Physical Archives

All information is current as of April 3, 2023.

Finding Aid

Click here to view the Finding Aid for the LGBTQ History Collection

Collection Highlights (in chronological order)

  • Gay Alliance of the Roanoke Valley (GARV), 1971-72 *click here for online access to all items*
    • Statement of Policy and Constitution and By-Laws (c. 1971)
    • The Big Lick Gayzette – Volume 1, Issues 1-7 (1971), Southwest Virginia’s first gay publication
    • The Virginia Gayzette – Volume 1, Issue 1 (1971); Volume 2, Issues 1-7 (1972)
  • Free Alliance for Individual Rights (FAIR), 1977-78 *click here for online access to all items*
    • Charter for an unidentified gay organization, presumably FAIR (c. 1977)
    • The Virginia Gayzette – Volume 3, Issues 2-4 (1978)
  • Positive Alternative Lifestyles (PALS), 1980-83 *click here for online access to all items*
    • PALS Newsletter – Volume 1, Issues 7-10 (1980); Volume 2,  Issues 1-10 [missing no. 2] (Jan-May 1981); Volume 3, Issues 1-14 (June-Dec 1981); Volume 4, Issues 1-14 (1982); Volume 5, Issues 1-2 (1983)
  • Blue Ridge Lambda Alliance (BRLA), 1981-85 *click here for online access to all items*
    • Blue Ridge Lambda Alliance Newsletter – Issues 1-5 (1981-1982)
    • Blue Ridge Lambda Press – Volume 1, Issues 1-10 (1983-1984); Volume 2, Issues 3-8 [nos. 1-2 do not exist] (1984); Volume 3, Issues 1-6 (1985)
  • First Friday, 1983-88 *click here for online access to all items*
    • Skip Two Periods – Volumes 1-5 [missing vol. 1, no. 2] (1983-1988), lesbian newsletter
  • Roanoke Valley Chapter, Virginia Gay Alliance, 1985-86 *click here for online access to all items*
    • Blue Ridge Lambda Press – Volume 3, Issue 7 (1985); Volume 4, Issue 1 (1986)
  • Roanoke Valley Gay Alliance (RVGA), 1986-92 *click here for online access to all items*
    • Blue Ridge Lambda Press – Volume 4, Issues 2-6 (1986); Volume 5, Issues 1-6 (1987); Volume 6, Issues 1-5 (1988); Volume 7, Issues 1-6 (1989); Volume 8, Issues 1-5 (1990); Volume 9, Issues 1-6 (1991); Volume 10, Issues 1-4 (1992)
  • Metropolitan Community Church of the Blue Ridge (MCCBR), 1990-1993 *click here for limited online access*
    • Blue Ridge Banner – Issues 1-7 (1990); Issue 8-19 (1991); Issues 20-31 (1992); Issues 32-43 (1993);
    • Blue Ridge Banner/Blue Ridge Messenger (1994-1998). We have yet to digitize the remainder of this newsletter.
  • Roanoke Valley Gay & Lesbian Alliance (RVGLA), 1992-98 *click here for online access to all items*
    • Blue Ridge Lambda Press – Volume 10, Issues 5-6 (1992); Volume 11, Issues 1-5 (1993); Volume 12, Issues 1-5 (1994); Volume 13, Issues 1-5 (1995); Volume 14, Issues 1-2 (1996); Volume 15, Issues 1-2 (1997); Volume 16, Issue 1 (Jan/Feb 1998)
  • Blue Ridge Lambda Press (BRLP), 1998-2001 *click here for online access to all items*
    • Blue Ridge Lambda Press – Volume 16, Issues 2-6 (March-Dec 1998); Volume 17, Issues 1-6 (1999); Volume 18, Issues 1-6 (2000), Volume 19, Issue 1 (Jan/Feb 2001)
  • Roanoke Pride, 2001-2008 *click here for online access to all items*
    • Blue Ridge Lambda Press – Volume 19, Issues 2-4 (July-December 2001); Volume 20, Issues 1-6 (2002); Volume 21, Issues 1-6 (2003); Volume 22, Issues 1-5 (2004); Volume 23, Issues 1-5 (2005); Volume 24, Issues 1-5 (2006); Volume 25, Issues 1-6 (2007); Volume 26, Issues 1-4 (2008)
  • Other undigitized collections
    • New River Free Press, radical newspaper published in the New River Valley, various issues c. 1990 – 2007
    • organizational records of the Blue Ridge Lambda Alliance (1980s)
    • organizational records of the Roanoke Valley Chapter, Virginia Gay Alliance (1980s)
    • organizational records of the Roanoke Valley Gay & Lesbian Alliance (1990s)
    • organizational records of the Alliance of Gay & Lesbian Organizations (ALGO), including early Pride in the Park festivals (1990s)
    • organizational records of the Roanoke Valley chapter of PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) (1990s)
    • Membership cards for The Park dance club (1994; 2000-2001)
    • Ricketson GLBT Memorial Library records (c. 2000 – 2013)
    • Roanoke Gayzette – five issues from 2009-2011
    • Memorabilia, Tenth Anniversary of the Backstreet Café shooting (c. 2010)
    • organizational records of the Roanoke Diversity Center (c. 2009 – 2015)
    • Various items from the transgender community, including Ladies and Gents of the Blue Ridge – Transgender Alliance (2010s)
    • Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project papers (2015-2020)

Founding Donors

  • Sherman Bamford
  • Michael Blankenship
  • Mary Boenke
  • Riley Chattin
  • Rev. Catherine Houchins
  • Edward F. “Gerry” Jennings, Jr.
  • Dan Jones
  • Erika Joyner
  • Virginia Irene Lindsey
  • Deanna Marcin
  • The Park
  • Roanoke Diversity Center
  • Olivia Streett
  • Trish Valentine
  • Richard Ward III
  • Carolyn Sue Wilson
  • Rosemary Wyman

Thank you!!!

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