The Jose Gutierrez Archives
The José Gutiérrez Archives collects, preserves, and promotes the history of the Latino LGBTQ community in Washington, DC, and nationally. The Archive grew from the collecting and activism of Mexican-born LGBTQ historian and community organizer, José Gutiérrez.
Founded in 2020 near the start of the COVID-19 epidemic, our Latino-centered programs and collections have four main areas of focus: HIV/AIDS activism and survival; the DC leather community; bars and nightlife; and Latino LGBTQ organizations. We are currently setting up our non-profit 501c3 status.
The Archive embraces our community’s plurality and diverse ways of self-describing, including terms like Latina/o, Latinx, Latine, and beyond.
Our mission is to collect, preserve, and promote the history of the Latino LGBTQ community in Washington, DC, and nationally.
Photo: Jose Gutierrez attended the fundraising for Dolores Huerta in Washington, DC / 2017
Our growing collection preserves approximately 1,500 historical objects, in addition to digital interviews. These include photographs, posters, newspapers clippings, articles, flyers, banners, buttons, books, costumes, paraphernalia, and memorabilia related to the history and experiences of the U.S. Latino LGBTQ community. The collection is an ongoing project and we plan to start cataloguing and digitalizing its content in the Spring of 2022.
Photo: Frank Kameny and Jose Gutierrez at the DC Center / 2016
Archives founder José Gutiérrez began collaborating with LGBTQ history initiatives, researchers, museums, and community organizations in the late 1990s. Since then, the José Gutiérrez Archives have been featured in physical and online exhibits by the Smithsonian Latino Center/National Museum of the American Latino, the DC History Center, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), and community centers in Washington, DC. This collection also led to the development of bilingual walking tours highlighting Latino LGBTQ history in the nation’s capital.
The José Gutiérrez Archives has an active presence in history conferences and is engaged in ongoing research with its partners.
Photo: Nicole Murray recognized Jose Gutierrez with the Jose Julio Sarria Civil Rights Award / 2014
Special thanks is due to Lisbeth Meléndez-Rivera, Olivia Peregrino, Raquel Hernández, Letitia Gómez, Nicole Murray Ramirez, Sylvana Duvel, Gloria Valdez, Lorena Arellano, Tina Valentin Aguirre, Octavio Espinal, Alberto Mendoza, James-John Salvatore Gigliello, Michael K. Lavers, Ranald Woodaman, Ignacio Aguirre, Juaniorx, Alejandro, Jesús, and the Leathertarian Awards.
Photo: Sylvia Rivera and Jose Gutierrez participated in the parade of the Stonewall 25th Anniversary / 1994
Contact
For presentations, exhibits, partnerships or other inquiries, please contact Jose Gutierrez through his emails:
josegutierrezdc (at) aol.com
dc.jose.gutierrez (at) gmail.com