Queer Histories in Morgantown, West Virginia

Kelsey Greene*, Ellen Rodrigues, PhD.
LGBTQ Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26505

Presentation Category: Human Engagement (Oral Presentation)

Student’s Major: Enlgish, Sociology

This research aims to collect the oral histories of the LGBTQ community in and around Morgantown, with the goal of gaining a better understanding of what life in Appalachia is like for individuals within the LGBTQ community. The project has collected these histories through in person (now Zoom), and phone interviews. These interviews will then be transcribed. This research is significant because it is allowing individuals to share their stories, all of which help us to understand the complex and ever-changing lives of individuals within LGBTQ communities across the country. Through this research, the head of the project, Dr. Ellen Rodrigues, hopes to be able to create a network of information, marking spots in Morgantown that are significant to its LGBTQ community’s history. With this information, there is the potential to create a walking tour of the area, showcasing these locations and providing this information to the general public. The project helps to uplift voices that are often silenced and ignored, helping to provide them with a place in our area’s collective history.

Funding: WVU Humanities Center, Federal Work Study

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: WVU's Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) & accompanying HONR 297-level course