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Statement of Purpose

The existence of these Archives will enable us to formulate our living Herstory and to create an Archive representing a diverse range of Lesbian lives and cultures.

Principles

The Lesbian Herstory Educational Foundation, Inc., informally known as the Lesbian Herstory Archives, is a grassroots, community-based, not-for-profit institution containing the largest and longest-lived collection of Lesbian material in the world, open to the public. It was founded in 1974 by Lesbian women and housed in an Upper West Side apartment in Manhattan. In 1991, the collection moved into its own home, a limestone building in Park Slope, Brooklyn. From its inception the Archives has been guided by a set of principles reflecting a commitment to living history and to housing the present along with the past. The core values of the principles remain today.

A Brief History

On this web site you will see the ever-growing face of the archives, the work of tireless coordinators and volunteers who make all possible, and of the continuing donations, both financial and material, of our communities. The Archives coordinators hold this building and its contents in trust for our communities and we take our responsibility seriously.

We invite you to use us, to visit us in whatever way you can. We hope in the future to make the contents of our collections accessible on the Internet. But someday, if you can, make your way to the old table in Brooklyn around which so many of us have dreamed and planned and acted, refusing the ignorances of our times.

Calling all lesbians who have a passion for our herstory, insatiable curiosity, some free time, and like spending time with other dykes…

Volunteer

You can volunteer anytime we’re open. Check our monthly calendar for specific open time and days. 

Since its beginning, the Archives has always been completely managed and staffed by volunteers from the lesbian community. We have never had any paid staff and have relied solely on volunteers to process all materials, raise all necessary funds, and literally keep the doors open.

One of our principles is that the women doing the work of the Archives should make decisions about the Archives. To that end, a Coordinating Committee manages the Archives. As the Archives grew from its start in the back room of an Upper West Side Manhattan apartment to its present location in a townhouse in Park Slope, Brooklyn, the concept of the three original coordinators grew to a larger core group of coordinators. Presently there are about ten women who form the Coordinating Committee.

Women on the Coordinating Committee have each taken on a specific area of responsibility to ensure that the Archives continues to run as smoothly as possible. Coordinators meet every three weeks to discuss and make decisions on policy, planning, fundraising, arranging special events, fulfilling speaking requests, and producing our newsletter. Several other past coordinators continue in various degrees to contribute their time and skills from their relocations around the country and the world. Any volunteer who has been participating in the Archives long enough to be familiar with its collections and policies, and who is willing to take responsibility for its functioning and continuation, can join the Coordinating Committee.

Volunteers and interns, as well as coordinators, staff the Archives several days and evenings each week, keeping the Archives open for researchers and visitors. We all do the day to day work of keeping the Archives functioning: filing, cataloging, clipping newspaper articles and magazines, responding to research requests and reference questions, arranging and giving tours, processing special collections, and the myriad of other tasks that arise from day to day. And, any volunteer, at any time, may take on a responsibility or special project that interests them. This can range from filing to gardening or repair work. It can be a one-day project or one that goes on for months.

Our calendar will not only show the times we are open (when you can volunteer), but it also shows our special workdays each month- days when we concentrate on specific projects. For instance, the Book Project Workday met once per month for over five years. With a dedicated core group of seven women plus additional women who participated on an occasional basis, we processed and catalogued the Archives’ 11,000 books. We now have a Special Collections workday with the goal of completely processing all of our Special Collections and creating finding aids for all of them as well. We also have a General Workday during which we take on specific short-term projects, for e.g. reorganizing and storing our Special Collections in addition to general filing and data entry. You can call us for more information at 718-768-3953. We’ll get back to you to as soon as possible and discuss how you can contribute to the Archives’ ongoing work.

We always need and welcome new women to our growing group of Archives’ volunteers. The odds are that you will have an enjoyable time working with other lesbians on interesting projects such as reviewing lesbian videos, organizing photos, as well as getting to know first hand the various collections in the Archives.

Internships

The Archives is located at 484 14th St. in Park Slope, Brooklyn, between 8th Avenue and Prospect Park West. If travelling by subway, take the F train down 6th Avenue in Manhattan and into Brooklyn to the 15th St. stop.

Our calendar lists the days and times that we are open for researchers and visitors. If you would like to schedule an appointment or tour for your group, please call or fax us to set up a time. Please speak clearly and slowly if you leave a phone message and be sure to include your telephone number.

If you'd like, you can submit your question via email. Please be as specific as possible if you have a research question, and we will do our best to respond in a timely manner, but it may take some time. Our email address is lesbianherstoryarchives@gmail.com.

