I spent President’s Day weekend with my family in a most appropriate place: Washington, D.C. I’m still catching up on laundry and such, so for today, please enjoy an image from our visit to the National Museum of American History. The museum, part of the Smithsonian, is now the repository for the papers and materials of LGBT equality pioneer Frank Kameny, as explained in a museum blog post from several years ago (and again, last year, the day after he died).
What’s more, the placards in the photo here are in a glass case in the lobby off the National Mall, right next to the Mall Museum Store—not hidden two floors up in an obscure corner.
If, as the old saying goes, history is written by the victors, gay inclusion in this museum means that we’re winning. As the story of every other civil rights movement in the museum bears testament, however, winning equality is a lengthy and ongoing process.
What other LGBT memorabilia, papers, and historical objects would you like to see at the Smithsonian to mark our struggles and successes? What is worthy and iconic enough to be preserved among our national treasures?
Awesome, and I’m glad to hear about the placement. However, with all of our rainbow wonderful- ness, couldn’t we have included something a little more modern and bright too, lol? :)