Queer Miami: A History of LGBTQ Communities, curated by Miami native and history professor Julio Capó Jr., will chronicle Miami’s queer past, reflecting its gender and sexual diversity for over one hundred years. Through artifacts, photographs, archival footage, and more, the exhibition will display the stories of Miami’s queer communities who, despite discrimination, isolation, and violence, managed to carve out spaces for themselves and made their voices heard in southern Florida. The exhibition opens Saturday, March 16 at HistoryMiami Museum.
“We are thrilled to show Miami’s LGBTQ community of today and the journey to this present moment,” said HistoryMiami Museum Executive Director Jorge Zamanillo. “This exhibit is unique because the story is still being told and changing every day. We’re inviting visitors to tell their own stories and be a part of history.”
An expert on the intersection of gender and sexuality throughout history, Capó is also the author of Welcome to Fairyland: Queer Miami Before 1940. Published by the University of North Carolina Press in 2017, his book has received six honors, including several awards from the Florida Historical Society, Florida Book Awards, and Southern Historical Association. Capó is an associate professor of history at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
“It’s an exciting—and most necessary—time to tell these stories,” said Capó. “One of the greatest challenges in studying LGBTQ history is that our lives and experiences are so often purposefully erased from history books and archives. As this exhibit will show, our LGBTQ community, of which I am also a proud member, has persisted and persevered in Miami since its inception.”
Queer Miami will be HistoryMiami Museum’s featured exhibition for the 2018-2019 calendar. Displayed in the museum’s 5,000 square foot gallery, Queer Miami will address topics such as: policing and criminalization, community development, advocacy and activism, immigration and the AIDS crisis, and what the future holds for Miami’s queer community. Visitors will be able to see memorabilia from some of Miami’s oldest gay bars, photographs of rallies and marches, archival material from Anita Bryant’s “Save Our Children” campaign, historical footage, and original video interviews from the people involved in creating Miami’s LGBTQ communities. Interactive components will encourage visitors to contribute their own story to the exhibition.
HistoryMiami Museum will open the exhibition with a preview party on Friday, March 15 at 6 pm. The opening event will feature live music, performances, complimentary beverages, and more. Tickets are $10 or free with pre-registration. Visit bit.ly/queer-miami-party to reserve your spot.
Museum Hours & Fees:
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00am – 5:00pm; Sunday, 12:00pm – 5:00pm; Monday, closed.
Regular museum admission: $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students with ID, $5 for children 6-12, and free for museum members and children under 6.