Queer History Boston is a community archives that has documented, preserved, and shared LGBTQ+ histories of Boston and New England since 1980. 

Image: Boston’s First Pride March, 1971

Collections

Queer History Boston (formerly The History Project) maintains one of the largest independent LGBTQ+ archives in the nation. We steward more than 200 collections documenting the history of New England’s LGBTQ communities, from pre-Stonewall times to the present day.

Digitized Collections

Visit the Collections

Queer History Boston
565 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116

Use of the archives is free and open to the public! Due to limited space in the archives, our hours are by appointment only.

 

Featured News

Featured
Queer History Boston
News
Queer History Boston
News

Today, more than ever, we want to be visible, accessible, and open. Queer History Boston proclaims who we are proudly and inclusively. LGBTQ+ people have long since reclaimed the word queer — as a political rallying cry, an academic field, and a community identity. It’s fluid, expansive, and active in the language of our contemporary multigenerational community.

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Upcoming Events

Queer History Boston provides opportunities for groups to engage with our mission to document, preserve, and share LGBTQ history.

We work with companies and affinity groups by providing enlightening and engaging activities for their employees. We also offer programs highlighting LGBTQ history for private groups of students, friends, colleagues, Meetup groups and anyone interested in LGBTQ history.

Community History Services

Shop Queer History

Using Bonfire's print-on-demand service, we've created swag for all your LGBTQ+ history needs. Order a shirt, sweatshirt, mug, or bag to show off your historic LGBTQ pride and support The History Project!

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Abe Rybeck poses with fellow band members Scott Madden, Felice Shays, and Lynn Brown as Adult Children of Heterosexuals, performing high camp cabaret in Cambridge, MA. Adult Children of Heterosexuals formed in 1992, and consisted of several Theater
🌈 The 2025 HistoryMaker Awards are just ONE WEEK away! 🎉 Join Queer History Boston on Sept 30 as we honor QHB’s founders & Kimm Topping at our annual celebration of Boston’s LGBTQ+ past, present, and future. 🎟️ Tickets + Host Com
Crowd of the 1992 Boston AIDS Walk participants stretches down Beacon Street in Boston with the giant Citgo sign in the distance. Coll. 104 Gay Community News Photograph Collection Thanks Heather for finding this photo! Were you there? Have a stor
Earlier this summer our amazing intern Kali went full queer zine fairy ✨ sneaking our soft-launch zines into little free libraries, zine swaps, bulletin boards, and even magnet-bags on light poles all over Boston. Did you spot one out in the wild? ?
Page and Petra: Being Trans in the 1980s (1988). “Page and I were like matching bookends. We both had rebellious platinum blonde hair, slender figures, and were fond of black outfits & light foundation to contrast our heavily winged eyes &
The History Project is now Queer History Boston! For over four decades, we’ve safeguarded the stories of Boston’s LGBTQ+ community as The History Project. Now, we’re stepping into a new era with a name that better reflects who we a
This panel of the Names Project AIDS quilt celebrates the life of Michael O’Leary (1949-1986), a member of Men of All Colors Together Boston- the Boston chapter of the National Asssociation of Black and White Men Together. Men of All Colors Tog
✨ Jamaica Plain ✨ A group of people sitting in a room, posing with a shiny sign which says: “Jamaica Plain.” Coll. 104 Gay Community News Photograph Collection 📸 Unknown Thanks Allegra + Myla for finding this pic! Were you there? Ha
Five people ride in a car labeled “Gay Portugal Pride” at Boston Pride, 1991. Pride Collection: photographer unknown Were you there? Have a story to share? Drop a comment below or email us at info@historyproject.org