Sharon Dauzat & Daughters of Bilitis to be Honored on October 15

Join us at the Historic New Orleans Collection for an evening honoring the legacy of the Daughters of Bilitis, a lesbian social and civil rights organization. The program will include an archival show-and-tell of newly acquired objects from the organization, followed by a conversation featuring Sharon Dauzat (pictured above), former director of the New Orleans Daughters of Bilitis, and Frank Perez, executive director of the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana. Attendees are invited to a brief reception following the event. Admission is free, but registration is required (space is limited).

Friendly Bar Raises $678 for the Archives Project

Thanks to Gavin Rozario (pictured above), a bartender at the Friendly Bar in New Orleans, who recently organized a fundraiser for the Archives Project. Not only did Gavin donate all of his tips to us, he also organized a 50/50 raffle. Gavin works on Sundays and Mondays; please stop by and tell him thanks for helping us get our history out of the closet. On October 15 the Friendly Bar will be the site of the Sharon Dauzat / Daughters of Bilitis event after-party. Dauzat, who now lives in Texas, grew up a block from the bar.

Winter Wonderland Set for Nov. 29

The 15th annual Winter Wonderland will take place on the evening of November 29 at the AllWays Lounge in New Orleans. Winter Wonderland was founded by Misti and Catherine Gaither as a fundraiser for local charities. During their stewardship, Winter Wonderland raised over $100,000 for local organizations. Last year, the Gaithers turned the production of Winter Wonderland over to the Archives Project. The 2025 Winter Wonderland Royalty along with the Icon and Legacy Award winners will be announced on September 25 at a separate event at Le Cabaret bar (834 N. Rampart St., New Orleans) at 6:00pm. Sponsorship tables and tickets for Winter Wonderland 2025 are available here.  

New Acquisition Expands Gay Carnival Collection

Thanks to longtime French Quarter resident Michael Sullivan for his recent donation of gay Carnival ephemera. The collection consists primarily of Carnival ball programs from several krewes in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. You can visit the gay Carnival gallery on our website here. If you have old ball programs or other memorabilia, please reach out to us so that material can be preserved.

Saving queer history is expensive and we need your help. Please consider making a financial donation today. All gifts are tax deductible. Giving is easy here.