Research Resources

Carrie Pirmann

Books

Stonewall: The Definitive story of the LGBTQ rights uprising that changed America by Martin Duberman

Originally published in 1993, Martin Duberman’s history of the Stonewall riots remains a definitive account of the landmark event in the gay rights movement. Through interviews with several individuals who were present at Stonewall, Duberman paints an in-depth picture of the transformational event and its impact on United States gay rights history. A Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History at the City University of New York and author of multiple works on gay history, Duberman is a leading scholar in the field and Stonewall is a scholarly yet accessible work that chronicles an important period in history.

  • APA citation: Duberman, M. (2019). Stonewall: The definitive story of the LGBTQ rights uprising that changed America. New York: Penguin Random House.
  • MLA citation: Duberman, Martin. Stonewall: The definitive story of the LGBTQ rights uprising that changed America. Penguin Random House, 2019.
  • Chicago citation: Duberman, Martin. Stonewall: The definitive story of the LGBTQ rights uprising that changed America. New York: Penguin Random House, 2019.

The gay revolution: The story of the struggle by Lillian Faderman

This extensive history of the LGBTQ rights movement in the United States covers the time period of the 1950s through 2010s. Faderman’s lengthy volume, which was honored as a Stonewall Honor Book in Non-Fiction, is based on thorough research and interviews with more than 150 individuals who were part of the LGBTQ rights movement. Called “the most comprehensive history to date of America’s gay-rights movement” by The Economist, this volume should be part of any LGBTQ history library.
  • APA citation: Faderman, L. (2015). The gay revolution: The story of the struggle. New York: Simon & Schuster.
  • MLA citation: Faderman, Lillian.The gay revolution: The story of the struggle. Simon & Schuster, 2015. 
  • Chicago citation: Faderman, Lillian.The gay revolution: The story of the struggle. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2015. 

Odd girls and twilight lovers: A history of lesbian life in twentieth-century America by Lillian Faderman

A 1992 winner of the Stonewall Book Award for non-fiction, Faderman’s detailed and thoroughly researched account of lesbian life in the 20th century has become a classic in the field. Drawing on a variety of sources including personal interviews, memoirs, and personal correspondence, Faderman chronicles historical and social reactions to lesbianism throughout the decades of the 20th century. Faderman is the author of several additional volumes on LGBT history, and is considered one of the leading researchers of LGBT history.
  • APA citation: Faderman, L. (1991). Odd girls and twilight lovers: A history of lesbian life in twentieth-century America. New York: Columbia University Press.
  • MLA citation: Faderman, Lillian. Odd girls and twilight lovers: A history of lesbian life in twentieth-century America. Columbia University Press, 1991.
  • Faderman, Lillian. Odd girls and twilight lovers: A history of lesbian life in twentieth-century America. New York: Columbia University Press, 1991.

Different daughters: A history of the Daughters of Bilitis and the rise of the lesbian rights movement by Marcia M. Gallo

Gallo’s work chronicles the history of the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB), a San Francisco-based organization committed to lesbian visibility and empowerment which emerged in the Cold War Era. Through interviews with several dozen former members of the Daughters of Bilitis, Gallo preserves a critical piece of lesbian history and the history of the larger LGBTQ community.

  • APA citation: Gallo, M. M. (2006). Different daughters: A history of the Daughters of Bilitis and the rise of the lesbian rights movement. New York: Carroll & Graf.
  • Gallo, Marcia M. Different daughters: A history of the Daughters of Bilitis and the rise of the lesbian rights movement. Carroll & Graf, 2006.
  • Chicago citation: Gallo, Marcia M. Different daughters: A history of the Daughters of Bilitis and the rise of the lesbian rights movement. New York: Carroll & Graf, 2006.

The lavender Scare: The Cold War persecution of gays and lesbians in the federal government by David K. Johnson

This book uncovers the little known period of history during which LGBTQ identified individuals were forced out of their jobs in the United States federal government. Historian David K. Johnson utilizes a number of declassified government documents, archival materials, and interviews with former U.S. government employees to illustrate the lasting impact of the Lavender Scare. This important volume of forgotten history is an essential addition to understanding United States LGBTQ history.
  • APA citation: Johnson, D. K. (2006). The lavender scare: The Cold War persecution of gays and lesbians in the federal government. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
  • MLA citation: Johnson, David K.The lavender scare: The Cold War persecution of gays and lesbians in the federal government. University of Chicago Press, 2006.
  • Chicago citation: Johnson, David K. The lavender scare: The Cold War persecution of gays and lesbians in the federal government. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2006.

