Brad Graham Papers
By Ken Haller
October 13, 2014: I am happy to announce my donation of public relations papers/materials collected over the years by Brad Graham to the St. Louis LGBT History Project. Brad was a writer, blogger, humorist, actor, journalist, activist, raconteur, and wit. He died of natural causes on January 6, 2010. He was a passionate advocate for LGBT equality, doing countless hours of volunteer work, mostly in the public relations sphere, for St. Louis-area LGBT organizations like PREP (now PROMO), That Uppity Theatre Company, the Gateway Men's Chorus, and countless others.
He was a leading producer and writer on St. Louis's cable access LGBT newsmagazine, "Outlook St. Louis." He had an unparalleled collection of gay-themed t-shirts, most of them NSFW but quite successful in bars.
"The Project appeciates Dr. Haller's donation of these amazing public relations materials showcasing Brad's involvement with EFA, the NAMES Project, Outlook St. Louis, and so much more," said Steven Brawley, Project Founder. "Brad's collection of news releases, advertisements, photographs, and videos document the St. Louis region's early 1990s response to the HIV-AIDS crisis and overall LGBT activism."
Brad's true passions were theater and blogging. At the time of his death, he was the Director of PR and Marketing at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and was beloved by the entire St. Louis theater community.
He was also a fixture at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive Festival where his annual Breakfast with Brad session on blogging was always a hot ticket. He is credited by the Oxford English Dictionary as having coined the word "blogosphere," though when he first used it, it was sardonically.
He is deeply missed and will continue to be missed for decades to come by all who knew and loved him, because he was so nice, so cool, and so funny! Picture: Brad Graham/The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.
St. Louis: Hometown of LGBT History Month
By 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.
Clementines Treasure Drive
Pictured: 1978 grand opening schedule of events for Clementines.
September 25, 2014: Sadly, the rumors are true. St. Louis' famous Clementines bar is closing. It was the oldest gay bar in St. Louis. Please join the Project for a special thanks for the memories event. Representatives of the Project will be on hand this Sunday to collect any artifacts documenting Clem's historic run. Do you have Clem's t-shirts, buttons, posters, photographs, videos, or other items to donate to the Project? Please bring them so they can be preserved. The place will be packed on Sunday, so please plan to drop by early to share your treasures. if you can't make it Sunday, contact us to donate your items. Thank you.
St. Louis LGBT History Project Clem's Treasure Drive
Clementines, 2001 Menard (Soulard)
Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014
1-4pm (before it gets really really packed)
2014 Pride Banner Donations
Aug. 16, 2014: Pride St. Louis, Inc., has donated a collection of 2014 banners/signs used during this year's PrideFest held at Solider's Memorial in downtown St. Louis. The banners include sponsor listings, maps, and other directional information. The banners add to the Project's collection of Pride related materials dating back to 1980. Thanks to Pride St. Louis, Inc., for their on-going support of the Project.