June is Pride Month – a time to commemorate the trials and triumphs of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) community. We’ve hand picked a list of library resources and materials that uplift LGBTQ+ voices – join us in reading and sharing their stories.
Book Recommendations:
“All Boys Aren’t Blue,” by George M. Johnson
Recommended by Paige Harp, coordinator of Infant–Grade 12 resources
In a series of personal essays, prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson explores his childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia. From the memories of getting his teeth kicked out by bullies at age five, to flea marketing with his loving grandmother, to his first sexual relationships, this young-adult memoir weaves together the trials and triumphs faced by Black queer boys.
“Coming Out Under Fire: The History of Gay Men and Women in World War II,” by Allan Bérubé
Recommended by Jeffrey Lawson, library associate
This book chronicles the struggles of LGBTQ+ men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II. Based on government documents and interviews with the veterans themselves, it tells the stories of soldiers who had to hide their homosexuality from the armed forces, and how they attempted to live their truths while serving. Especially interesting are the several recollections of veterans who passed through Missouri’s own Camp Crowder during their service. The book was made into a 1994 documentary, which won a Peabody Award.
“Heartstopper, Volume 1,” by Alice Oseman
Recommended by Paige Harp, coordinator of Infant–Grade 12 resources
Teens Charlie and Nick discover their unlikely friendship might be something more as they navigate school and young love in this coming-of-age graphic novel. “Heartstopper” was released as a Netflix series in April of 2022.
“Out in the Country—Youth, Media, and Queer Visibility in Rural America,” by Mary L. Gray
Recommended by Jeffrey Lawson, library associate
A chronicle of the contemporary lives of today’s rural queer youth who carve a place for themselves in small-town America. The book is a refreshing look outside of the large urban centers on which the media tends to focus their attention when it comes to LGBTQ+ life and culture.
“Springfield’s Urban Histories: Essays on the Queen City of the Missouri Ozarks,” edited by Stephen L. McIntyre
Recommended by Jeffrey Lawson, library associate
This collection of essays takes a closer look at the urban history of Springfield, Missouri. The final chapter, written by MSU professor Holly A. Baggett, is titled “The Creation of a Community: A History of Gay and Lesbian Springfield, 1945-2010” and illustrates the history of LGBTQ+ life in Springfield from World War II through the AIDS crisis and beyond.
Archival Recommendations:
The “William J. Jones French Literature Collection” by Special Collections and Archives
Recommended by Jeffrey Lawson, library associate
The MSU Libraries Special Collections and Archives houses the William J. Jones French Literature Collection, which focuses on the literary works of Arthur Rimbaud and Michael Butor. Rimbaud (1854-1891) was a pioneering LGBTQ+ poet. Known for his legendary and tempestuous relationship with fellow poet Paul Verlaine, the two have been considered the first open and defiant gay couple in literary history.
Contact Special Collections and Archives to view the collection.
Digital Recommendations:
The “Ozarks Lesbian and Gay Archives” by Special Collections and Archives
Recommended by Tracie Gieselman France, archivist
This collection contains many local and regional newsletters such as Blossom, Tri-Life, and GLO, as well as organizational records that include publications, photographs, and records from organizations like the GLO Center, FOCUS, and PROMO. University-related items include records of the Lambda Alliance Organization, the debate over the addition of sexual orientation to the non-discrimination policy, and clippings and correspondence related to MSU’s production of ”The Normal Heart.”
As the collection has grown over the years, organizations such as the GLO Center, FOCUS, PFLAG, and PROMO have been reorganized into their own collections. View our collection guide or contact Special Collections and Archives with questions.
The “Jim House Collection” by Special Collections and Archives
Recommended by Tracie Gieselman France, archivist
The Jim House Collection includes digital scans of photographs from the estate of Jim House (1941-2019), an activist and influential member of the LGBTQ+ community in Springfield. House played an integral role in the foundation of both the GLO Center and AIDS Project of the Ozarks. The photographs originally appeared in a 2004 exhibit curated by House entitled “The Way We Were,” which showcased images of LGBTQ+ life in southwest Missouri throughout the 20th century.
The physical collection is available to researchers and contains other documents from House’s life, including newspaper clippings, LGBTQ+ articles and academic papers, and promotional items from the original exhibit.
See the finding aid for more information, or contact Special Collections and Archives with questions.