LGBTQ Pride Month is celebrated across the globe each June.
Pride Month began on June 28, 1970, one year to the day after the beginning of the Stonewall Uprising: a series of protests by the LGBTQ community, led primarily by Black and Brown trans and queer people. On that first anniversary, parades were held in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
Since then, three presidents have officially declared June to be Pride month, and it has been recognized consistently at the federal level over the past two decades. June has become a time for LGBTQ people to both commemorate the history of the LGBTQ community and to celebrate the freedom to live authentically. The month is filled with parades, celebrations and educational events to honor the community’s history and to celebrate the impact that LGBTQ people have had on local and worldwide history.
Whether you celebrate Pride Month or want to learn more about its purpose, the Library has resources to better understand this history both locally and throughout the country. We encourage you to explore our catalog to find stories and resources that speak to you, but our Librarians have also gathered some resources for anyone interested:
- June is Pride Month! - history and education
- June is Pride Month! - non-fiction and education
- June is LGBTQ Pride Month – graphic novels and memoirs
- June is Pride Month! - graphic novels and non-fiction
- Here All Along – A History of LGBTQ communities in America and around the world
Celebrating Pride Month? Enjoy these Librarian picks:
- June is LGBTQ Pride Month – books for kids and families
- June is LGBTQ Pride Month – adult romances
- June is LGBTQ Pride Month – new adult reads
- June is LGBTQ Pride Month – teen fiction
- June is LGBTQ Pride Month – sci fi/fantasy with pride
- LGBTQ+ Graphic Novels
- Teen Books to Read with Pride
- Family, Fun, Freedom – new LGBTQ Picture Books!
The Library also offers myriad digital resources that can help anyone interested learn more about LGBTQ+ history, art and culture.
eBooks & eAudiobooks on Libby:
LGBTQIA+ fiction
LGBTQIA+ - non-fiction
Films:
Discover Kanopy’s colorful collection of films that honor and celebrate those in the LGBTQ+ community with this list.
World News:
NewsBank has created "Social Issues” and “Diversity Equity Inclusion" topics, where you can find information on #LGBTQ+ current events, gender and identity advocacy, community resources, and more. To learn about our e-resources, click here and log in with your Library card.
Research:
Find hundreds of LGBTQ+ biographies in the Gale Biography database.
A digital archive of ACLU Papers that include historical documents pertaining to gender issues that the ACLU took on in the twentieth century. Search terms like gender, homosexuality, gay, LGBTQ, etc. pull up relevant documents
National database of LGBTQIA+ business and community organizations.
History Reference Center database search for LGBTQ+ articles.
Local Resources:
Johnson County Mental Health offers resources for anyone seeking individual or community support. Follow them on Facebook or visit their website.
Recorded Events:
The Past is Prologue: Kansas City and the Rise of Gay Rights
Stuart Hinds from the Gay and Lesbian Archives of Mid-America presented on pre-Stonewall LGBT activism in Kansas City.
The Past is Prologue: Lessons in Activism from LBGTQIA+ Kansas
Journalist C.J. Janovy presented on her book “No Place Like Home: Lessons in Activism from LGBT Kansas”.