Fernando Rios Remembered

The Archives Project recently collaborated with the Queer Student Alliance at Tulane University to remember and honor Fernando Rios. Rios, a gay man visiting New Orleans from Mexico City, was murdered by three Tulane undergraduates in 1958. The three students were tried for murder and acquitted. The courtroom cheered when the verdict was read. The recent public lecture and vigil in the campus quadrangle was the first time Tulane has acknowledged Rios and the injustice he suffered. Clay Delery, who has written a book about Rios and his murder, spoke to a packed room about the case. We would like to offer a huge thank you to Archives Project board member Robert Fieseler for spearheading this program. You can learn more about the gay-bashing murder of Fernando Rios here.

Queer History South Conference

Board President Kathleen Conlon and Executive Director Frank Perez recently attended the Queer History South conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. The topics covered included sustainable funding, the digitization of collections, oral history programs, community engagement, and several others. Conlon and Perez report the networking opportunities were useful and encouraging. Perez notes, “It was amazing to meet so many people from across the South working to preserve their local queer histories—and to share with them what we’re doing in Louisiana.” The conference was produced by the Invisible Histories Project.

Oral History Committee Gets New Chair

We are incredibly proud to announce Cas Brown as the new Chair of our Oral History initiative. Brown comes to us from the Midlo Center for New Orleans Studies at the University of New Orleans. We are sad to see longtime chairs Melissa Smith and Mark Gonzalez step down as co-chairs, but we are grateful for their years of service on this committee. We are also grateful to the T. Harry Williams Center for Oral History at Louisiana State University for being our collaborative partner in this on-going project. You can learn more about the Archives Project’s Oral History Initiative here.

Monthly Donors Needed

Did you know much of our work at the Archives Project is funded by recurring monthly donations? By giving as little as ten dollars a month (or a one-time gift of $120), you could become a Sustaining Member. Sustaining Members enjoy perks such as free admission to events like annual queer walking tours and catered social gatherings, as well as our annual Oracle Happening (which will be returning this year). Giving is easy to do here. All gifts are tax deductible. Please consider helping us get our history out of the closet.