About Equality Forum

Equality Forum is a national and international nonprofit, 501(c)(3) GLBT civil rights organization with an educational focus. Equality Forum collaboratively develops and disseminates high-impact educational content in the form of documentary films, history projects, innovative initiatives and the largest annual national and international GLBT civil rights forum. For more info: www.equalityforum.com

	Gay Pioneers. Co-produced with WHYY/PBS, "Gay Pioneers" (www.gaypioneers.com), a 30-minute documentary film about the start of the organized gay and lesbian civil rights movement.
	40th Anniversary Celebration. Coordinated the National Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the organized GLBT civil rights movement in Independence National Historical Park on May 1, 2005. The celebration honored 40 Heroes who made a significant contribution to GLBT civil rights between 1965 and 2005.
	Independence Hall Historic Marker. Successfully petitioned the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission to erect an historic marker commemorating the first organized gay and lesbian civil rights demonstrations, which took place annually on July 4th from 1965 to 1969. The historic marker is located directly across from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Pavilion.

About GLBT History Month

In the 1990s, teachers and community leaders believed a month should be dedicated to the celebration and teaching of GLBT history. They selected October because public schools are in session and existing traditions, such as Coming Out Day (October 11), occur then.

GLBT History Month was endorsed by GLAAD, HRC, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and other national organizations. Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber declared October 1995 to be Lesbian and Gay History Month; and in July 1995, the National Education Association voted to support the concept. In 1996, the governors of Massachusetts and Connecticut and the mayors of Boston and Chicago also proclaimed October GLBT History Month.

In 2006, Equality Forum’s Board of Directors and National Board of Governors voted unanimously to coordinate GLBT History Month, modeling it on Black History Month and Women’s History Month.

Goals

The goals of GLBT History Month are to teach GLBT history, to provide inspiring role models, and to highlight the GLBT community’s important worldwide contributions.

Leader Selection Criteria

Thirty-one GLBT leaders were selected, one for each day of the month. Equality Forum solicited state, national and international leaders for nominations. The nominees comprised individuals, living or dead, who have distinguished themselves within their field of endeavor, as national heroes, or in the GLBT civil rights movement. GLBT History Month Co-Chairs — the Rev. Nancy Wilson, Moderator, Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC), and Professor Kenji Yoshino, Yale Law School — recommended the 31 leaders from the list of nominees to the Equality Forum Board of Directors.