I will be making a number of appearances in the upcoming months, to discuss various issues related to LGBT museum interpretation. If you attend these events, do be sure to introduce yourself to me afterwards, especially if you’re involved in a museum that is involved in, or considering, interpreting this topic.
October 22, 2015
6:30-8:00 pm
Indianapolis, IN
As part of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) History Month, the Indiana Historical Society will be hosting a discussion about how museums discuss the history of and connect with LGBT communities. As part of this event I will be presenting information from my book Interpreting LGBT History at Museums and Historic Sites. Indianapolis photographer Mark A. Lee will also discuss his experience as a guest curator of the exhibition based on his work, on view at the History Center October 10 through November 14. Cost is $8/ $5 for IHS members. For more information, or to buy tickets, visit http://www.indianahistory.org/events/pride-in-history.
Oct. 26, 2015
3:00-4:00 pm eastern
The National Collaborative for Women’s History Sites is holding its annual member meeting via conference call on Monday, October 26 from 3:00 to 4:00 pm eastern time. I will be this year’s featured speaker. I will discuss the ways historians approach the study of same-sex relationships; the challenges to uncovering this past; and the efforts of museums, historic sites, and community groups to preserve this history and present it to the wider public. To learn more about the event and to register for the meeting, visit http://www.ncwhs.org/index.php/154-uncategorised/286-mark-the-date-for-our-annual-meeting.
March 16-19, 2016
(specific date TBA)
Baltimore, MD
Along with Frank Futral and Megan Springate, I will be co-facilitating a workshop entitled “Daring to Speak It’s Name: Interpreting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pasts at Historic Sites” as part of the National Council on Public History annual meeting. In this workshop, we will consider best practices in LGBTQ museum interpretation and offer hands-on exercises in small groups. For exact time and more information, visit http://ncph.org/cms/conferences/2016-annual-meeting/.
April 7, 2016
1:45-3:15 pm
Providence, RI
As part of the Organization of American Historians annual meeting, I will be participating in a roundtable on “New Directions in LGBTQ Public History.” Almost from its inception as a field, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender/ Queer (LGBTQ) history has been intertwined with public history as researchers created slideshow presentations, archives, and small exhibits about the history of LGBTQ experiences. Since then, people have created LGBTQ museums, cultural institutions have put up exhibits about topics on gender and sexuality, and most recently the National Park Service has embarked on several initiatives to incorporate LGBTQ history into its sites and programs. This roundtable will consist of public history practitioners and academics, who will discuss recent developments in the field, how public representations of this history have changed, and the complicated narratives of inclusions that have often accompanied them. For more information on the conference, visit http://www.oah.org/meetings-events/2016/.