From Cindy Bray, Author/Editor:

Richmond had a rich, varied LGBTQ history prior to the Stonewall era and a history of activism in the post-Stonewall era. There has been a continuing call for equality, sometimes a whisper and sometimes a roar. Today we owe a great deal to the people in the past who had the courage to stand up, be heard and come out.

Much of the information contained in this exhibit came from reading years of newspapers and newsletters including Our Own Community Press and The Richmond Pride, from the book Lesbian and Gay Richmond by Beth Marschak and Alex Lorch, and from numerous conversations with people who lived the history of Richmond since Stonewall. I owe Beth Marschak and Alex Lorch a great deal for allowing me to use the information contained in their book liberally. In addition to Beth, I have had the pleasure of speaking with several people who have been vital in the history of the community through the years, including Barbara “Bobbi” Weinstock, Stanley Kelsey, Stephanie Myers, Guy Kinman and Neal Parsons, and I look forward to more in-depth conversations with them in the future.

The terms “lesbians and gay men” are used frequently throughout the exhibit instead of LGBTQ, or sexual and gender minorities, in deference to the wording used in the reference materials and the practice at the time. Efforts were made to represent the full spectrum of experiences in the LGBTQ community, but sources were scarce in regards to people of color within the LGBTQ community, transgender people, and the cross-dressing/drag community. We must do better to document their history.

I am compiling this information because I recognize the need for the LGBTQ community to be able to see and recognize ourselves in the history of our community. I personally feel a great depth of gratitude to the men and women who came before me who stood up and fought for their rights as men and women and as gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender people. I live with a partner in a rural area have little fear of intimidation or harassment as a lesbian; I work at the Gay Community Center of Richmond, an organization dedicated to seeking an society free from bias, and have little fear of reprisals, intimidation or harassment. I know I owe the degree of freedom that I enjoy to those who have come before me.

Please Join Me on a Trip Through the History of Rainbow Richmond!

Photo Credits: Photos in this exhibit have been included by the permission of the owners, or by those who have authority to provide permissions for the work of others. Credits on each photo are as follows:

• David Albright (DA)
• Petie Bogen-Garrett (PBG)
• GayRichmond.com (GR)
• Gregg Johnson (GJ)
• Beth Marschak and Alex Lorch (ML)
• Eric Russell (ER)
• Jay Squires (JS)

Video Credits: Each video box contains credit for the person producing the video. Any video that contains a copyright notice has had permissions cleared for publication in this exhibit.

The information contained in this exhibit was compiled by Cindy Bray, Program Director for the Gay Community Center of Richmondand she can be contacted here