Downtown Orlando’s Civil Rights Sit-Ins
On March 9, 1962, eleven Black students were arrested on charges of disorderly conduct for simply refusing to vacate a whites-only lunch counter during a peaceful sit-in demonstration at Stroud’s Rexall Drugstore on Orange Avenue and Church Street.
“I’m the Gay Pastor of the Gay Church”
Joy MCC is part of the Metropolitan Community Churches across America, congregations that actively promote acceptance and understanding around issues of sexuality, gender, and race, to name a few key initiatives.
Muslim Community Response to the Pulse Nightclub Shooting
Part one of two focusing on religious response to the Pulse nightclub shooting and featuring oral histories from the History Center’s collection.
Frank Billingsley awarded the 2021 Donald A. Cheney Award
Congratulations to Frank Billingsley, the 2021 recipient of our Donald A. Cheney Award, which each year honors a Central Floridian who embodies a lifelong dedication to preserving the area’s history.
St. Matthew’s Tavern: Inclusive and Supportive
St. Matthew’s Tavern has undergone multiple transformations throughout the history of the building on North Mills Avenue in Orlando. The building has housed a multitude of gay bars in the past, including the Silver Hammer, Cactus Club, and Paradise.
Pulse: For the Community
Long before the Pulse nightclub tragedy of June 12, 2016, Pulse had a special place in Orlando’s gay community. The club was hugely beloved. Established in 2004 by Barbara Poma and Ron Legler in memory of Barbara’s brother, Pulse came onto the scene later than the other bars.
Parliament House: New Future for an Old Favorite
In January 2021, a long-standing bastion of Orlando’s gay community was torn down. For more than forty years, Parliament House had provided a safe and welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ people to meet and be themselves at 410 N. Orange Blossom Trail.
Honoring the Honorable Mable Butler
The recipient of the John Young History Maker Award for 2021, the Honorable Mable Butler blazed a historic career in public service in Orlando and Orange County. She was the first African American woman on Orlando’s City Council and the first African American member on the County Commission.
One of Disney’s Finest: Remembering Joel Strack
Orlando lost one of its most prominent and beloved gay icons on July 15, 2019. Joel Strack lived his life out and proud during extremely difficult times for gay men in America. He was a hilarious, generous, and hard-working man.
Engaging in Difficult History
Teaching about 9/11 in this generation presents its own unique challenges. We experience an intersection of history and memory where teachers and parents are remembering their own personal, lived experiences of that day, and students are often learning about this history for the first time.