Lynn Museum hosts exhibit showcasing LGBTQ+ history of Lynn, Massachusetts, including stories of vibrant LGBTQ+ bar culture. Featuring oral histories, artifacts, and a panel discussion with local historians and residents. Project funded by grant, highlighting community collaboration to preserve heritage.
On Wednesday evening, the Lynn Museum hosted the opening of “Through A Rainbow Lens,” an exhibit celebrating the LGBTQ+ history of Lynn, Massachusetts. The event featured a panel discussion moderated by WBUR reporter Cristela Guerra, where local historians and residents discussed Lynn’s vibrant LGBTQ+ bar culture.
Pat Gozemba, an 83-year-old lesbian author, was one of 25 interviewees for the exhibit, which includes oral histories and artifacts. Project director Jim Moser highlighted the community effort behind the exhibit, which took a year to assemble and was funded by a $20,000 grant from Mass Humanities. Contributions included roughly 700 photographs and artifacts.
Notably, Lynn was home to Massachusetts’ first gay bar, the Light House Cafe, established in 1937. Fran’s Place, a prominent lesbian bar, continued that legacy until it closed in 2016.
Museum Executive Director Doneeca Thurston Chavez expressed her hope for future spaces akin to those celebrated in the exhibit. Attendee Freddie Anne Willing appreciated the connection the exhibit provided to Lynn’s LGBTQ+ past.
The “Through A Rainbow Lens” exhibit can be explored both in-person at the Lynn Museum and online.
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