Tag Archives: Our Past Matters

Happy Saint Nicholas Day!

Posted on December 6, 2023 by Kevin Allen | 1 comment

{The Calgary Gay History Project is on hiatus until the New Year. Look for new queer history content in 2024!}

December 6th is Saint Nicholas Day, when Santa comes to visit (in some countries).

Kevin as a moderately jolly St. Nick—sans beard!

If you know someone who has been good all year and deserves a present, check out our two award-winning books from our in-house imprint, ASPublishing.

Our Past Matters: Stories of Gay Calgary hit #1 on the Calgary Herald bestseller list in 2019 and has been popular ever since. John Ibbitson, from The Globe and Mail, explains: “You are going to read about some amazing people, places, and times in these pages… There is no one better equipped than Kevin Allen to give us a tour.”

What Narcissus Saw is Gordon Sombrowski’s second book of fiction exploring life in Fernie, BC. It was selected from hundreds of contenders as a finalist in the Whistler Independent Book Awards last October. The awards jury wrote: “Sombrowski’s linked short stories immediately draw in the reader. He deftly breathes life and intrigue into his settings and characters with language to be savoured.”

Books are available in Calgary at Shelf Life Books and Pages.

You can also purchase books and have them shipped from our online store for $24.99 + $6.99 shipping (in Canada).

Happy holidays!

{KA}

1 Comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged bisexual, Calgary, Christmas, gay, Gay history, history, lesbian, Our Past Matters, Pages on Kensington, queer, Saint Nicholas, saints, santa, Shelf Life, sinterklaas, st-nicholas, transgender, What Narcissus Saw, Xmas

Our Past Matters—Five Years Later

Posted on November 8, 2023 by Kevin Allen | 1 comment

Kevin Allen launched his book Our Past Matters: Stories of Gay Calgary as the first historian in residence at the Central Library on November 22, 2018. Five years on, Kevin returns to the library to share stories of queer history he learned after the book was published. This special event, celebrating the book’s success, is happening at the Memorial Park Library on November 22, 2023, from 6-7 PM. Tickets are free (but limited); register here.

*Kevin Allen in 2023: photo Kelly Hofer*

Discover new stories of AIDS activists, enterprising community choirs, and the surprising queer history of the Memorial Park Library. Learn how infamous Calgary bus driver Everett Klippert, who spent most of the 1960s in jail for being gay, retroactively had his criminal charges reversed.

Queer history is more important than ever as we face contemporary challenges to our human rights victories. Kevin’s rallying cry is our past matters!

Bonus: A limited edition hard-cover copy of Our Past Matters will be given away as a door prize!

{KA}

1 Comment

Posted in Gay history

Tagged bisexual, Calgary, Central Library, Everett Klippert, gay, Gay history, human-rights, lesbian, Memorial Park Library, Our Past Matters, queer, transgender

YYCGayHistory @ Pride 2023

Posted on August 24, 2023 by Kevin Allen | 5 comments

Here is a smattering of queer history offerings and more. So exciting – #OurPastMatters!

Tuesday, August 29th @ 7:00 PM @ The Central Library

Through the Multiverse: Queer Media Today. The 5th Annual Calgary Institute for the Humanities LGBTQ2S+ Lecture. Presented by Dr. Amy Villarejo, Chair, UCLA Department of Film, Television and Digital Media. Registration is required, reception to follow.

Wednesday, August 30th, 5:30 – 7:00 PM @ CommunityWise

*Pride Gay History Walk 2017. Photo: Gary Evans*

Beltline Gay History Walk. Have you ever been curious about the role of CommunityWise (formerly the Old Y) in Calgary’s queer history? Join Kevin Allen and the Calgary Gay History Project to find out more! Tickets are what you can afford, and all proceeds go towards strengthening CommunityWise’s work in supporting all 2SLGBTQ+ community. Spaces are limited.

Thursday, August 31st, 6:00 – 7:00 PM @ The Backlot

*A famous sign which predates the current location*

The Golden Age of Gay Bars in YYC. There are many storied drinking holes, taverns, discos, and clubs in Calgary’s queer history. Join Kevin Allen for an informal chat about where they used to be and their significance to our community’s history. Meet up at one of the last remaining gay bars in the city—The Backlot (209 10 AVE. SW)!

Saturday, September 2nd, 7:30 PM @ Rising Tides Taproom

Program Pride Relaunch. Program Pride was a community access television program in Alberta that ran from 1995 until 1997. A group of dedicated volunteers from Red Deer, Calgary and Edmonton created programming that ran on Shaw Cable in all three cities. Join former cast and crew members at Rising Tides Taproom (4545 Bowness Rd NW) as Program Pride episodes get relaunched on YouTube. Solid gold for Alberta historians!

Sunday, September 3rd, Calgary Pride Festival @ Prince’s Island Park

Our Past Matters Book Signing. After the parade, find the Calgary Outlink booth at this year’s Pride Festival and buy a copy of Our Past Matters: Stories of Gay Calgary. Book sales support Outlink, Calgary’s exceptional community peer support organization. Author Kevin Allen will be signing books in the afternoon between 2:00-3:00 PM—or just come by for a visit!

There are so many excellent Pride events this year to choose from. Come out! Support community!

Happy Pride!

{KA}