Upcoming at the Archives

A Brief History

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Support the Archives

Our 1,569 fascinating Subject Files fill the drawers of four, five drawer horizontal file cabinets plus overflow boxes. Think of these files as “Lesbians and…”. The first file is “Abortion” and the last is “Youth”. In between are such topics as “African -Ancestral Lesbians”, “Bars”, “Health Care”, “Marriage”, “Music Festivals”, “Publishers”, “Religion”, “Theatre”, and “Violence”. We have a complete listing of these files with cross-referencing plus a thesaurus to help you locate information related to your interest.

Each file contains an assortment of papers – flyers, legal briefs, photocopies of newspaper articles, copies of the table of contents of books, event programs, and so on. When a particular topic, for e.g. Theatre” has a large number of file folders which are full to the brim, we move the overflow to large boxes stored upstairs. Subject files give you a good introduction to, and overview of a topic and point you towards other parts of the Archives’ collections if you want more depth.

We worked with Primary Source Microfilms, a subsidiary of Thompson Gale, on a project in which they microfilmed all of our subject files. We have a copy of the set of 175 microfilm reels as well as a digitized version that we will be able to use to create exhibits on our website. In addition, the set of 175 reels is now available for purchase and we will receive royalties for each set that is sold.

Below, as a sample, we have one folder available free for download in PDF format:žAfrican Ancestral Lesbians: History. We hope to add more files to this website in the future.

The Archives houses several different types of audio-visual materials. Our Music Collection contains LPs, CDs, and cassette tapes, most of which have been catalogued and can be searched by computer. In addition, we have a large collection of Spoken Word cassette tapes and CDs of lesbian and feminist radio shows, readings, conferences, interviews and oral histories.

Our Video collection contains approximately 600 videotapes. Some are home movies, others document community events such as dyke marches, the Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization St. Patrick’s Day protests, pride marches, conferences and so on. We also have videos of TV programs, documentaries, shorts and feature films. Although we do have a complete list of our holdings, the collection is only partially catalogued on the computer. It will be completed shortly.

We also have two special collections of video material. The first is the collection of the L.O.V.E. Tapes (Lesbians Organized for Video Experience) from the early 1970s. L.O.V. E. was an early video collective that documented various lesbian events, including demonstrations by Lesbian Feminist Liberation. The second is a special collection from DYKE TV that contains all of the unedited videotape, mostly shot from 1992 until 1999. These tapes cover a vast range of topics and they came with a complete listing so it’s easy to find those you might want to view.

We keep the originals of most films and videos stored off–site in a climate controlled storage archive in order to preserve them as long as possible. We keep dubs of these at the Archives for viewing purposes. As another means of preserving these tapes we are now beginning a project to digitize them.

Our Photography Collection contains approximately 12,000 printed photographs, located in files, binders and albums. In addition, we have a collection of slides, which have been placed into binders. The Photo File is arranged alphabetically, either by the first name of the photographer or the subject, and we have a computer listing of the files in it. The photo albums and binders usually contain the work of a specific photographer or the personal photos documenting the people and events in a particular lesbian’s life. In addition some of the binders hold slides of artists’ work. Many of the photographic images we have can be used for publication or display; either we have permission to allow this or we can get in touch with the photographer so you can make the necessary arrangements. If you are looking for photographs please leave at least one month in order for us to get permissions if necessary.

The Graphic/Poster Collection is stored in two large flat files plus several large acid free boxes. The flat files are arranged in broad categories, such as “Political Events, Calls for Actions, Marches, Rallies” and “Lesbian (and Gay) Pride Events, Awareness Weeks, Conferences”, “Literary Events, Readings, Bookstores”, and so on. The boxes usually hold the work of one artist or atelier, such as the Women’s Building in Los Angeles. The collection dates from the 1970s to the present. We often use pieces from our graphic/poster collection to create exhibits at the Archives. We also have a small collection of original fine art work, although it has not yet been catalogued. Actually, at the present time we are not really able to preserve artwork in the way we think it should be, so we prefer if you send us slides of your work but keep the original or donate it to an Archive that specializes in fine art. However, we will not turn away artwork if you prefer that it become part of our collection and we hope to eventually be able to preserve and store it appropriately.

Since 1979, the Lesbian Herstory Archives has collected the papers and records of individual lesbians as well as organizations. More than 400 collections comprise the Archives' Special Collections. Please visit the "new" special collections index, which is listed alphabetically as well as chronologically, and is searchable.

Special Collections are the kinds of collections most people think of when they think of an archive. They contain personal papers of individuals or organizational papers. The Archives’ Special Collections do not only reflect the lives of “famous” lesbians. We seek to preserve and document the lives of all lesbians and our Special Collections reflect this principle. You are just as likely to find the collection of a secretary, teacher, or truck driver, as you are a well-known poet, writer, or activist. And, we urge all of our community members to begin their collection today.

