A 2023 interview about the documentary film-in-progress Sally, which focuses on lesbian feminist author and activist Sally Gearhart.
An introduction to approximately sixty individuals who were assigned female at birth and lived as men from the 1870s to the 1930s in the United States. Published originally on OutHistory in 2022 and updated in 2023.
An essay by historian John D'Emilio "On Teaching Religion and Homosexuality in the U.S.," and six chronologies on religion and homosexuality in the United States. First published on OutHistory in 2014.
A historian recalls the life of an early lesbian activist. First published on OutHistory in 2020.
Michelle, also known as Mike Michelle, was a popular and well known drag performer during the late 1960s and early 1970s in San Francisco. First published on OutHistory in 2022.
An introduction to more than 11500 LGBT direct action demonstrations and protests in the United States from 1965 to 1976, with an overview report, annotations, bibliographic references, and tags. Published originally by OutHistory and Queer Pasts in…
In 1976, Jonathan Ned Katz published Gay American History: Lesbians and Gay Men in the U.S.A., the first comprehensive book of documents on U.S. homosexual history, drawing on primary sources ranging from 1566 to 1972. In 1977, on a publicity tour…
An interview with the author of a groundbreaking 1975 essay on lesbian history.
Esther Eng made a name for herself as the world's first female Chinese American filmmaker, a successful restaurateur, and—rejecting social expectations—a woman who felt little need to hide her romantic and sexual relationships with other women.…
This is a 90-minute illustrated talk narrated by Allan Bérubé (1946-2007) on the Marine Cooks and Stewards Union. Introduced by historians John D'Emilio and Estelle Freedman, the talk tells the surprising and inspiring story of how ship stewards…
Cathy Cade is a photographer who has been documenting the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities since the 1970s. Based in Berkeley, California, she is the author, publisher and photographer of A Lesbian Photo Album: The Lives of Seven…
The subject of a famous Nan Goldin photograph, Jimmy Paul, speaks about his life, and about encountering an inaccurate caption on that photograph in a major queer history art show. Published originally on OutHistory in 2015.
A memoir detailing the struggles of Gary Miller's childhood and youth in San Diego and Kansas City before turning to his subsequent political and community service in San Francisco, Sacramento, and Roseville, CA. Published originally on…
Profiles of ten LGBT social justice activists by Rich Wilson. First published December 10, 2013. Last edited: May 28, 2017.
A project produced by thirty-three students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of their requirements for the advanced undergraduate seminar U.S. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Histories. The project was…
This essay, which reflects on teaching gay and lesbian history at San Francisco State University and Santa Clara University, was first published in The Journal of American History 93, no. 4 (March 2007): 1192-1199. Copyright Organization of American…
Gay activist Perry Brass tells of his work with the Gay Liberation Front in New York City in the late 1960s and early 1970s, including his story of coming out of the closet publicly through the GLF's newspaper Come Out!. Published originally by…
Cleve Jones Birthday Bio