About

Welcome to the site!

Calgary is a relatively young city, which from the 1950s on has become a key
metropolitan centre and regional powerhouse. Throughout the exponential
population growth over the next 60 years, the city’s gay community has existed
as a distinct undercurrent.

However, not too much was known about it…

This was the impetus for the Calgary Gay History Project. We were curious about what life was like for gay people in Calgary in previous times. This project also has an oral history preservation agenda: documenting stories from LGBTQ elders in Calgary whose stories should be recorded before they are lost.

This Project got its start in September 2012, when Kevin Allen became historian in residence at Calgary Outlink through funding from the Calgary 2012: Cultural Capitals of Canada program. Since then, a number of volunteers, Kickstarter backers and other funders have stepped forward to participate in the project. We can’t thank everyone enough.

The Project has achieved national recognition and led to a series of award-winning documentary films, maps, essays, walking tours and the best-selling book Our Past Matters: Stories of Gay Calgary.

Stay curious—Our Past Matters!

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