The Gay and Lesbian Archive of Mid-America (GLAMA) includes a wide range of items, such as personal and organizational papers, images, magazines, ephemera, memorabilia, and other materials related to the history of the local LGBT communities. The Archives has two repositories: the LaBudde Special Collections Department at the Miller Nichols Library at the University of Missouri–Kansas City and the Kansas City Museum. Among the notable aspects are the archives of the AIDS Service Foundation, the performance archives of Melinda Ryder and DeDe DeVille, and a large selection of AIDS WALK Kansas City t-shirts, primarily from the collection of Mike Sugnet. The Kansas City Museum houses approximately 500 collection items. These artifacts are available for research, for exhibits, or for loans to other museums for exhibit or research. GLAMA was originally founded as a collaboration of three organizations; the third was the Jackson County Historical Society. Learn more at LibWebUMKC.edu or KansasCityMuseum.org.

Featured in the June 10, 2023 issue of The Independent
Photo credit: Bruce Bandle and Kansas City Museum