Proud Heritage: People, Issues, and Documents of the LGBT Experience

With the social, religious, and political stigmas attached to alternative lifestyles throughout history, most homosexuals, bisexuals, and transgender people lived covertly for much of, if not all of, their lives. Likewise, the narrative of our country excludes the contributions, struggles, and historical achievements of this group. This revealing, chronologically arranged reference work uncovers the rich story of the LGBT community in the United States and discusses the politics, culture, and issues affecting it since the early 17th century.

Author Chuck Stewart traces the evolution of LGBT issues as part of our nation's shared cultural past and modern-day experience. Volume 1 focuses on the origins of the movement with the founding of Jamestown in 1607 through the 1970s and the beginning of gay rights activism in the United States. Volume 2 spans the 1980s and the AIDs pandemic through the present-day issues of marriage equality. Volume 3 gives a concise review of this society in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

Highlights the social, cultural, and political developments of LGBT issues through biographies of key people, entries, legislation, and primary documents
Covers content mandated by the Fair, Accurate, Inclusive, and Respectful (FAIR) Education Act in California
Encourages critical inquiry and thinking by integrating factual content with speeches, letters, and biographies
Contains contributions from more than 70 academic scholars from across disciplines to give a broad perspective on the content
Includes state-by-state examinations of LGBT history and laws