The History Project is focused exclusively on documenting and preserving the history of New England’s LGBTQ communities and sharing that history with LGBTQ individuals, organizations, allies, and the public.
The History Project is a community archives - a repository, historical society, and museum for the LGBTQ+ community's history. THP is an independent non-profit organization founded in 1980 that holds LGBTQ+ historical records and ephemera, supports LGBTQ+ history research, and shares LGBTQ+ history through public exhibits and events.
The roots of The History Project extend back to 1980, when a group of activists, historians, archivists, and writers was awarded a grant of $300 from the City of Boston to document Boston’s gay and lesbian history in conjunction with the city’s 350th anniversary. In the ensuing years, the group began to compile a slide show on LGBTQ history that was shown at bars, college campuses, and other venues. In 1996, THP received a major boost in visibility when the organization’s exhibition on pre-Stonewall LGBTQ history, Public Faces/Private Lives, opened at the Boston Public Library. The exhibition broke attendance records at the library, drawing approximately 55,000 visitors. Ever since, THP has continued to pursue its mission of documenting, preserving and sharing the history of the Boston area’s LGBTQ community.
THP now maintains one of the largest independent LGBTQ archives in the nation, which includes more than 250 collections from organizations and individuals encompassing more than one million documents. Collections range from the records of early Gay Liberation organizations and photographs of pre-Stonewall Boston to objects such as T-shirts and buttons and materials documenting the marriage equality movement. These documents and artifacts are processed and made available to researchers by a dedicated group of volunteers from the community who donate hundreds of hours of time annually to the organization.
THP is an independent community archives. Collections housed in private and university archives are often limited in scope; gaining access to those materials is often a complex and convoluted process. Our status as an independent archives enables us to make our collections highly accessible, create exhibitions quickly in response to specific community needs and opportunities, and conduct outreach programs that bring the stories in our collections to life. Our achievements include the exhibit Public Faces/Private Lives, which became the bestselling book, Improper Bostonians, as well as exhibitions focused on LGBTQ photojournalism, Provincetown’s White Party, the history of Boston Pride, and the LGBTQ community’s response to HIV/AIDS.
THP’s many outreach activities include Out of the Archives, a series of public talks focused on our archival collections; the HistoryMaker Awards, which honor established and emerging activists; Into the Streets, our walking tours program; and events such as film screenings and exhibitions developed in partnership with other organizations. We also offer engagement opportunities for groups of students, colleagues, and anyone interested in LGBTQ+ history.
We are a volunteer-driven organization that depends on the generosity of individuals and foundations for support. Help us to document, preserve, and share New England's LGBTQ+ history as a donor, sponsor, or volunteer.