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About

LGBT History Project

Mission:

The St. Louis LGBT History Project's mission is to preserve and promote the diverse and dynamic history of the LGBTQIA+ community of Greater St. Louis.

History:

In 2007, Steven Louis Brawley began publishing a St. Louis LGBTQIA+ history blog that served as the beginnings of the now fully-established St. Louis LGBT History Project.

Project Video

Services

Project DisplaysThe Project offers the following services. There is no fee, but donations and providing volunteer time to support our work is crucial to our long-term success.

  • Archives (preserving items in partnership with the Missouri History Museum and the State Historical Society of Missouri at UMSL)
  • Conservation Consultation (how to protect your photos, papers, etc.)
  • Displays/Exhibits (at events such as St. Louis Pride)
  • Oral Histories (recording the history of our community, one person at a time)
  • Speakers Bureau (a speaker for your event can be arranged with lead time)
  • Treasure Drives (fun and educational events to foster donations of artifacts to the Project)
  • Tours (tours of LGBT sites in St. Louis can be arranged with lead time and resources)
  • Website (offering an interactive glimpse into our rich and dynamic LGBT past)

 

Subcategories

  • Founder

    Project's Founding Staff:

     

    Ian Darnell, Steven Brawley and Colin Murphy

     

    Steven L. Brawley, Project Founder & Historian:

     

    Steven has more than 20 years of strategic communications experience. He currently serves as Executive Vice President of Area Resources for Community and Human Services (ARCHS). Steve operated his own communications consulting business for six years prior to joining ARCHS. He previously served as Communications Director for BJC Healthcare, Chief of Staff for the Chairman of the American Hospital Association (1999) and as a PR/Marketing Director for Christian Hospital. Steve is the past board president of the UMSL Alumni Association and the Crime Victim Advocacy Center (CVAC). He is a founding board member of Gateway Media Literacy Partners (GMLP). Steve is also the founder of the St. Louis LGBT History Project and publishes www.pinkpillbox.com – a fun look at history, pop culture, and politics. He has a bachelor's degree in mass communication from University of Missouri-St. Louis and a master's degree in mass communication from Saint Louis University.

     

    Ian Darnell, Project Historian:

     

    Ian, a volunteer historian for the Project since 2009, can trace his family's roots in the St. Louis region to the era of French settlement. He is an alumnus of of Saint Louis University, where he helped lead Rainbow Alliance, the queer student organization. Currently, Ian is a PhD student at the University of Illinois at Chicago, although he makes frequent trips back home and continues to research the history of St. Louis. Ian's contributions to the Project have included recording numerous oral history interviews with LGBT elders; designing and leading a tour of LGBT historic sites in the Central West End; and uncovering obscure documents that illuminate queer life in St. Louis in the decades before Stonewall.

     

    Colin Murphy, Project Historian:

     

    Celebrating over 20-years in LGBT media, Colin Murphy is Executive Editor and Senior Writer for Vital VOICE Omni Media. He has written for numerous community publications since 1991 and his "1 Out of 10 Ain't Bad!" is one of the longest running columns in St. Louis. He attended Southwestern Illinois College and Saint Louis University. An avid gay history buff, Colin is a historian for the St. Louis LGBT History Project. He is a member of the Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association and Vital VOICE Advisory Board. Colin is a former Vice President of The Late Knights of Pythias; former Vice President and current President of Metro East Pride of Southwestern Illinois, Secretary of The LGBT Center of St. Louis, Secretary of The LGBT Center of St. Louis Scholarship Committee and member of the Miss Gay Midwest America Board. In 2010 he was honored as a St. Louis Pride Parade Grand Marshal and is the recipient of the 2010 Missouri Award and 2011 New Day Award presented by the Miss Gay Missouri America Pageant. In 2012 Colin received the MEPSI Board of Directors Legacy Award for his service as a Founder and Vice President of the organization.

     

    LGBT Center of St.  Louis Staff & Board:

     

    As a program of the LGBT Center of St. Louis, the Project also recieves volunteer staff support from the Center's Board and Staff.

     

    LGBT Center of St. Louis Executive Director

    LGBT Center of St. Louis Board of Directors


    Volunteers:

     

    The Project is entirely staffed by volunteers - no donations for the Project go towards salaries.

    The Project is actively seeking additional volunteers and donors to support our efforts.

    Let us know about your interest.

  • Services

    Project DisplaysSt. Louis LGBT History Project

    Services:

     

    The Project offers the following services. There is no cost, but donations and providing volunteer time to support our work is crucial to our long-term success.

     

    -Archives (donating items to the State Historical Society of Missouri at UMSL)

    -Conservation Consultation (how to protect your photos, papers, etc.)

    -Displays/Exhibits (at the LGBT Center of St. Louis and at events such as Pride)

    -Oral Histories (recording the history of our community, one person at a time)

    -Treasure Drives (fun and educational events to promote donating artifacts to the Project)

    -Tours (CWE tour in place, other custom tours can be arranged with lead time and resources)

    -Website (offering an interactive glimpse into our rich and dynamic LGBT past)

     

     

  • Contributors

    Treasure DriveSt. Louis LGBT History Project:

    Contributors

     

    The St. Louis LGBT History Project thanks and acknowledges members of the LGBT community for their many contributions to help support our work. Please keep the donations coming our way related to area LGBT historical artifacts and financial contributions. Items can be dropped off at the LGBT Center, 4337 Manchester Road, St. Louis, MO 63110.

