Bars and clubs have been important social, cultural, and political spaces for the LGBTQ+ community for many years. In addition to providing a (relatively) safe space for meeting new people and socializing with friends in an era when open socializing had many potential negative consequences, bars also provided a palace for sharing of political and health-related information, particularly during the AIDS crisis. Many bar owners were also active in the community, hosting fundraisers and providing meeting space for community groups. Bars also provided a very specific place where newcomers and visitors could introduce themselves to the community and begin becoming  a part of that community. Greensboro was somewhat unique among Southern cities of its size in that it often was home to multiple bars serving the LGBTQ+ community, starting with the General Greene Grill downtown in the late 1950s and into the present with Chemistry and Twist Lounge. Bars specifically focused on an LGBTQ+ clientele have become smaller and less a part of everyday life for the community than in the past, but still provide a valuable social outlet for many members of the community, preserving an important historical and cultural link.

If you are strolling through Jackson Library, take the time to drop by and check out our new exhibit by the reference desk, “Out for the Evening, a Taste of Gay Nightlife in Greensboro.” The material featured in this exhibit is part of the PRIDE of the Community, the first large-scale initiative to document LGBTQ+ history in the Triad region of North Carolina. Originally founded through a National Endowment for the Humanities grant in partnership with the Guilford Green Foundation & LGBTQ Center, this ongoing project collects and makes accessible the rich history of the Triad LGBTQ+ community through community-contributed resources, donated archival materials, oral history interviews, and other outreach activities. If you are interested in learning more about this project, please visit http://go.uncg.edu/pride or contact us at pride@triadhistory.org.