Madison LGBTQ+ Archive

Mission

The Madison LGBTQ+ Archive collects, preserves, and makes accessible LGBTQ+ histories across Dane County, Wisconsin, in order to honor the contributions of these communities, foster intergenerational dialogue, inform education, and inspire intersectional research, activism, and advocacy.

Vision

By amplifying and centering LGBTQ+ and intersectional voices and perspectives, we strive to challenge erasure and discrimination and create a more just, equitable, and inclusive society for all.

About Us

Originally founded in 2007 as a project of the Oral History Program within UW Archives, the Madison LGBTQ+ Archive has grown to collect physical and digital archival collections, and is now officially part of the University Archives and Records Management department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Through our archival collections and oral histories, we strive to document and honor the contributions, triumphs and struggles of the LGBTQ+ communities across Dane County, Wisconsin, including materials from individuals, organizations, and businesses associated with these communities. We are committed to providing a safe and inclusive space where people can research, explore, reclaim, and connect with history and heritage. 

Open to everyone, the Madison LGBTQ+ Archive serves as a resource for research, education, and cultural enrichment by promoting understanding, empathy, and respect for LGBTQ+ communities. We actively collaborate with community groups, scholars, activists, and institutional partners to ensure that LGBTQ+ history is recognized, valued, and preserved for future generations.

To learn more about what we collect, consult the Madison LGBTQ+ Archive Collection Development Policy. For more information about the Madison LGBTQ+ Archive, contact University Archives and Records Management at 608-262-5629 or email us.

Awards

In 2019, the Madison LGBTQ+ Archive was awarded the Wisconsin Governor’s Archival Advocacy Award. At the time the award was given, “The LGBTQ Archives Committee, in collaboration with the UW-Madison Archives, was recognized for acquiring 94 archival collections relating to the history of the LGBTQ community in Dane County, as well as conducting interviews with more than 80 professors, students, and activists concerning LGBTQ+ history in south-central Wisconsin through UW-Madison’s Oral History Program.” 

Today the Madison LGBTQ+ Archive has over 250 archival collections relating to the history of LGBTQ+ communities in Dane County, and close to 200 oral histories concerning LGBTQ+ history in south-central Wisconsin.