     

    The Project thanks the following people and organizations for donating their time and support:

     

    Chris Andoe

    Bad Dog Bar and Grill

    Leon Braxton

    Gateway Men's Chorus

    Andi Harpring

    Terry Laupp (Project Logo)

    Gary Lee

    LGBT Community Center of St. Louis

    Eric Monore (Web Support)

    Lisa Miller

    MoKaBe's

    Tiffany Parrett

    David Ray

    Kurt Ross

    Metro East Pride

    Novak's

    PHD Gallery

    Pride St. Louis, Inc.

    SAGE

    Show Me No Hate

    State Historical Society of Missouri - UMSL

    Vital Voice

     

    The Project thanks the following people and organizations for donating historical items or providing oral histories to the Project through Treasure Drives and other events or programs:

     

    Vince Andrzejewski

    James Andris

    Chuck Atteberry

    Adalaide Balaban

    Jack Beale
    Paul Beck

    Mike Belba

    Rick Compton

    Stephen Cotner

    JC Cronin

    Connie Duncan

    Mike Eisenberg

    Daniel Flier

    Gateway Motorcycle Club

    Greg Gerhart

    George Geissert

    David Goodson

    "Miss Gypsy"

    Bob Hansman

    Bert Harer

    Jim Hastings

    Cea Hearth

    Philip Hitchcock

    Dawn Hummel

    "Candy James"

    Gary Johnson

    Margaret "Flowing" Johnson

    Colby Kluthe

    John Kreisel (Brenda Grissom/Dixie RuliffsonEstate)

    Lady Dawn Lambert

    Marie Largenteae

    Liz LaVenture

    Ed Laxton

    "Brenda Leigh"

    Linda Lebeter

    Scott Lokitz

    Jim Macke

    Laura Ann Moore

    "Dusty Michaels"

    Robyn Carolyn Montague

    David Morris

    Michael Mullen

    Betty Neeley

    Jeff Noble

    Dean Rosen

    Will Roth

    Justin Riddler

    Jeannette Sanchez

    "Jade Sinclair"

    Bill Spicer

    Mark Swain

    Nan Sweet

    Team St. Louis

    Jim Thomas

    Keith Thompson

    Richard Trennepohl

    UMSL Prizm

    Stephanie von Drasek

    Chuck Van Horn

    Tom White

    Erise Williams, Jr.

    Rodney Wilson

    Steve Zeiger

     

    If we have missed anyone, let us know. Please tell others about our work and the opportunity to donate items such as photos, videos, buttons t-shirts, flyers, posters, and more.

     

    Financial Support:

     

    You can make a financial donation to the Project via the LGBT Community Center of St. Louis - a 501c3 organization. Just designate the "St. Louis LGBT History Project" when you make your donation.

     

    Donate

  • Partners

    St. Louis LGBT History Project:

    Community Partners

     

    LGBT Center

     

    LGBT Center of St. Louis

    4337 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, MO 63119

     

    The Project is an official program of the LGBT Center of St. Louis, that serves as our fiscal agent. The Project can accept financial donations via the Center, which has 501c3 status. The Center also serves as the Project's "Museum" - featuring rotating historical displays and exhibits. The Center is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily (hours subject to change).

     

    State Historical Society of MO at UMSL

     

    State Historical Society of Missouri

    Research Center at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

     

    The Project is an unofficial collecting arm for the State Historical Society of Missouri (SHSM), which has a resource center at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.


    In October of 1987 the Community Liaison for Education and Research (C.L.E.A.R.), a member organization of Challenge Metro (formerly the St. Louis Gay and Lesbian Community Services), began an ambitious effort. This idea consisted of collecting the history of the lesbian and gay community in St. Louis, and was to be called the Lesbian and Gay Archives.

    The nucleus of the original archives was a large collection of periodicals, clippings, flyers, and brochures donated by the owner of Our World Too Bookstore, Bill Cordes. After an initial surge of activity, the archives were placed in the care of Fredric Rissover. He continued to collect material and was assisted by Bill Cordes. In the summer of 1991, Fredric made arrangements to place the collection with the Western Historical Manuscripts Collection (WHMC) at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. WHMC is now under the auspices of the SHSM.


    Over the years, hundreds of additional LGBT items have been donated WHMC, including material by noted local LGBT activist Lisa Wagaman, and others - including the St. Louis LGBT History Project. The Project thought it was more practical to work with the exisiting archives, vs. create a new one.

     

    The Project's working relationship with the SHSM assure artifact donors that items are properly conserved and are accessible to the general public for research.

     

    The Project is working with the SHSM to place all St. Louis related LGBT items under one main "umbrella/collection" for easier access.

     

    Search the SHSM LGBT Archives

     

    We thank our partners for their service and on-going commitment to the Project.

  • Awards/Honors

    St. Louis LGBT History Project:

    Awards and Honors

     

    The Project is flattered and humbled to have been recognized for its work to preserve and promote the diverse and dynamic history of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community of Greater St. Louis.

     

    icons1

     

    Organizational Icon of the Year (2013) by Vital Voice Magazine

     

    More to come...

Copyright Steven Louis Brawley, 2007-Present. All Rights Reserved.