Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project: Recent Episodes

Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project

We are a community-based history initiative committed to researching and telling the stories of LGBTQ+ individuals and organizations in our region

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Queer and trans youth have always been here.

From the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project, we proudly present Episode 7 on the history of queer youth in Southwest Virginia.

All of the archival audio interviews in this episode are drawn from oral histories in the ⁠LGBTQ History Collection⁠ at the Virginia Room, Roanoke Public Libraries, located in Roanoke, Virginia. The oral history narrators featured in today’s program include: Theodore Cassel, Don Muse, Catina Lowery, Yoedie Swain, and Garland Gravely.

A special thank you to Sydney Pennix, Rebecca Goldstein, Raquel Dominguez, Eli, Tristan, and Keely for all of your contributions to this podcast. And thank you to Dr. Samantha Rosenthal as well for her guidance on this podcast episode.

The music in today’s episode comes from: ⁠Purple Planet Music⁠.

Please subscribe and share. You can find more information about the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ History Project, and this podcast, at ⁠swvalgbtqhistory.org⁠. We are also on Facebook at ⁠Southwest Virginia LGBTQ History Project⁠, and follow us on Instagram at ⁠swvalgbtqhistory⁠.

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Housing is an LGBTQ issue with an interesting history.

From the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project, we proudly present Episode 6 on the history of queer housing and homelessness in Southwest Virginia.

All of the archival audio interviews in this episode are drawn from oral histories in the LGBTQ History Collection at the Virginia Room, Roanoke Public Libraries, located in Roanoke, Virginia. The oral history narrators featured in today’s program include:

  • Theodore Cassel

  • Barbara Maberry

  • Myer S. Reed

  • Nathaniel Preston

  • Price

  • Gail Burruss

  • Joe Cobb

  • Anonymous

  • Michelle Bennett

  • Peter Thornhill

  • Gerry Jennings

Thank you to Phoenix, Harper, Bean, Joe Cobb, Matt Crookshank, and Alison Jorgensen; also Bee, Hannah, and Rachel Anne from Kinship House; and Jamie, Chris, and Lee from Mosaic House; for all of your contributions to this podcast.

Additional archival audio courtesy of the WSLS-TV News Film Collection at the University of Virginia and WFXR-TV.

The music in today’s episode comes from: Blue Dot Sessions, Purple Planet Music, Josh Leake, Louis Adrien, Jamie Rutherford, and ANBR.

Please subscribe and share. You can find more information about the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ History Project, and this podcast, at swvalgbtqhistory.org. We are also on Facebook at Southwest Virginia LGBTQ History Project, and follow us on Instagram at swvalgbtqhistory.

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From the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project, we proudly present Episode 5 on the topic of the history of drag in Roanoke, Virginia.

All of the audio interviews in this podcast are drawn from oral histories in the LGBTQ+ History Collection at the Virginia Room, in the Roanoke Public Libraries, located in Roanoke, Virginia. The oral history narrators featured in today’s program include:

  • Miss Grace Kelly

  • Larry Forrest

  • Carolyn Sue Wilson

  • Anton Black

  • Barbara Maberry

  • Peter Thornhill

Thank you to Dr. Samantha Rosenthal and QTPOC Project members Kitty Bridgewater, Princess Carter, Ashleigh Griffin, and Caitlyn Lewis for their contributions to this podcast.

The music in today’s episode comes from Blue Dot Sessions, Purple Planet Music, and Pixabay.

Please subscribe and share. You can find more information about the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project, and this podcast, at www.lgbthistory.pages.roanoke.edu. We are also on Facebook at Southwest Virginia LGBTQ History Project, and follow us on Instagram at swvalgbtqhistory.

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From the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project, we proudly present Episode 4 on the topic of Black Queer History, Community, and Joy in Roanoke, Virginia.

All of the audio interviews in this episode are drawn from oral histories in the LGBTQ History Collection at the Virginia Room, Roanoke Public Libraries, located in Roanoke, Virginia--plus an additional interview (just for this episode) with Tobias J. Dean. The oral history narrators featured in today’s program include:

  • Ashley Rhame

  • Shamaill Ross

  • Peter Thornhill

  • Don Muse

  • Toya Jones

  • Tommy Feazell

  • and Carolyn Sue Wilson

Thank you to Father GG Expression, Shamaill Ross, Tobias J. Dean, Alexis Williams, and Harrison Pendelton for their contributions to this podcast.

