About

The History Project began in August 2012 as an initiative of the LGBT Center of Central PA. A partnership was developed with the Dickinson College Archives and Special Collections to serve as the repository of the History Project collection of oral history interviews, archival documents and artifacts.

Mission

The History Project engages people in discovering, documenting, collecting, preserving and presenting the history of the LGBTQ+ community in central Pennsylvania through oral history and material culture..

The History Project began in August 2012 as an initiative of the LGBT Center of Central PA. Since then, it has seen rapid growth in activity and interest in the Central PA community. A partnership was developed with the Dickinson College Archives and Special Collections to serve as the repository of the History Project collection of oral history interviews, archival documents and artifacts.

In 2014, the History Project won the prestigious J. Franklin Jameson Archival Advocacy Award from the Society of American Archivists.

Introductory video about the LGBT Center of Central PA History Project.

Contact Us

Please email us at history@centralpalgbtcener.org 

Digital Museum and Archive 

The History Project has a digital museum and archive on the web where you can learn more about the history of our region’s LGBTQ+ community by viewing our digital exhibitions, oral history interviews, archival and artifact collections, history sites, publications and other resources.  

You can also visit our YouTube channel to view our oral history interview videos. 

Traveling Exhibitions

Learn about our traveling exhibitions in topics of LGBTQ+ history and how you can reserve a showing at your venue.

Awards

In 2014, the History Project won the prestigious J. Franklin Jameson Archival Advocacy Award from the Society of American Archivists.

In 2020, the History Project’s book Out in Central Pennsylvania: The History of an LGBTQ Community, by William Burton with Barry Loveland, won the Arline Custer Memorial Award from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference.

In 2022, the History Project won the Pogue Award from Oral History in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

Get Involved

Sign up to receive our quarterly newsletter by email.

We are always looking for volunteers, student interns, and people willing to share their story through an oral history interview. You do not have to be a native or life-long resident of central Pennsylvania; if you lived in this region for some period of time you are welcome to be interviewed.

We are also looking for donations of archival documents, historical photographs, videos, and artifacts that help document the history of central Pennsylvania’s LGBTQ+ community. A deed of gift form must accompany all archival donations.

We are also looking for people willing to donate money to support our work.

Volunteers Tool Kit

Forms 

Volunteer Form

Interview Consent Form

Interview Prompts and Log

Archives Donations Flyer

Archives Donations Deed of Gift Form

Training Resources

Oral History Interviewer Training Power Point

Oral History Principles and Best Practices

Interview Guidelines

Interview Checklist

Bibliography

Equipment Setup and Checklist

Instructional Video for Interviewers

Instructions for Transcriptions