Our Collections
At the heart of our archive lies a treasure trove of over 15,000 items and 250 hours of recorded interviews, spanning two centuries of Kentucky's LGBTQ history. From individuals to events, and from institutions to activism, our collections reflect the rich diversity of Kentucky's LGBTQ community, serving as a vital resource for activists, scholars, artists, and museums alike.
The collections of the Faulkner Morgan Archive are unique in two ways.
We only collect material with a direct relationship to Kentucky's LGBTQ community and LGBTQ Kentuckians.
We have developed an oral-history-based methodology of collecting, wherein donors are recorded describing their collection and the stories their collection holds. In effect, artifacts become tied to the oral histories of their donors, creating a rich resource for activists, scholars, artists, and museums.
Our collections represent numerous individuals, events, and institutions from across Kentucky, and help emphasize Kentucky's important role within the broader national narrative of LGBTQ history.
Featured Collections
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Featured Collections *
All Collections
Louis Bickett
Louis Bickett, is a well-known Lexington artist and gay man. In this interview he talks about his childhood in Winchester, moving to Lexington at the age of 32, and the gay scene here. He also talks about the way it has influenced his art, and the distance he often felt with the gay community of Lexington. He talks about AIDS and his career at the Lexington restaurant of note, A La Lucie’s.
Edwin Hackney
Edwin Hackney was a social worker and lifelong gay activist. In the early 1980s, he implemented the Gay Services Organization Gay Line which later became GLSO Pride Center. He was a founding member of AVOL Kentucky, which in the early days was a volunteer mobilization effort to do whatever it took to care for those suffering from HIV disease when resources were scarce. He gave mental health help to the volunteers who were aiding the sick. He also served as an officer for NALGAP (National Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Addiction Professionals and their allies).
Robert Morgan
The Robert Morgan Collection is a group of photographs and ephemera that belonged to Robert (Bob) Morgan, a queer man and artist from Lexington, Kentucky.
Pagan Babies
This collection of images is largely comprised of a thought-to-be-lost portfolio of photographs produced by John Denny Ashley in collaboration with the artist Robert Morgan and his cadre of artists and misfits from the mid-1970s into the 80s. They called themselves the Pagan Babies. In addition to Ashley’s photographs are images taken by R. Michael Walker of many of the same individuals.
Cherie “C.D.” Collins
Cherie Collins, originally from Mt. Sterling, now in Boston, talks about her life in Mt. Sterling, coming to terms with her lesbianism, alongside her experiences at Morehead State University and the University of Kentucky. Cherie was one of the original members of the Women’s Commune on West Second Street, Lexington, in the early 1970s.
Jill Raymond
Jill Raymond delivered this material during her visit to the Faulkner Morgan Archive on January 15, 2019. It includes material from her time imprisoned for refusing to cooperate into the investigation of Susan Saxe and Kathy Power.
Interested in USING Our Collections?
Dive into Kentucky's rich LGBTQ history with access to over 15,000 items and 250 hours of oral history. Whether you're a researcher, artist, activist, or simply curious, our archives are open to all.