Discovering LGBTQ History
Preservation Maryland will lead a collaborative of academic, municipal, and community stakeholders in a statewide strategy to document and include the important and lasting contributions of Maryland’s LGBTQ community and the places associated with their lives with new and updated nominations to the National Register of Historic Places.
THE PROBLEM
There are only 18 historic sites recognized for LGBTQ history out of a collection of 1.4 million contributing resources, buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects, on the National Register of Historic Places. None of the are in Maryland.
THE FIX
Preservation Maryland will lead a collaborative of academic, municipal, and community stakeholders in a statewide strategy to document and include the important and lasting contributions of Maryland’s LGBTQ community and the places associated with their lives with new and updated nominations to the National Register of Historic Places.
The Baltimore Gay Alliance was the city’s first Gay and Lesbian (later LGBTQ+) activist and service group founded in 1975.
Updates
OCTOBER 2020
During National LGBTQ History Month, Preservation Maryland is proud to announce the completion and acceptance of Maryland’s groundbreaking LGBTQ Historic Context Study. The Context Study is a milestone in Preservation Maryland’s multi-year commitment to LGBTQ heritage visibility and diversification of the historic record. The full report is now available online to the public.
JUNE 2020
With a grant from the Maryland Historical Trust through the Certified Local Government Program of the National Park Service, Preservation Maryland has selected Dr. Susan Ferentinos to begin work on the state’s first National Register nominations for properties significant for their LGBTQ heritage. In Baltimore City, the properties that are planned to be nominated to the National Register include the site of early 1920-30s social events and drag performances in West Baltimore, a long-running bar, and a health clinic important in the era of the AIDS epidemic that is still serving Baltimore’s LGBTQ community. In Montgomery County, the residences of two influential and out Marylanders will be documented and submitted to the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties.
OCTOBER 2019
Preservation Maryland is seeking proposals for the preparation of National Register of Historic Places nominations and amendments for sites related to LGBTQ history in Montgomery County and Baltimore City. This project is supported with a grant from a Certified Local Government grant from the National Park Service through the Maryland Historical Trust.
RESOURCES
02/2019
Resource Guide: Looking for LGBTQ+ History on Your Campus
Preservation Maryland
12/2018
A Place to Start: A Toolkit for Documenting LGBTQ Heritage in Baltimore City (And Beyond)
University of Maryland, School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation
2018
Maryland Historical Society LGBTQ Collection Acquisition Information
Maryland Historical Society
2018
LGBTQ America HistoryPin Map
National Park Service
2016
LGBTQ Heritage Theme Study
National Park Service
2011
LGBTQ Heritage Initiative
Baltimore Heritage
NEWS
10/29/2020
Preservation Maryland releases study of state’s LGBTQ+ history, map of sites that are significant to community
FOX 45 News
10/29/2020
Preservation Maryland releases study of state’s LGBTQ+ history, map of sites that are significant to community
Baltimore Fishbowl
06/14/2019
Documenting Maryland’s LGBTQ History
Maryland Humanities Podcast
06/13/2019
Frederick unearths more of its LGBTQ history as part of statewide preservation project
Frederick News-Post
11/01/2018
Places With Pride
Maryland Today
Can we count on you?
Preservation Maryland isn’t just preserving the past – we’re investing in our future. In just the past year we’ve invested heavily in our work and refused to accept the mounting challenges as a reason to retreat or hold our position. You are making it all possible.