The Georgia LGBTQ Archives Project is a group started by dedicated archivists, librarians, and community volunteers who want to see Georgia's LGBTQ past preserved for future generations. A lot of that history resides in people's photo albums, private letters, emails, digital files, and computer hard drives.
The Archives Project has two primary missions:
- To raise awareness among LGBTQ Georgians of the value of their personal items, such as photos, organization newsletters, protest signs used in parades, t-shirts, etc., and to let them know that local archives and research institutions are interested in collecting such items (including all things digital) from Georgia’s LGBTQ past.
- To connect potential donors with those archives: by helping the donors understand the process, by highlighting issues to consider when contemplating a donation, and by familiarizing donors with the focus areas of the various collecting institutions.
If someone is not ready to donate now, it is important to consider what one should do to ensure his or her wishes are followed later. Too often family members may not recognize the historical value of one's keepsakes and may discard them after a death. The Archives Project’s goal is not to allow any of Georgia's LGBTQ history to be lost in that way. Remember that a large part of the community’s history resides with individual, everyday people. And even if they have nothing to donate, all people have their own personal stories to share. As The Archives Project likes to say, 'No fame required'!
The Georgia LGBTQ Archives Project member Institutions actively collecting include:
- The Atlanta History Center
- Emory University
- Georgia State University
- Kennesaw State University
- Spelman College
You can follow The Georgia LGBTQ Archives Project online via the group’s Facebook page.