While the contents of the collections vary widely, many contain personal journals or diaries plus other material the lesbian felt reflected her life. For instance, one lawyer’s collection contained many legal files, a large number from lesbian cases; others contain notes from a lover, valentine cards, photo albums, and so on. Organizational Special Collections are usually material given to us once an organization disbands. So, for example, we have a Special Collection from the New York Committee to Free Sharon Kowalski and from the Madison, WI Lesbian Center. Special Collections range in size from one to 60 boxes. We keep one box from every open access collection. Additional boxes are stored off site and are brought to the Archives when wanted for research.

Special Collections are catalogued on our database. In addition, a printed list of the collections accompanies a set of binders containing the accession sheets, which are organized by the year in which the collection was donated or, if is an ongoing collection, the year in which it began. Depending on the extent to which the collection has been processed and organized, either by us or by the donor, the accession sheets will contain descriptions of the contents that vary in their detail.

Affectionately known as the “org file”, these files, covering 1,500 organizations, are kept in alphabetical order and fill up three vertical five-drawer filing cabinets as well as several overflow boxes. In the org file we keep materials from/related to voluntary and not-for-profit groups in the LGBT community that include a focus on lesbian issues, as well as women’s /feminist groups which either include a lesbian focus or have known lesbian participation. Most of the groups are Lesbian and are from the United States, though there are other countries represented.

They range from small groups, like the Black Lesbian Study Group (NY) to community centers, such as the Lesbian Resource Center (Seattle, WA). Though we have a large number of NY groups we have files for groups from all over the country. These are files for the LGBT task forces of many national professional organizations, for religious, ethnic and culturally identified groups, and for college groups. Our earliest files date from the 60s and early 70s(e.g., D.O.B., The Women’s Firehouse, Salsa Soul) and continue to the present (D.I.T.C.H., NY, 2002). Some of the files have only one sheet of paper; others are large collections. Most large collections are from groups or organizations that sent us their materials when they disbanded. However, both ACT UP NY and Lesbian Avengers, NY, for example, have large collections because one of our coordinators was a member of both.

…many of our collections are catalogued in databases at our building. one of our plans for the future is to make those databases available online…

The org files contain flyers, minutes, posters, fundraising letters and other material produced by or about the group, including newspaper articles. All of the information pertaining to these files has been catalogued and can be searched on our computer.

Unpublished Papers

The unpublished papers collection is another unique part of the Archives. It includes 1,000 theses, college papers, speeches, dissertations, short stories, poetry and other works written by lesbians over the past thirty-five years. A rich source of research materials covering a vast array of topics, this collection houses prose and poetry, fiction and non-fiction and reflects those brilliant insights, theories, ideas and fantasies our young and old lesbian minds have conjured up over the years. Some material was written for submission for publication; other material was written for high school, college and graduate school courses, or for self-pleasure. When a researcher uses material from the Archives for their research we ask that they send us their finished paper(s) and these too will be found in this collection. Unpublished papers are kept in two five-drawer filing cabinets plus overflow boxes and are arranged alphabetically by the name of the paper, story or poem. These are also on our database and can be search by keywords in the title as well as by author.

Also known as “Lesbians in…”, the information in these files is very useful if you are planning a trip or if you just want to get a sense of another place. And, recently, an intern did a wonderful job of organizing these files so they are in really good shape. The files contain two sections. The first contains the International Geographic Files, with material from countries other than the U.S. They are arranged alphabetically by the name of the country and within that by cities or towns. The second part contains the U.S. Geographic Files, arranged alphabetically by state and within each state by city or town. Each file holds an assortment of material ranging from local “lesbian/gay maps” and guides, to flyers of events, listings of bars, newspaper clippings, or a local newsletter. These files were built up over the years with material from any number of lesbians who brought us an interesting article or paper or perhaps a handful of stuff from their home state or country or that they picked up while traveling. There’s a file for each of the states in the United States and current international files start with Albania and end with Zimbabwe.

These files are arranged alphabetically by the first name of the lesbian. As opposed to Special Collections, which contain material donated by individual lesbians, these files contain public materials we have found which contain information about well-known and not well-known lesbians. So, while we might file an article about Eleanor Roosevelt, Martina Navratilova, or Eva Le Galliene, we also create files for lesbians who have marriage or commitment ceremony announcements or obituaries in local papers, who give a reading or have an art exhibit.

As you may know, with very minor exceptions materials in our collections have been donated by members of our communities. This has enabled us to create an archive with an incomparable range of material representing diverse lesbian lives and cultures. We are truly pleased you are considering donating material to the Archives, adding to the depth and breadth of its collections.

There are two ways you can support the Archives with the donation of material. You can donate material for placement in our regular collections (books, videos, CDs, DVDs, t-shirts, magazines, journals, graphics, etc.) or you can donate your personal or organizational papers and memorabilia and we will create a Special Collection for you.

