The Stonewall National Museum and Archive (SNMA) located at 1300 E. Sunrise Highway, Fort Lauderdale is a historical library of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender memorabilia and artifacts started by Mark Silber in 1973.
By 1990, the collection grew so extensive that what was once Silber’s personal hobby became a non-profit organization. And since the hiring of Executive Director David Jobin in 2013, the organization has reached new heights by expanding to a second location last year on Wilton Drive.
The Stonewall Museum Gallery in Wilton Manors has a prime spot in the heart of South Florida’s gay mecca. The gallery has invigorated existing members and enticed new benefactors and patrons. This renewed interest in the organization has afforded Silber and Jobin the resources to showcase high profile exhibits from across the country.
The gallery officially opened Oct. 30 with the debut of a documentary project, Queer Kids, by internationally renowned photographer and filmmaker Michael Sharkey. The exhibit ran until Jan. 4 and helped to rapidly advance the organizations appeal.
Currently, the gallery is collaborating wih the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art in New York to showcase Stroke: From Under the Mattress to the Museum Walls until March 8. The exhibit, displaying gay magazine illustrations from the 1950s to the 1990s, is curated by New York-based artist Robert W. Richards and features 24 original works by 24 different artists.
“The gallery is only strengthening the (Sunrise Blvd.) library space in both library membership and in monetary donations and donations to the archive,” said Emery Grant, director of community engagement for SNMA.
In fact, there have been recent donations from celebrities and public figures like Ellen DeGeneres, Michael Sam and several others. Plus, there are countless events scheduled at the library every month.
For event listings at the library, visit SNMA’s website at www.stonewall-museum.org.
On Feb. 14, SNMA hed a fundraising gala One Night with Cheyenne Jackson. The event was in cooperation with Parker Playhouse and featurd Broadway star and TV actor Cheyenne Jackson as well as Sirius XM radio host Seth Rudetsky on the piano.
