Queer Mississippi Histories was spearheaded at the University of Mississippi in collaboration with Invisible Histories, a groundbreaking archiving project that documents, preserves, and creates educational materials about the rich and expansive history of LGBTQ people, places, and movements in the US South.

The Queer Mississippi project and digital repository documents the lives of lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, and/or queer people who were born, raised, or spent significant time in Mississippi. Supported by the Mellon Foundation, the National Science Foundation’s REU program, and internal grants, Queer MS has collected more than 65 oral histories with LGBTQ+ trailblazers, performers, business owners, churchgoers, HIV/AIDS caregivers, and political leaders, along with photographs, a large record collection, videos, art, posters, and memorabilia.

As project director, I train students in oral history interviewing, secure and manage funding, update the digital repository, and organize public exhibitions of the collection’s holdings on and beyond the university campus.

Community engagement

Queer Mississippi is a research undertaking that brings faculty and students from diverse disciplines together in a shared effort to create a public record that fosters connection and understanding. Through the project, students become active historians, social scientists, and storytellers who bridge the gap between academic research and community engagement, ensuring that local LGBTQ+ history is preserved and shared publicly.

The project also operates as a specialized course that guides students through the entire research process, from data collection and analysis to public exhibition. You can access the digital repository, learn about the course, and see photos of student exhibitions by scrolling down and clicking the buttons below.

Photos from Queer Belonging Opening Reception