LGBTQ History

The Oregon Encyclopedia: Gay and lesbian rights movement Gays first began organizing in Portland in early March 1970. They advertised their cause in the pages of The Willamette Bridge, a counter-culture newspaper that began in 1968 and carried news about Vietnam, the Black Panthers, Students for a Democratic Society, rock concerts, alternative lifestyles, and the environment. Although the social element was important to these early activists, they immediately identified politics as central to their purpose. They outlined a plan to speak in college classes and to church and civil groups, to provide radio and television interviews, to write articles for the press, and to lobby for the abolition of legislation that oppressed gays.

Pacific Northwest Lesbian Archives The Pacific Northwest Lesbian Archives (PNLA) gathers, preserves and shares primary source materials documenting lesbian life in the Pacific Northwest – mostly Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho and southwestern British Columbia lesbians. Its mission is "to enhance public and scholarly understanding of our diverse, regional herstory; bringing our herstory out of obscurity to promote learning, visibility and community strength." The archives are housed at the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) in Tacoma, Washington.

Portland's Gay History Timeline Based on David Kohl's 430 page Gay Portland History Book

Northwest Lesbian and Gay History Museum Project Founded in 1994, this organization researches, interprets and communicates the history of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in the Pacific Northwest for the purposes of study, education and enjoyment. The website includes excerpts of oral history collected through the project, as well as guidelines for conducting oral history interviews.