Continuing our Celebration of Henry's 100th!
2024 has already been such an exciting--and busy--year for us at FMA! As we continue celebrating Henry Faulkner's 100th Birthday, we have several big announcements, including the premier of the first feature-length film on Henry! Plus, catch up on all the ways we've been sharing Kentucky's LGBTQ History, thanks to your support!
We are eager to see what the rest of the year brings, and we look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events!
UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS
FILM PREMIER
Thursday, May 30 at 7:15pm
The Kentucky Theatre
214 E Main St, Lexington, KY
Join us for the premiere of Under The Southern Cross: The Art and Legacy of Henry L. Faulkner. Produced by Jean Donohue of Media Working Group, this groundbreaking film explores Faulkner's profound significance in LGBTQ history. As an openly gay artist in post-World War II America, with close ties to luminaries like Tennessee Williams and fellow gay Kentucky artist Edward Melcarth, Under The Southern Cross highlights Faulkner's often overlooked but far-reaching impact on the nation’s sexual landscape.
AFTER PARTY
Thursday, May 30 from 9pm to 10:30pm
The Bar Complex
224 E Main St, Lexington, KY
Walk in Henry’s footsteps! The Faulkner Morgan Archive proudly presents the Official After Party, sponsored by The Bar Complex. Join us for drinks, enjoy the legendary "million-dollar dance floor" of Johnny Angel fame, and mingle with filmmaker Jean Donohue and other featured personalities from the film. Your $10 donation at entry supports the Faulkner Morgan Archive's mission.
We are so grateful to The Bar Complex for their generous sponsorship of the Official After Party, and for donating 50% of the night’s drink sales!
We've Been Busy!
In March, we partnered with Transylvania University for their 7th Annual Transylvania Liberal Arts + Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-thon. Around 70 attendees including students, staff, faculty, and community members came together to create and edit Wikipedia pages for LGBTQ Kentuckians!
Our traveling exhibition, Here, Black, Femme, & Queer, was installed at the Transylvania University Library and will be on view until June 5. This exhibition of images shines a light on the lives and legacies of Black, femme, & queer people from right here in Kentucky. From the fiery performances of Toni LaFlame to the downtown strolls of Sweet Evening Breeze, these individuals have played a crucial role in making Lexington a safer space for the LGBTQ+ community.
Want to be a host venue for this traveling exhibition? Reach out to us at info@faulknermorgan.org!
We were also invited to speak at the Fayette County Public Schools GSA Summit at Paul Lawerence Dunbar High School. This was the first time that queer, GSA students from all six Fayette County public high schools were able to come together like this. We absolutely loved being able to take part and share Kentucky's LGBTQ history with the students.
Earlier last month, 23 students from Eastern Kentucky University joined FMA for a guided Pride Of Place walking tour of Lexington's LGBTQ history! Hosted by The Center for Inclusive Excellence and Global Engagement, these students took a trip up from Richmond to check out iconic queer landmarks like The Bar Complex, the Sweet Evening Breeze mural, and Lexington's three LGBTQ historic markers.
Want to take this tour yourself? Check out our self-guided version at faulknermorgan.org/pride!
Now Accepting Researchers!
After inventorying and moving the collections to our new archive facility (more on that to come!), we are excited to announce that we are now scheduling in-person researchers in our new space. We are so excited to embark on this new chapter of improved, more accessible collections!
The Faulkner Morgan Archive currently houses 15,000 items and more than 250 hours of recorded interviews. Our collections span 200 years of history, representing individuals, events, and institutions across Kentucky’s diverse LGBTQ spectrum, creating a rich resource for activists, scholars, artists, and museums. Interested in including FMA in your research? Visit faulknermorgan.org/use-our-collections to learn more!
"A Brief Butch History"
Read our new article "A Brief Butch History" in the most recent Queer Kentucky issue on Reimagining Masculinity! Make sure to grab yourself a copy of the magazine and discover the stories behind some of the images of "butch" women from our collections.