Gay American history : Lesbians and gay men in the U.S.A.: A documentary history by Jonathan Ned Katz

Katz’s work encompasses a broad view of gay and lesbian history in the United States, from the 16th century through the 1970s. Covers American history from the earliest European settlers and Native Americans to contemporary times. Includes reprints of rare documents which represent over four hundred years of oppression, conflict, and struggle among the gay and lesbian community.

  • APA citation: Katz, J. N. (1992). Gay American history : Lesbians and gay men in the U.S.A.: A documentary history. New York: Meridian.
  • MLA citation:Katz, Jonathan N. Gay American history : Lesbians and gay men in the U.S.A.: A documentary history. Meridian, 1992.
  • Chicago citation: Katz, Jonathan N. Gay American history : Lesbians and gay men in the U.S.A.: A documentary history. New York: Meridian, 1992.

Not straight, not white: Black gay men from the March on Washington to the AIDS crisis by Kevin Mumford

This volume examines the history of black gay men from the 1950s through the 1990s in the United States. Covers the lives of both famous and little-known black gay activists, including James Baldwin, Bayard Rustin, Joseph Beam, and Brother Grant-Michael Fitzgerald. Mumford additionally analyzes the ways in which social movements inspired and marginalized black gay men, and draws on an extensive archive of newspapers, pornography, and film, as well as government documents and personal papers, to support his arguments.

  • APA citation: Mumford, K. (2016). Not straight, not white: Black gay men from the March on Washington to the AIDS crisis. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.
  • MLA citation: Mumford, Kevin. Not straight, not white: Black gay men from the March on Washington to the AIDS crisis. University of North Carolina Press, 2016.
  • Chicago citation: Mumford, K. Not straight, not white: Black gay men from the March on Washington to the AIDS crisis. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2016.

Queer brown voices: Personal narratives of Latina/o LGBT activism edited by Uriel Quesada, Letitia Gomez, and Salvador Vidal-Ortiz

This edited volume breaks ground in chronicling LGBT activism in the Latina/o community in the 1970s through the 1990s. The experiences of fourteen activists from the United States and Puerto Rico are presented in essays and oral histories, offering a new perspective on the history of LGBT mobilization and activism within the Latina/o community. Activists profiled within detail their work in LGBT organizations, and discuss the impacts of racism and discrimination within the larger LGBT community.

  • APA citation: Quesada, U., Gomez, L., & Vidal-Ortiz, S. (Eds.). (2015). Queer brown voices: Personal narratives of Latina/o LGBT activism. Austin: University of Texas Press.
  • MLA citation: Quesada, Uriel, et al., editors. Queer brown voices: Personal narratives of Latina/o LGBT activism. University of Texas Press, 2015.
  • Chicago citation: Quesada, Uriel, Lettia Gomez, Salvador Vidal-Ortiz, eds. Queer brown voices: Personal narratives of Latina/o LGBT activism. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2015.

And the band played on: Politics, people, and the AIDS epidemic by Randy Shilts

Shilts, a former reporter for both The Advocate and the San Francisco Chronicle, broke ground with his incisive exploration of the AIDS crisis as it unraveled in the United States in the latter part of the 20th century. This award-winning volume, which serves as the basis for the film of the same name, illustrates the missteps of the federal government in not addressing the crisis, and the response from the gay community. Required reading for anyone who wants to understand the impact of the AIDS crisis.

  • APA citation: Shilts, R. (2000). And the band played on: Politics, people, and the AIDS epidemic. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
  • MLA citation: Shilts, Randy. And the band played on: Politics, people, and the AIDS epidemic. St. Martin’s Press, 2000.
  • Chicago citation: Shilts, Randy. And the band played on: Politics, people, and the AIDS epidemic. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2000.

Our gay history in 50 states by Zaylore Stout.

Created as an educational resource for ages 15 and up, this book tells the story of queer American history, state by state. Covers significant people, places, and events, and highlights struggles, successes, and contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community in all 50 states. The author notes this book “illustrates that LGBT history happens in every state, everywhere LGBT people live, and that gay history is American history.”

