More Articles | WI LGBTQ History Project

News Articles:

November 22, 2024

Celebrate "80 Years of Gay" at Fluid Milwaukee

We're raising money to protect Wisconsin's first LGBTQ historic marker -- at an address that has been a queer destination for eight decades.

August 12, 2024

Don Schwamb retires from History Project leadership

After three decades of service, our founder passes the torch to the next generation.

October 09, 2023

Celebrate National LGBT History Month

Join Mayor Cavalier Johnson, representatives from the Governor's Office, Milwaukee County Executive's Office and Milwaukee Common Council, and The HIVE employer resource group for our annual dedication of National LGBT History Month.

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Blog Articles:

October 10, 2024

Marlo Rhodes: being seen for six decades

Trans youth of the 1960s weren't welcome at home or safe on the streets. Now 80, Marlo Rhodes shares her stories of survival.

October 09, 2024

Barbara Hayden: the nights belonged to us

Nearly seventy years after taking a summer job that changed her life forever, Barbara reflects on what the LGBTQ community has gained -- and lost -- since 1956.

October 08, 2024

Liberace: the spark that made Milwaukee spectacular

One can only imagine what the most visible and vocal gay man of the 20th century could have achieved – if only he had been allowed to be himself.

October 06, 2024

Frank Blunt: legendary boss of the Bad Lands

He smoked, drank, gambled, hustled, and womanized like no other man in Milwaukee. And, one fateful day in 1893, Milwaukee learned why.

July 01, 2024

Janice Toy: living her truth

Growing up in 70s and 80s Milwaukee, Janice triumphed over the challenges in her journey. Now, she wants to pass along what she has learned to others.

July 01, 2024

George Poage: the thrill of victory, the agony of being seen

Celebrating the triumph of Wisconsin’s first gay Black Olympian: George Coleman Poage.

June 17, 2024

Shannon Dupree: breaking barriers to be seen

She was told to "stay in her lane." Instead, she chose to break all the rules -- and became a drag legend.

April 29, 2024

Emily Mills: make your life something to remember

"No matter who you are, know that there are people who look up to you."

April 29, 2024

Brenda Coley: building a healthier, stronger, louder community

"We have a real struggle now, and I don't think people fully understand what we're up against."

April 27, 2024

Brenda Hanus: the power of finding your people

When you're questioning everything about yourself, a supportive and welcoming community means the world.

April 26, 2024

Tanya Atkinson: we will never be silent

At a time when both LGBTQ rights and women's rights are under attack, Tanya reminds us that we are strongest together.

April 26, 2024

DJ Shawna: dare to be the difference

Growing up without visible LGBTQ role models, Shawna Nicols wants to be the person she needed when she was younger.

April 12, 2024

Andy Bagnall: this is who I was meant to be

At the height of Milwaukee's AIDS crisis, this community caregiver found his calling.

April 12, 2024

Les Petites Bon Bons: the surprise in your Cracker Jacks

Skyrocketing from Milwaukee's South Shore to the Sunset Strip of the '70s, Les Petites Bon Bons became artists in residence in the glitter rock scene, court jesters for rock and roll royalty, and masterful manipulators of mass media.

March 31, 2024

Candi Stratton: confronting the hidden dangers of body work

After life-changing surgery, Candi speaks out against the medical black market and the cultural pressures trans women face.

March 29, 2024

Debi Vance and Cindy Olsheske: the dynamic duo

Together nearly 45 years, the couple has defined LGBTQ community involvement for decades.

March 25, 2024

Jerry Dreva: shattering the status quo

Jerry Dreva was a brilliant artist who never owned a gallery. His canvas was the life around him.

March 23, 2024

Eric Wynn: my life as a Club 219 girl

Erica Stevens was one of Milwaukee's most electrifying drag superstars of the early '80s -- until she walked away at the height of her fame.

March 11, 2024

Trevor Topel: this is your life

As a transgender man, rural life wasn't always easy -- but Trevor is determined to find happiness.

March 04, 2024

Martha Marvel: a journey to truth

After decades of self-discovery, Martha Marvel discovered love, acceptance, and inspiration.

March 01, 2024

Nik Santilli: rewriting the rules of gender expression

For most of the 20th century, gender expansive people lived in fear of sexual harassment under the mythical "three piece rule." In 1971, the Santilli case changed everything.

February 20, 2024

Harry James Hanson: the trouble with Harry

Harry has lived life on their own terms since age 2. In 2023, Hanson's Legends of Drag: Queens of a Certain Age project became a national sensation.

February 20, 2024

Bill Wardlow: celebrating the power of community

It's not easy growing up gay in a small town. Here's the story of how Bill became the role model he needed when he was younger.

February 20, 2024

Chuck King: from Wisconsin to Wilton Manors

Today, he owns the number one gay club in the nation -- but the king of nightlife has deep Wisconsin roots.

February 19, 2024

Patrick Flaherty: one small spark can ignite an inferno

Patrick Flaherty's life-long passion for leading change was inspired by a single news story.

February 19, 2024

Maryann "Flash" Gorski: never stop searching for unicorns

For over 50 years, Maryann "Flash" Gorski has been advocating for bisexual awareness and acceptance in Milwaukee.

January 31, 2024

In Memoriam: Miss Tracey James

At a time when cross-dressing was criminalized, Miss Tracey dared to be the most visible transgender woman of her time.

January 13, 2024

In Memoriam: Jerry Johnson

Jerry Johnson was a devoted community activist for over five decades. He made significant gifts of time, money and materials to support the Wisconsin LGBTQ History Project.

October 09, 2023

Louis Stimac: Celebrating a long-lost champion of our hidden history

Since 1994, LGBT History Month has been celebrated every October to commemorate the contributions of our community. October was specifically chosen to coincide with National Coming Out Day (October 11) and the first and second marches on Washington for LGBT rights (1979, 1987.)

October 09, 2023

Who’s Who in Wisconsin LGBTQ History: Jackie Roberts & Rudi D’Angelo

“We think about you always, we talk about you still. You have never been forgotten, and you never will.” Going forward, every issue of Our Lives will highlight colorful characters from throughout Wisconsin LGBTQ history. By sharing their stories, we hope to keep their memories alive forever.

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