LGBT archivist in Northampton, MA, seeks space for collection

Mattachine Society and the Daughters of Bilitis before it. One archivist in Northampton, Massachusetts, has acquired a vast collection in his home and is looking for a space to house it. From MassLive.com: NORTHAMPTON – A newly formed foundation is hoping to bring information about the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender worlds all the way out of the closet into a dedicated facility that will serve as a resource for the entire East Coast. The Sexual Minorities Educational Foundation Inc. already boasts one of the most extensive archives on gay life, history and art in the country, but since 1979 it has been confined to the Northampton home of Bet Power, the president of the foundation’s board of directors. With the recent establishment of the 12-member board and a pending application for nonprofit status, the foundation is hoping to take the long-awaited next step and set up shop in a new location where the archives can be readily accessible to the public. “It’s always been my intention to have it open to the public,” said Power, who has hosted a steady parade of students and scholars at his home for decades. “I wanted to organize and give it a structure.” Continue reading]]>