  • APA citation: Stout, Z. (2019). Our gay history in 50 states. Minneapolis: Inflection Point Media.
  • MLA citation: Stout, Zaylore. Our gay history in 50 states. Inflection Point Media, 2019.
  • Chicago citation: Stout, Zaylore. Our gay history in 50 states. Minneapolis: Inflection Point Media, 2019.

Transgender history: The roots of today’s revolution by Susan Stryker

Stryker’s concise history of transgender life and activism in the United States is essential reading for those who want to understand the history of this community. A renowned researcher and Professor of Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Arizona, Stryker’s volume covers American transgender history from the mid-twentieth century to today, and highlights major texts and speeches in transgender history, as well as brief biographies of key figures in the transgender community.

  • APA citation: Stryker, S. (2017). Transgender history: The roots of today’s revolution. New York, NY: Seal Press.
  • Stryker, Susan. Transgender history: The roots of today’s revolution. Seal Press, 2017.
  • Stryker, Susan. Transgender history: The roots of today’s revolution. New York, NY: Seal Press, 2017.

History Sites / Digital Collections

Outhistory, http://outhistory.org/

Founded in 2008 by Johnathan Ned Katz (author of Gay American History), Outhistory.org focuses on telling the stories of LGBTQ+ identified individuals, from the 1600s to present. Users can browse entries by time period, location, and subject, or search among a collection of documents from the LGBTQ+ movement. The site also includes timelines, oral histories, curated bibliographies, and other materials which make it a rich source for both research and teaching.

  • APA citation: D’Emilio, J., Katz, J. N., Keramidas, K., Potter, C. B., & Sell, R. Outhistory.org [website]. Retrieved from http://outhistory.org/
  • MLA citation: D’Emilio, John, et al. Outhistory, 2008, http://outhistory.org/. Accessed [enter date].
  • Chicago citation: D’Emilio, John, Jonathan Ned Katz, Kimon Keramidas, Claire Bond Potter, and Randall Sell. Outhistory. http://outhistory.org/. Accessed [enter date].

ACT UP oral history project, http://actuporalhistory.org/

The ACT UP Oral History Project is a collection of interviews with surviving members of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP), New York. The project was coordinated by Jim Hubbard and Sarah Schulman in partnership with MIX—the New York Queer Experimental Film Festival and with support from major grant funding agencies. The project includes almost 200 interviews, with 5-minute clips and full text transcriptions of each interview available on the website. This is a critical primary source for understanding the impact of AIDS on the LGBTQ community.

Lesbian Herstory Archives, http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/

The Lesbian Herstory Archives, located in New York City, is home to the world’s largest collection of materials by and about lesbians and their communities. The Herstories project is the result of a partnership with the Pratt School of Information and Library Sciences, and aims to digitize and make available online some of the Herstory Archives’ audio and video interviews. Among the important items in this collection are a number of audio recordings of speeches and readings by Audre Lorde; audio interviews from the Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold project which documents a lesbian community in Buffalo, NY; and video interviews from the Daughters of Bilitis Video Project. This resource makes available invaluable primary sources on the history of lesbian life in the United States.

Digital transgender archive, https://www.digitaltransgenderarchive.net/

Digital Transgender Archive (DTA) increases the accessibility of transgender history by providing an online repository of digitized historical materials, born-digital materials, and information on archival holdings throughout the world. Based at the College of the Holy Cross, the DTA is an international collaboration among more than fifty colleges, universities, nonprofit organizations, public libraries, and private collections. This collection serves as a critical resource for researchers who need access to materials on transgender history and culture.

“LGBTQ+ archives, libraries, research centers, and special collections – United States” by Karla Strand

Compiled by Dr. Karla Strand, Gender and Women’s Studies Librarian at the University of Wisconsin, this list provides links to and information about LGBTQ library and archival resources. While many of these are physical locations, most also have a digital presence with either portions of their collections digitized, or other freely available materials, such as curriculum documents and lesson plans, which center on LGBTQ studies and history.

ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives, http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/p15799coll4

The University of Southern California Digital Library hosts this collection, in partnership with the ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives, as a way of making some items from the ONE Archives collection available online. Founded in 1952, the ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives is the oldest active LGBTQ organization in the United States and the largest repository of LGBTQ materials in the world. The digital collection encompasses over 6000 artifacts, including photographs, fliers, letters, periodicals, audio recordings, advertisements, and other materials, mostly from the 1960s to mid-1990s.

The Washington Blade Archive, https://digdc.dclibrary.org/islandora/object/dcplislandora%3A2841
Washington Blade current editions, https://www.washingtonblade.com/

Established in 1969, the Washington Blade is one of the oldest LGBT publications in the United States. Beginning as a monthly publication and eventually transitioning to a weekly publication, the Blade covered current events from an LGBTQ perspective, LGBT life, and the social and political progress of the gay rights movement. The digital archive from the Washington, D.C. Public Library encompasses issues from 1969 to 1989, with additional issues scheduled to be added. The current publication is updated online daily and includes local, national, and world LGBTQ news.

Films

After Stonewall: From the riots to the millennium directed by John Scagliotti

A sequel to the award-winning Before Stonewall, After Stonewall chronicles LGBTQ history in the United States from 1969 through the end of the 20th century. Includes interviews with prominent LGBTQ figures including Dorothy Allison, Armistead Maupin, Barney Frank, and Barbara Gittings. The film also examines how the AIDS crisis impacted and changed the gay rights movement. After Stonewall won Outstanding Documentary Feature at the 1999 L.A. Outfest and was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award in 2000.

  • APA citation: Scagliotti, J. & Basile, V. (Producers), & Scagliotti, J. (Director). (1999). After Stonewall: From the riots to the millennium [Motion picture]. New York, NY: First Run Features.
  • MLA citation: After Stonewall: From the riots to the millennium. Directed by John Scagliotti, First Run Features, 1999.

Before Stonewall: The making of a gay and lesbian community directed by Greta Schiller and Robert Rosenberg

Originally released in 1984, Before Stonewall was restored in 2019 in connection with the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. It chronicles LGBTQ+ history in the United States from the early 20th century up until the Stonewall Riots in 1969. The film uses archival footage and interviews with LGBTQ activists, writers, and historians including Allen Ginsberg, Audre Lorde, Barbara Gittings, and Martin Duberman. Before Stonewall is a vital documentation of LGBTQ+ life in the United States prior to the watershed moments in the gay rights movement. The film won an Emmy Award in 1987 for Best Historical/Cultural Program and Best Research.

  • APA citation: Scagliotti, J., Schiller, G., & Rosenberg, R. (Producers), & Schiller, G., & Rosenberg, R. (Directors). (1984; restored 2019). Before Stonewall: The making of a gay and lesbian community [Motion picture]. New York, NY: First Run Features.

The Times of Harvey Milk directed by Robert Epstein 
Documents the life and career of Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay politician elected in California when he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. The film documents Milk’s rise from a neighborhood activist to his work as on the Board of Supervisors, and his assassination in November 1978 at San Francisco’s City Hall. In 2012, the film was deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

  • APA citation: Schmiechen, R. (Producer) & Epstein, R. (Director). (1984). The Times of Harvey Milk [Motion picture]. New Yorker Films.

Professional Organizations

Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender History, http://clgbthistory.org/

The Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender History (CLGBTH) is an affiliate organization of the American Historical Association, and holds annual meetings in conjunction with the AHA conference. The committee was founded in 1979 to promote the study of LGBTQ+ populations in history, past and present. The CLGBTH website features a collection of syllabi from LGBTQ+ history courses (both national and international), citations for dissertations focused on LGBTQ+ history, and other resources.

  • APA citation: Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender History. (2019). Committee on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender history [website]. Retrieved from http://clgbthistory.org/

Diverse sexuality and gender section, https://www2.archivists.org/groups/diverse-sexuality-and-gender-section

From the website: “The Diverse Sexuality and Gender Section (DSGS) was founded in 1989 by members of the Society of American Archivists who were concerned about LGBTQIA+ history and the role of members of this community in the archival profession. The group, which welcomes non-members of the Society and people of all sexual orientations, promotes the preservation and research use of records documenting LGBTQIA+ history and serves as a liaison between LGBTQIA+ archives and the Society of American Archivists.”