An LGBTQIA+ history exhibit at Texas A&M is now open to the public to view historical pieces as well as personal stories.
“Coming Out Together to Share our History: LGBTQIA+ Collections in College Station, Houston, and Beyond” will be displayed at the Cushing Memorial Library and Archives until Dec. 16, according to a press release from Texas A&M University Libraries.
The exhibit will feature pieces from The Banner Project and paraphernalia from the Houston bar Mary’s, along with other showcases.
“Cushing Library has drawn from their extensive LGBTQIA+ collections to add memorabilia from various LGBTQIA+ events like the 1993 March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation, a copy of The Intersexes, the first English language defense of the LGBTQIA+ community and other materials from their various LGBTQIA+ collections,” the press release reads.
Programming and outreach librarian Francesca Marini originally suggested the idea for the exhibit, and said she recognizes the positive impact that a collection such as this can make.
“It shows how rich and complex LGBTQIA+ history is, both in the College Station, Houston area[s] and in the country as a whole,” Marini said in the release. “It shows how communities have archived their own history to make sure it is documented and passed onto future generations.”