The Committee on LGBT History of the American Historical Association announced that Chicago’s Legacy Project received an honorable mention for the 2014 Allan Berube Prize, which awards “outstanding work in public or community-based LGBT and/or queer history,” according to a press release.
The Legacy Project is the world’s only outdoor museum walk and youth education program dedicated to combating anti-gay bullying by celebrating lgbt contributions to history and culture.
In a statement, Legacy Project Founder and Executive Director Victor Salvo said, “On behalf of the Legacy Project Board of Directors I want to express our sincere thanks to the LBGT History Committee for this honor. As a new organization with limited name recognition outside of Chicago, we were quite surprised to learn that this esteemed affiliate of the American Historical Association was aware of the Legacy Walk.
“Considering the number of proposals they received, we are proud to have come in second to New Orleans’s Upstairs Lounge Fire retrospective. This is truly an honor and a validation of our work to bring LGBT historic contributions to the public’s attention and into the lives of LGBT youth.”
The LGBT Religious Archives Network’s Upstairs Lounge Fire Exhibit is being awarded the biennial prize. On Pride Sunday, June 24, 1973, an arsonist’s flash fire killed 32 people in a New Orleans gay bar. See exhibits.lgbtran.org/exhibits/show/upstairs-lounge-fire.