LGBTQ+ History Month was first celebrated in 1994 in the United States as Lesbian and Gay History Month; it was founded by Missouri high-school history teacher Rodney Wilson.
Why October?
It was chosen by Wilson as the month for the celebration because the first (October 14th) and second (October 11th) “March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights”, in 1979 and 1987, were in October; National Coming Out Day, October 11th, was chosen to mark the date of the second march.
What you should do?
LGBTQ+ History Month should serve as a moment to consider all of the rich diversity of our spectrum and work to remember all of the stories of those who brought us to this moment—those who have died and those who live on. It is an opportunity for those in the LGBTQ+ community to learn from all of our stories and for the rest of the population to hear our stories.
Here are some LGBTQ+ history resources to begin your learning journey:
- GLBT Historical Society
- Library of Congress Lesbian: Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Month — Resources
- GLSEN: LGTBQ History
- CNN: LGBTQ Rights Milestones Fast Facts
- Time: “As More States Require Schools to Teach LGBTQ History, Resources for Teachers Expand”
