Kansas City’s LGBTQ+ Rights Exhibit to be displayed in the St. Louis Area

St. Louis, MO, The traveling exhibit, "Making History: Kansas City and the Rise of Gay Rights” will be coming to the St. Louis region beginning Tuesday, November 30th. Local businesses, individuals, civic and religious organizations joined forces to support hosting the display in St. Louis after learning the news of the removal of the traveling exhibit from the State Capitol.

A press conference will be held on Tuesday, November 30th at 10:30 am CST in the Civic Lounge of Cortex Innovation Community; 4220 Duncan Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110.

The exhibit, created by students at the University of Missouri – Kansas City (UMKC), explores the activism of the early days of the LGBT movement in Kansas City, and has been traveling the state since 2017. Various locations in St. Louis will host the exhibit from the end of November and through 2022. The first three locations are:  

November 30 through December 10 at the Cortex Innovation Community’s Civic Lounge in the Innovation Hall building, 4220 Duncan Avenue, St. Louis, 63108. The building will be open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

December 11 through January 5 at the Gallery at the District, 17105 North Outer 40 Road, Suite 207, Chesterfield from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday.

January 6 through February 3 in the Food Hall at City Foundry STL, 3730 Foundry Way, St. Louis, MO 63110.

“By displaying ‘Making History: Kansas City and The Rise of Gay Rights’ in the St. Louis area, we are showing our support for the LGBTQ+ community in Kansas City and throughout Missouri,” said Charlie Brennan, KMOX Radio host helping lead the effort. “We also see great value in learning the history of Kansas City’s LGBTQ+ community through this exhibit, which is the result of serious academic scholarship at the UMKC.”

 The traveling exhibit, “Making History: The Rise of Gay Rights in Kansas City”, brings the story of LGBTQ+ people in the west side of the state to St. Louis. Making History complements existing initiatives and exhibits in the St. Louis area, including the Missouri History Museum's Gateway to Pride virtual exhibit, which launched in January 2021. The Missouri Historical Society (which operates the Missouri History Museum) and the St. Louis LGBT History Project officially partnered in 2013 and have been working to preserve and promote the diverse and dynamic history of the LGBTQIA+ community of the Greater St. Louis region. 

In St. Louis, the “Making History: The Rise of Gay Rights in Kansas City” exhibit is supported by the following organizations and additional partners continue to be added:

• Central Reform Congregation

• Cortex Innovation Community

• The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri

• The Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion, University City

• The Ethical Society of St. Louis

• Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis

• The Lawrence Group (City Foundry)

• Metropolitan Community Church of Greater St. Louis

• Missouri Historical Society

• National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis

• NCCJ St. Louis

• PFLAG(Cape Girardeau, Greater St. Louis, Kansas City, St. Joseph and Springfield Chapters)

• PROMO

• STL LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce

• Louis LGBT History Project

• The Staenberg Group (The District)

• Washington University Libraries

Press conference speakers will include: 

Business Community Representatives:

• Cortex Innovation Community - Sam Fiorello

• The Staenberg Group - Sam Adler

• The Lawrence Group - Steve Smith

• LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce - Ashton Beck

• Missouri History Museum - Sharon Smith

• St. Louis LGBT History Project  - Steven Brawley

Faith Leaders:

• Episcopal Diocese of Missouri - Bishop Deon Johnson

• Metropolitan Community Church - Reverend Wes Mullins

• Jewish Community Relations Council - Maharat Rori Picker Neiss

The speakers will be available for interviews after the press conference. Announcement of future locations for The "Making History: Kansas City and the Rise of Gay Rights,” exhibit will come at a later date.