by Evelyn Bailey
The Archival and Historical Preservation Initiative of the Shoulders
To Stand On Program of the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley will place
a minimum of six collections in permanent repositories to document and
preserve the LGBT history of Rochester.
For the past three years, the Gay Alliance has received grants from
the Documentary Heritage Program of the NYS Archives. It has identified
over 260 LGBT organizations, agencies, groups, and individuals that have
been or continue to be in existence over the past 42 years. 100 of
these organizations, agencies, groups and individuals with records, and
or memorabilia have been contacted and located.
A Finding Aide has been created to assist in researching and
accessing these records. The Gay Alliance has surveyed over 50 cubic
feet of records, and will place a minimum of six collections in
permanent repositories. Approximately 30 cubic feet of Gay Alliance
records will be placed at the Goodstein Sexuality Archives at Cornell
University where the first 10 years of Gay Alliance records are already
preserved. You can access the Finding Aide for this collection at http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/ead/htmldocs/RMM07560.html
Other collections to be placed in permanent repositories are:
Rochester RAMS collection in the Leather Archives and Museum in Chicago,
Illinois; Gay Liberation Front collection in the University of
Rochester’s Rare Books and Manuscripts Archives; Gay Brotherhood of
Rochester Collection, and Gay Alliance Collection in the Human Sexuality
Archives at Cornell University; Helping People With Aids Collection and
the Empty Closet Collection in the Smithsonian Museum of American
History Archives in Washington, DC; individual collections containing
ImageOut records, Gay Alliance memorabilia and records, and NYS National
Gay Lesbian Task Force records will also be placed in permanent
repositories.
Through the Gay Alliance’s efforts to document and preserve our
history the record of work done by these groups and their impact on
Rochester and the Genesee Valley Region will survive as a part of New
York State’s rich cultural, political, social and economic history. The
societal focus on inclusiveness has increased the LGBT Community’s need
to maintain its own identity by documenting and preserving historical
records that give definition to LGBT community through its leadership in
the areas of health, civil rights, social justice, and economic growth
improving the quality of life for all Rochestarians.
We can all take pride in our community’s accomplishments. Our
documented history will give direction and focus to future LGBT
Rochestarians as we continue to struggle for equality and justice for
all of our brothers and sisters. The Gay Alliance believes this
Documentation Project will continue to give our community the resources
to document its history providing credibility to its very existence. The
third year of this grant process will officially end on June 30, 2012.
Shoulders To Stand On and the Gay Alliance Library and Archives are committed to continuing this important work that has begun.