The St. Louis LGBT History Project was founded in 2007 by Steven Brawley.  In October 2015 Washington University Libraries joined the Project as an archival partner.  This partnership, which also includes the Missouri History Museum, and the State Historical Society of Missouri, aims to document and preserve lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and associated communities’ local history.

While most items in this collection were donated through the Project, some were given directly to Special Collections of Washington University Libraries.  Due to the large number of donors this information is indicated throughout the finding aid.  Materials continue to be added, particularly those of use for scholarly or academic research purposes.

For more information see, Gay and Lesbian St. Louis, by Steven Louis Brawley and the St. Louis LGBT History Project (Arcadia Publishing, [2016]), available through Washington University Libraries.

LGBTQ is used in the title of this finding aid to indicate persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, queer and / or questioning.  The symbol + (plus) is used for any persons not listed, such as intersex, asexual, polyamorous, or allies. This term was selected based on the common usage of “LGBT” and “LGBTQ” for programs at Washington University, with the addition of + in the pattern of the LGBTQ+ Archives, Libraries, Museums, and Special Collections Without Borders international conference of June 2016.

Other terminology found throughout the finding aid varies, and reflect historical differences and rapid changes in common language for this subject matter.