On November 13th, 2024, students of HIST-GA 2018 Community Archives volunteered at the LGBT Community Center National History Archive’s open house and community history evening, an event designed to introduce to visitors the archive’s rich collection and newly opened library. The evening was a blend of history, activism, and creativity, drawing in visitors of all backgrounds eager to learn more about the vital role the Center Archive plays in preserving LGBT history.
On display were materials steeped in history, from periodicals like the My Comrade zines to the Center’s poster collection. Also highlighted were their trans and gender non-conforming collections (Club 82/’88 Collection and the Liz Eden Papers), aligning with Trans Awareness Month. Students volunteered as greeters and collections representatives, engaging with visitors and providing background and engaging conversations on the materials and archives as a whole. Their collections database can be found here.
One popular attraction was the Button Making station. Visitors explored the vast button collection which spanned decades of New York and LGBT history and culture, and had the opportunity to make their own buttons – creating new designs or taking inspiration from the collection.
Overall, the event was a resounding success, with the room buzzing with energy for the full two hours. Below are photos from the event taken by Tess Derby and Terrence Freeman, students from the Community Archives course.