View of Gay Liberation NOW! exhibition at Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, November 2019. Poster design/photo by Amanda Killian.
El Museo is pleased to present Gay Liberation NOW!, an exhibition created by the Buffalo-Niagara LGBTQ History Project. The poster exhibition was the culmination of the History Project’s 2019 work celebrating the 50th anniversary of both the Stonewall Uprising and the founding of Buffalo’s first gay rights organization.
Using a mixture of archival images, written narrative, and oral history audio, Gay Liberation NOW! tells the story of the Mattachine Society of the Niagara Frontier (MSNF), Buffalo’s first gay rights organization. The exhibition explains the social and political circumstances that led to MSNF’s founding, introduces audiences to the heroes of Buffalo’s gay liberation movement, outlines some of the reasons the organization disbanded, and explores MSNF’s lasting legacy in Buffalo and nationwide.
Gay Liberation NOW! was first presented in November 2019, and after a pause due to the coronavirus pandemic, will be touring schools, libraries, community centers, and other venues throughout Western New York. Stay tuned to the Buffalo-Niagara LGBTQ History Project’s social media to follow the exhibition on its tour. Organizations, centers, and businesses who are interested in hosting Gay Liberation NOW! during its tour are encouraged to email the History Project at bflolgbtqhistory@gmail.com for more details.
The exhibition will be open for public viewing at El Museo June 4 (6–9pm) and June 5 (11–6pm); and by appointment June 9–11.
About the Buffalo-Niagara LGBTQ History Project
The Buffalo-Niagara LGBTQ History Project is a volunteer-run organization that preserves, archives, curates, and shares local LGBTQIA+ community histories. Through these techniques, we create opportunities for civic education, intergenerational dialogue, and political action. We assert that local and regional activist histories matter as much as those that originate in large cities on the American coasts.
Facebook: @BuffaloNiagaraLGBTQhistory
Instagram: @bflolgbtqhistory