40 years ago, Gerber/Hart Library and Archives was founded. Since then, many things have changed, but the mission of Gerber/Hart has remained the same: to collect and preserve LGBTQ history in Chicago and the Midwest, and to make it accessible to all. History continues, as it always does, and theContinue Reading

Celebrate Henry Gerber’s Birthday by helping preserve erotica Can you imagine a world without access to LGBTQ publications and erotica? Almost 100 years ago, that was the world of Henry Gerber. In 1924, Henry Gerber founded in Chicago the first U.S. gay rights organization: The Society for Human Rights (SHR).Continue Reading

Chicago authors Yvonne Zipter and Gregg Shapiro will provide a reading and discussion of their recent works Infraction and How to Whistle. The discussion will be moderated by Carrie Barnett, who was co-owner of People Like Us Books. The virtual program will be held June 17 at 6:30 p.m. RegistrationContinue Reading

A new online exhibit platform has been initiated. It currently has three exhibits: Chicago Lesbian and Gay History 1924-1978, Queer Zines, and Merchandise Catalogs. The platform can be accessed at exhibits.gerberhart.org or by clicking the “Online Exhibits” button in the above.Continue Reading

Emerging as an outgrowth of the AIDS pandemic and the activism it brought forth, the 1990s saw a new wave of advocacy sweep through queer communities in Chicago and across the country. Political hostility, gay-for-pay media representation, and ongoing threats of physical violence pushed queer identities to the margins ofContinue Reading