Each of these requires some preparation, if possible, which will make our work much easier. In the case of your own personal collection, it will also help to insure that your life or organization is represented in the way you see it, rather than with a structure we impose. 

Regular Collections

Like many of the lesbians we know, various keepsakes representing lesbian life and experience may be filling up shelves, file cabinets, boxes, drawers, closets, the garage or basement in your home. At some point you may decide it’s time to make room for more. Rather than putting that material out in the street, please realize that it will be invaluable to generations of lesbians who will come after you.

If you have read our tour of the archives and the description of our collections, you know we preserve all types of materials. Whether it is a zine that was only published once, a mainstream TV program you taped, or an entire collection of mystery books by lesbian authors, we would like you to consider donating it to the Archives. However, in order to keep our work to a minimum, we ask you to follow a simple procedure.

Like most Archives, we have limited space. For our books and older (or rare) periodicals we keep one exact copy in the Archives and store one exact duplicate (or set) off site. Unless they are rare or one-of-a kind, we only keep one copy of t-shirts, videos, CDs, LPs, etc. So, if you have decided to give us any of these types of materials we ask that you contact us first and send us a list of the material you have. You can fax it (718-768-4553) or mail it (LHEF, Inc. 484 14th Street Brooklyn, New York 11215). Give us the titles, author and dates of books; the title, year, volume and numbers of the periodical issues; the descriptions of the words and graphics on T-shirts (unless they are one-of-a-kind), and identifying information about CDs, DVDs, videos, etc. When we have this information we can check it against our database. Then we’ll get back to you telling you which material does not duplicate something we already have and you can send it to us. We appreciate that this takes some time but we ask that you please do this, rather than simply mailing the material to us.

When you donate material for placement in our regular collections you do not have to fill out donor forms. However, if the material is meaningful to you in a specific way - for example, a T-shirt reminds you of a particular event or person - it would be great if you could describe that in a letter that accompanies the material. We include this type of information in our databases.

Special Collections

Creating Your Special Collection

As noted earlier, our Special Collections are made up of the personal papers of individual lesbians or the papers from LGBT organizations with known lesbian participation. In the case of organizations, a Special Collection is usually created after an organization no longer exists and sends us its papers. One can also be created when an individual who helped found an organization or worked in it for a long time sends us papers about that organization and asks that it be kept as a Special Collection rather than simply being integrated into our Organization Files.

While we have Special Collections from many “well-known” lesbians and from large organizations, we also have many collections from lesbians you have probably never heard of, lesbians who – like most of us –live their lives in relative anonymity and belong to or have created local, small organizations. We especially value the latter because our goal is to have Special Collections from as wide and diverse a group of lesbians and communities as possible. For the holdings of the Archives to reflect the complexities and richness of our varied communities, lives and internationalities, we need all your stories – ranging from women who have lived their lives as lesbians to transgendered women living as lesbians, to married women who remember the one affair they had, to lesbian sex workers, to lesbian mothers of lesbian daughters – and we need these stories in all the languages you speak. In that way our history will more accurately reflect the range of lives we have led rather than reducing us to a stereotype or to a few “famous” women.

Donating Your Special Collection to the Archives

Although you can donate your Special Collection at the Archives at any point in your life. we suggest you to begin at an early age. But whenever you decide to send your material to the Archives you should, if possible, follow the suggestions above.

Send the material to our mailing address along with which ever of our Donor Forms apply to the type of material you are sending. It is essential that you include Donor Forms with your collection. They allow you to state how and under what conditions you will allow access to and use of the material in your collection. These are important decisions you should think about carefully. And, without them we must stringently restrict their use by researchers.

Once you send us your material and the donor forms, we will give your Special Collection a number and add it to our database along with any instructions you send regarding its use. We suggest that you keep a copy of the donor forms. You can add to your collection at anytime. Simply mail us the additional material and we will do the rest.

In addition, include a detailed bequest to the Lesbian Herstory Archives in your will. If you make such a bequest regarding your papers, photos, etc., it will be less likely that uncaring or hostile relatives will lose or destroy your papers. Ensure that your will is legally binding by consulting a lawyer.

Offering your collection to the Lesbian Herstory Archives is offering a reflection of yourself to your community. Lesbians and others who seek to know us by exploring your life are eager to read your words, know your thoughts, and view your images. Placing your collection in the Archives is a courageous and generous act. Thanks to you and others who have offered collections to the Archives, lesbian herstory will live as a life-giving force for generations to come. We thank you for your generosity, in memory of the voices we have lost.

Upcoming at the Archives

As the Lesbian Herstory Archives mourns the passing of Barbara Hammer, we celebrate her life. Even in her last days, she fought for dignity. Our hearts are with her partner, Florrie Burke, and her loved ones.