal fought and won some of the nation's first cases on behalf of lesbian and gay parents and same-sex couples. Lamda Legal now has over 100 staff members in six offices around the country.
LBGTQ+ Program
One of our most recent acquisitions consists of swag from the UTA LGBTQ+ Program. The LGBTQ+ Program works collaboratively to provide education, resources, outreach, and advocacy to develop academic and personal success, community, and leadership opportunities. Special Collections staff are excited about this new acquisition and look forward to working with the program to collect and preserve materials related to LGBTQ+ student life on campus.
Ephemera donated by the UTA LGBTQ+ Program
LGBTQ+ materials are underrepresented in our holdings and we are actively trying to address that gap. UTA Special Collections is still searching for LGBTQ+ material in our existing collections and we hope to collect more materials so we can document and preserve the LGBTQ+ community at UTA and in Tarrant County.
If you are interested in donating materials related to the LGBTQ+ community in North Texas please contact us at spcoref@uta.edu.
Additional resources related to LGBTQ+ History & Research:
UTA Resources
Tarrant County Resources
Texas Resources
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Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Archive at the University of North Texas
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LGBT History Research Collection at the University of Houston Libraries
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LGBTQ+ collections at the Texas A&M University Libraries’ Cushing Memorial Library and Archives
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Texas Gay/Lesbian Task Force Records at Texas Women’s University
National Resources
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