Gay History Exhibit Touring U.S.

Coming to a museum near you, the archived collection of gay history at the San Francisco Public Library is being taken on tour through the eastern, Midwest and southern U.S. The exhibit coincides with the tenth anniversary of the library's James C. Hormel Gay and Lesbian Center.

From MercuryNews.com:

The original artifacts won't be making the cross-country trip. Archivists compiled panels with photographs and accompanying histories that could be easily packed and shipped. The original materials will stay with the Hormel Center where the general public can access its contents with the help of an archivist.

Other highlights include leather boots worn by Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, the U.S. Army's first female surgeon, who also happened to be a cross dresser. Volume six of Der Eigene, an early 20th century periodical advocating sexual relationships between men and boys has also been included.

According to Catherine King, San Francisco Library Chief Curator, the exhibit was the most successful of the library's many projects in fundraising and public reaction. Among others, tour stops include Dallas, Minneapolis, Atlanta, New York and, lastly, Massachusetts for the one-year anniversary of the decision to overrule a law banning gay marriage.