UNO’s Queer Omaha Archives is collecting oral history interviews from community members. Over 50 community members have recorded their voices and shared their stories.
Oral History Interviews
UNO’s Queer Omaha Archives began collecting oral history interviews from community members in 2016. Oral histories are an important primary source, especially so when analog or digital records documenting people and events do not survive for study and use. Over 50 community members from 20 to 90 years of age have recorded their voices and shared their stories since 2016. Many of these recordings are available online from UNO Libraries Digital Collections.
The archives is in the early stages of this immense and ongoing project and would appreciate hearing from community members like you who wish to be interviewed, would like to nominate someone to be interviewed, or are able to make a financial contribution to support this LGBTQIA+ oral history initiative. This project is only possible with support from community members like you. If you are interested in sharing your story in an oral history, contact us at unoasc@unomaha.edu or 402.554.6046.
Chronology of LGBTQ+ Voices: The Queer Omaha Archives Oral History Project
2020: The current round of funding came to an end during the COVID-19 global pandemic.
2019: An award matching the Humanities Nebraska and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment grant was received from the Eugene S. and Sunny M. Thomas Endowed Fund for Innovation.
September 2018: The Queer Omaha Archives received a grant from Humanities Nebraska and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. LGBTQ+ Voices: The Queer Omaha Archives Oral History Project included a free oral history workshop (November 17, 2018) for the public. The grant was matched with gifts to the Queer Omaha Archives from private individuals and organizations.
2018: An award matching the HN grant was received from the Eugene S. and Sunny M. Thomas Endowed Fund for Innovation to record and share more oral history interviews.
June 2018: Oral history interviews were available online. Visit the LGBTQ+ Oral History Collection on this site to listen to, browse, or search interviews.
September 2017: The Queer Omaha Archives announced a $2,000 grant funded by Humanities Nebraska (HN) and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. LGBTQ+ Voices: The Queer Omaha Archives Oral History Project included a free oral history workshop (October 2017) for the public and the collection of 20 oral history interviews. The grant was matched with gifts to the Queer Omaha Archives from private individuals and organizations. Since 2017, all oral history interviews have been recorded by Luke Wegener.
Fall 2016: During the fall 2016 semester, Dr. Jay Irwin's Sociology 3700: Introduction to LGBT Studies students conducted oral history interviews with community members as part of their coursework. These interviews were intentionally collected for the archives and were transferred to the archives at the end of the semester. Dr. Irwin also conducted oral history interviews with Emeritus Dean Shelton Hendricks and Emeritus Professor Meredith Bacon in 2016 for the archives.
July 2016: The Queer Omaha Archives was officially launched.