The History Project is proud to present Visualizing Gay Community News, a digital exhibit sharing visual resources from our Gay Community News collection!

Gay Community News (GCN) was one of the most prominent LGBTQ+ weekly newspapers to grow out of the gay liberation movement of the 1970s. Published from 1973 to 1999, GCN addressed a range of issues and controversies that were absent from the mainstream press and relevant to the gay, lesbian, and trans community. The History Project stewards an extensive photograph collection documenting GCN and its coverage, a curated selection of which are presented in the Visualizing Gay Community News digital exhibit.

This exhibit builds on a digitization project completed by Marco Lanier, and supported by the Visual Resources Association and the Samuel H. Kress Foundation to enhance access to Gay Community News photographs and material history. It also serves as commemoration of the 2023 semicentennial of the paper’s founding, featuring recordings of the series of public panels The History Project hosted in collaboration with Massachusetts Historical Society to celebrate Gay Community News at 50.

We invite you to explore the exhibit and learn more about the history, impact, and legacy of Gay Community News!