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St. Louis: Hometown of LGBT History Month

rwilsoneditedBy Ian Darnell

October 1, 2014: The Gay Star News came up with a list of eight states that have shaped the history of queer people in the United States -- and both Illinois and Missouri made the list. Illinois is recognized for being the first US state to decriminalize same-sex sex acts. Missouri makes the list as the home of Rodney Wilson, who in 1993 founded LGBT History Month while he was a high school social studies teacher in suburban St. Louis County. LGBT History Month is now celebrated nationwide each October. Two years ago the St. Louis LGBT History Project honored Wilson at a special LGBT History Month event. Wilson is also the author of "'The Seed Time of Gay Rights': Rev. Carol Cureton, the Metropolitan Community Church, and Gay St. Louis, 1969-1980," a wonderful article on LGBT political and religious activism that appeared in Gateway Heritage, the journal of the Missouri Historical Society. Pictured: Rodney Wilson with a poster created by one of his 1993 Mehlville High School students as part of an LGBT History Month project.

Copyright Steven Louis Brawley, 2007-Present. All Rights Reserved.