About the Project

The Colorado LGBTQ History Project was established to collect and preserve oral histories from those who lived it, archive these histories and make them available to the public, and actively educate the community on LGBTQ history.

If you have questions about this project or would like to get involved, please contact David Duffield at history@lgbtqcolorado.org.

Oral Histories


Oral histories are digital recordings of the lives and stories of LGBTQ Coloradans. Listen to them in our collection at the link below. This project has been funded by The National Trust for Historic Preservation's Telling the Full History Preservation Fund, with Support from National Endowment for the Humanities.

Terry Mangan Memorial Library


The Terry Mangan Memorial Library is home to more than 2,000 volumes of LGBTQ+ texts, making it the largest lending library of its kind in the state. From leisure-reading fiction to LGBTQ+ history and everything in between, the library houses a diverse collection of books, magazines, journals, and other materials.


"The Words We Teach": Art Contest

The Center on Colfax and Rocky Mountain College of Arts and Design (RMCAD) have partnered up to host "The Words We Teach," an art contest highlighting Denver LGBTQ+ history. For the spring iteration of this contest, we are calling on middle and high school students to produce original artworks inspired by the story of Irene De Soto.
 
Contest winners will receive a Visa gift card, art exhibition, portfolio review, swag bag, and more! Click here to learn more and participate in the contest.

White header with the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design and The Center on Colfax logos. "The Words We Teach... LGBTQ+ Art Contest" over a purple and orange gradient image of people marching. "This contest asks participants to make an artwork inspired by the story of Irene De Soto."



Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Denver Gay Revolt

October 23, 2023 marked the 50th anniversary of the Gay Revolt at Denver City Council, which was a monumental moment in Denver's LGBTQ+ history. In honor of this anniversary, The Center and Denver Film hosted a special film screening and discussion panel at Sie FilmCenter.

Over 100 community members came out to watch a documentary that chronicles the build up and aftermath of the demonstration and testimonials at Denver City Council from over 300 queer community members who took part in the revolt.

After the film, Councilmember Robin Kneich and DPS teacher Phil Wade discussed their experiences as being the first out people in their respective professional environments. Phil Wade was present at the revolt at city council, and explored how things have changed in the 50 years since. Robin Kneich talked about how the increased visibility and acceptance for LGBTQ+ people has allowed younger generations to come out and begin living as their truest selves sooner in their lives than we've seen in previous decades.

Thank you so much to everyone who attended this special event! See more photos from the event on our Flickr page.



Featured Exhibit - Women's Activism: Profiles in Dissent

This exhibit focuses on the stories of queer women through five major movements. These movements are women's suffrage, disability rights, LGBTQ+ rights, the fight for the Equal Rights Amendment, and reproductive rights. While many of these movements are intimately connected and share activists between them, the focus here is to not only give the general history of these movements, but to highlight the involvement of queer women and women of color.

From Laura Hershey to Loretta Ross, queer women and women of color played both major and minor roles in the women's movement, and pushed forward other social movements as well. This exhibit diverts from the more common emphasis on white, cisgender, heterosexual women by celebrating the significant contributions and enduring legacies of queer women and women of color to help inspire future activism for many years to come.

Colorado LGBTQ History Project Services

  • Oral History: The Colorado LGBTQ History Project (The Project) conducts ongoing collection of oral histories from members of the community. We have over 100 oral histories of LGBTQ+ Coloradans available in our Omeka catalog. We provide trainings and facilitate collaborations and collection of oral histories.
  • Document Archiving: The Project has worked out a process to create inventories of collections owned by organizations and individual collectors. We have donated 30 collections through this method to the Denver Public Library and other institutions. Through bi-weekly remote meetings and monthly in-person inventory archives, the Documents Committee works to train, consult, and connect with donors with archives around Colorado. If you are interested in joining the Documents Committee, please contact David Duffield.
  • Education: The Project has pioneered tours, exhibits, and lesson plans for LGBTQ history. We collaborate with teachers on trainings in August and May for professional development. If you are interested in learning more about the work or creating LGBTQ history lesson plans, come volunteer with us!
  • Networking: The Project works with organizations around the city to create and demonstrate LGBTQ history centered projects and presentations. Recent projects include partnerships with tours in Capitol Hill, dozens of presentations on DEI and history, and inter-institutional partnerships with cultural organizations around the world. Contact us for information on how we can help your organization develop deeper cultural connections with the LGBTQ community.

To inquire about joining any of our LGBTQ History Project work groups or for more information about the project, please contact David Duffield at history@lgbtqcolorado.org.


Upcoming LGBTQ History Events

Matt Kailey History Committee (MKHC)

March 18 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Matt Kailey History Committee (MKHC)

April 1 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Matt Kailey History Committee (MKHC)

April 15 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm



Oral History

Oral histories are digital recordings of the lives and stories of LGBTQ Coloradans. Listen to them in our collection at the link below. This project has been funded by The National Trust for Historic Preservation's Telling the Full History Preservation Fund, with Support from National Endowment for the Humanities.

Research & Resources

View articles, news clippings, and correspondence related to Colorado’s LGBTQ history, plus learn more about The Center on Colfax's founding in the Unity Archives and find additional resources for exploring LGBTQ history.


Walking Audio Tour: LGBTQ History in Denver

The Center on Colfax has developed a walking audio tour in partnership with AARP Colorado. Learn about Denver's rich LGBTQ history while touring the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

Historical Photographs

View historical photographs that capture our rich and diverse history.