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Preserving LGBTQ+ history in the Ozarks

Missouri residents wave pride flags at the 2018 Greater Ozarks Pridefest.

You can learn more about LGBTQ+ history in the Ozarks this October by exploring the Ozarks Lesbian and Gay Archives collection.

Our weekly program, Missouri State Journal, is a collaboration between KSMU Radio and Missouri State University. It's hosted and produced by MSU's Office of Strategic Communication, and it airs each Tuesday morning at 9:45 on KSMU. 

LGBTQ+ History Month is observed each October to celebrate the history, achievements and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community.

Tracie Gieselman France from Missouri State University’s Special Collections and Archives discusses the Ozarks Lesbian and Gay Archives (OLGA) collection, which documents the LGBTQ+ experience in the Ozarks.

The archivist shares the origins of the OLGA, highlighting key moments, like the 1989 MSU production of The Normal Heart and the addition of sexual orientation to the university's non-discrimination policy. The collection continues to grow, preserving newsletters, oral histories and other media that capture pivotal moments in LGBTQ+ advocacy and culture in the greater Ozarks region.

Community members can view the collection at the Meyer Library, room 306, or digitally on the Special Collections and Archives website.

Read the full transcript.

Kayla Guilbault is the digital marketing coordinator for Missouri State University. She has a BS in Psychology from Drury University and nearly a decade of experience in marketing and communications. When she’s not working, she is a skater and serves as the Ad, Merch and Media Committee head for Springfield Roller Derby.<br/><br/><br/>