Table of Contents

SECTION I: INTRODUCTION
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: A Pep Talk for the Faint of Heart
SECTION II: HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
Chapter 3: Approaching LGBT History
Chapter 4: “The Abominable Sin”: European Contact to the Late-Nineteenth Century
Chapter 5: Creating Communities: Late-Nineteenth Century to the Mid-1960s
Chapter 6: We’re Here, We’re Queer, Get Used to It: Mid-1960s to United States v. Windsor (2013)
Chapter 7: History Coda: What A Strange Year It’s Been
SECTION III: INTERPRETING LGBT HISTORY
Chapter 8: Trends in LGBT Historical Interpretation
Chapter 9: Case Study—Displaying Queer History at the Chicago History Museum:
Lessons from the Curators of Out in Chicago
Jill Austin and Jennifer Brier
Chapter 10: Case Study—The Varied Telling of Queer History at Historic New England Sites
Kenneth C. Turino
Chapter 11: Case Study—Interpreting for the Next Generation:
The Summer History Immersion Program (Minnesota)
Kyle Parsons and Stewart Van Cleve
Chapter 12: Issues to Consider When Interpreting LGBT History
Chapter 13: Conclusion: Some Suggestions
APPENDIXES
Appendix 1: Timeline of Key Events in LGBT United States History
Appendix 2: Recommended Reading
Appendix 3: Bibliography
About the Authors

About the Author

Susan Ferentinos is a public history researcher, writer, and consultant based in Bloomington, Indiana, where she specializes in historical project management and using the past to create community. She has lectured widely on the topic of interpreting LGBT history and recently served on the planning team for the National Park Service Women’s History Initiative. Dr. Ferentinos holds a Ph.D. in U.S. history with a focus on the history of gender and sexuality and a Master of Library Science with a concentration in special collections, both from Indiana University. She has served on the Board of the National Collaborative for Women’s History Sites and the Leadership Development Committee of the American Association for State and Local History.

Reviews

Timely and well-crafted, Interpreting LGBT History at Museums and Historic Sites is a must-read not only for professionals working with collections in museums, archives, libraries, and other cultural heritage institutions, but also for anyone in the communities they seek to engage. Ferentinos provides a convincing rationale for why LGBT history and interpretation matters, as well as a clear framework for how it can – and should – be shared.  Readers will find much to consider, reference, and, perhaps more importantly, apply.
*Wesley J. Chenault, Head of Special Collections and Archives at James Branch Cabell Library, Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries*

This groundbreaking work thoughtfully documents seminal projects in the interpretation of LGBT history and also lights a path forward for those committed to a more inclusive approach to public history.
*Bill Adair, director, Exhibitions and Public Interpretation, The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage*

This book has something for everyone interested in history, museums, and historic site interpretation. The historical overview should be required reading for all who think they know the history of the United States. Curators, historic site managers, archivists, and librarians, among others, will discover many ways to challenge any preconceived ideas of the lives documented and interpreted in their collections or at their sites. Equally important, they will find myriad resources to answer their questions in this well-written and provocative volume.
*Barbara J. Howe, historian and associate professor emerita, West Virginia University*

The 2016 National Council on Public History book award is presented to Susan Ferentinos for her groundbreaking work, Interpreting LGBT History at Museums and Historic Sites. This volume is published by Rowman and Littlefield as part of the new American Association of State and Local History (AASLH) series, Interpreting History. Ferentinos bases her work in sound scholarship, providing a concise history of the subject matter—quite an achievement when she clearly argues that there is not one lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) history, but many. Following the historical overview, Ferentinos introduces three well-chosen case studies, which are authored by practitioners in the field. The first case study by Jill Austin and Jennifer Brier focuses on LGBT exhibits; the second, by Kenneth C. Turino, on interpretation at LGBT-related sites; and the third, by Kyle Parsons and Stewart Van Cleve, on a museum education program for high school students. Each offers insight for public history practitioners and students on the ways to find and implement such programs at their sites and museums. Following these case studies, Ferentinos offers considerations and recommendations for those interested in interpreting LGBT history. Given the long history of denial, criminalization, and homophobia related to LGBT individuals, it is not surprising that most museums and historic sites ignored or lacked resources to address the topic in their collections and interpretation. Ferentinos demonstrates that these histories can be unearthed, explored, and presented to enrich our understanding of the past and fulfill the goal of inclusive, relevant, and valuable public history. The work serves not only as a history, but as a guidebook for archivists, curators, and interpreters, and a resource in academic public history programs.