Additional archival audio courtesy of the WSLS-TV News Film Collection at the University of Virginia Library and WFXR-TV.

The music in today’s episode comes from Blue Dot Sessions, Purple Planet Music, and Dar Golan.

Please subscribe and share. You can find more information about the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project, and this podcast, at www.lgbthistory.pages.roanoke.edu. We are also on Facebook at Southwest Virginia LGBTQ History Project, and follow us on Instagram at swvalgbtqhistory.

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From the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project, we proudly present this podcast episodeon the topic of Lesbian Feminism in Southwest Virginia.

The episode includes an interview with Dr. Emma Heaney, readings by Grace Fowler and Caroline Painter, and audio interviews drawn from oral histories in the LGBTQ+ History Collection at the Virginia Room, in the Roanoke Public Library, located in Roanoke, Virginia. The oral history narrators featured in today’s program include:

  • Robin Jordan

  • Nancy Kelly

  • Kathryn L Beranich

  • Gail Burress 

  • Ashley Rhame 

All of the music in today’s episode is courtesy of Blue Dot Sessions and Purple Planet Music.

Please subscribe and share. You can find more information about the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project, and this podcast, at www.lgbthistory.pages.roanoke.edu. We are also on Facebook at Southwest Virginia LGBTQ History Project, and follow us on Instagram at swvalgbtqhistory.

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There is a long history of interactions between LGBTQ communities and the police in Roanoke, Virginia.

From the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project, we proudly present this podcast episode on the history of LGBTQ people and the police in Roanoke, Virginia.

All of the audio interviews in this episode are drawn from oral histories in the LGBTQ History Collection at the Virginia Room, Roanoke Public Libraries, located in Roanoke, Virginia. The oral history narrators featured in today’s program include:

  • Robin Jordan

  • Peter Thornhill

  • Don Muse

  • Anonymous

  • Nathaniel Preston

  • Theodore Cassel

  • Mary Boenke

  • Rodger Saunders

  • Myer S. Reed

  • Rissa

  • Daddy Sam

  • Joe Cobb

  • Yodie Cleveland Swain

The music in today’s episode comes from: Audionautix, Blue Dot Sessions, Fesliyan Studios, Kevin Luce at freesound.org, Kevin MacLeod at filmmusic.io, Nathaniel Ma, Purple Planet Music, and Shane Ivers at silvermansound.com.

Please subscribe and share. You can find more information about the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project, and this podcast, at www.lgbthistory.pages.roanoke.edu. We are also on Facebook at Southwest Virginia LGBTQ History Project, and follow us on Instagram at swvalgbtqhistory.

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In the 1980s and 1990s, the HIV/AIDS crisis had a major impact on LGBTQ communities in Southwest Virginia.

From the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project, we proudly present this podcast on the history of HIV and AIDS in Southwest Virginia.

All of the audio interviews in this podcast are drawn from oral histories in the LGBTQ History Collection at the Virginia Room, Roanoke Public Libraries, located in Roanoke, Virginia. The oral history narrators featured in today’s program include:

  • Anonymous

  • Larry Bly

  • Gail Burruss

  • Larry Forrest

  • Gerry Jennings

  • Miss Grace Kelly

  • Nancy Kelly

  • Barbara Maberry

  • Don Muse

  • Myer S. Reed

  • Rissa

  • Rodger Saunders

  • Peter Thornhill

  • Edna Whittier

Thank you to Roanoke College student research assistants Megan Reynolds and Beth Janes for their contributions to the research in this podcast.

All of the music in today’s podcast is courtesy of Purple Planet Music, under Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0. For more information, see www.purple-planet.com.

Please subscribe and share. You can find more information about the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project, and this podcast, at www.lgbthistory.pages.roanoke.edu. We are also on Facebook at Southwest Virginia LGBTQ History Project, and follow us on Instagram at swvalgbtqhistory.