From Civil War soldiers and vaudeville performers to neighborhood gathering places and hidden communities, Cincinnati’s LGBTQ+ history reaches much farther back than many people realize.
Historian Jacob Hogue will explore that history during “Cincinnati Before Stonewall,” a NKY History Hour presentation on Tuesday, July 14, at 6:30 p.m. The free virtual program will be presented live on Zoom and Behringer-Crawford Museum’s Facebook page.
Drawing on years of research through nineteenth- and twentieth-century newspapers, Hogue traces Cincinnati’s LGBTQ+ history from the early 1800s to the eve of the Stonewall Uprising in 1969. Along the way, he’ll introduce people whose stories have largely been absent from traditional history books, including Civil War soldiers, drag performers, business owners and others who helped shape the Queen City’s past.
The presentation also explores the bars, brothels and gathering places that offered community and connection during a time when many LGBTQ+ people lived quietly to avoid discrimination.
Hogue is a public historian with a master’s degree from Northern Kentucky University. He serves as History and Legacies Chair for Cincinnati Pride and is the founder of Queen City Queer History Tours, the region’s only LGBTQ+ walking tour company.
Hogue’s work has been published in Ohio Valley History Magazine, Queer KY Magazine and the NKY Tribune, and he frequently lectures throughout Ohio and Kentucky. His research focuses on uncovering the stories of LGBTQ+ people whose lives have too often been overlooked in local history.
NKY History Hour is a virtual program, offered exclusively online. Participation is free, but registration is required via Zoom.
The event will also be streamed live on BCM’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bcmuseumnky. All past NKY History Hour episodes can be viewed at bcmuseum.org.
NKY History Hour programs take place every other Tuesday evening. To support NKY History Hour and access many other entertaining and thought-provoking programs, join BCM. Donations to support the museum’s educational programming are welcome at www.bcmuseum.org.
Behringer-Crawford Museum