Preserving the Stories, Struggle, and Joy of Rural Queer Liberation
Our Mission
The Vermont Queer Archives (VQA), a program of the Pride Center of Vermont, is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and celebrating the rich history, ephemera, and lived experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Vermonters. Founded in the late 1990s, the VQA serves as a living testament to rural resilience, charting our collective journey from underground networks to landmark civil rights victories.
We believe that preserving our past is a vital act of decolonization, education, and community-building that provides a roadmap for future generations of organizers.
About the Archive
The physical archive is safely housed at the Pride Center of Vermont in Burlington, curated in a secure, climate-controlled environment to protect fragile historical materials. Our holdings include:
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Periodicals & Print Media: Complete print runs of Out in the Mountains, Commonwomon, and regional newsletters.
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Ephemera & Artifacts: Decades of historic protest buttons, original march banners, t-shirts, flyers, and regional Pride posters.
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Photographic Archives: Visual documentation of early marches, rural communes, community potlucks, and legislative battles.
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Oral Histories: Audio recordings and transcripts capturing the living voices of the elders, activists, and everyday people who built Vermont’s queer community.
Schedule a Research Visit
The VQA is open to students, researchers, educators, historians, and community members by appointment. Whether you are working on an academic thesis, a public art project, or looking to connect with your roots, we welcome you.
Bring History to Your Community
We frequently partner with local libraries, regional Pride organizations, historical societies, and schools to loan out high-quality print exhibition panels and traveling timeline displays.
Support and Build the Archive
Donate Your History
The history of Queer Vermont is still being written, and it belongs to the people. We are actively seeking donations of historical materials to expand our collection. We are looking for:
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Photographs of Vermont LGBTQ+ life, events, and spaces (especially pre-2000s).
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Flyers, posters, and meeting minutes from defunct local queer organizations.
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Personal diaries, letters, or items reflecting rural queer life in Vermont.
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Digital assets and modern grassroots organizing ephemera.
Have items to share? Send us an email directly at vqa@pridecentervt.org.
Volunteer Your Time
Help us keep our history accessible. We routinely look for volunteer stewards to assist with sorting, preservation tracking, cataloging, and digitizing physical items.