Come Out Seattle
Preserving the Places and Stories That Built Seattle’s LGBTQ+ Community
COME OUT SEATTLE ARCHIVE
ORAL
HISTORIES
Voices of Seattle's LGBTQ+ Past
Seattle’s LGBTQ+ history lives in more than photographs, newspaper clippings, and places on a map. It lives in the voices of the people who were there.
These recorded oral histories preserve firsthand memories of the people, places, celebrations, struggles, and communities that helped shape LGBTQ+ life in Seattle.
THE STORIES BEHIND THE HISTORY
Come Out Seattle is dedicated to preserving personal stories alongside photographs, documents, advertisements, and other pieces of our community’s history.
Oral histories allow us to hear those experiences in the words—and voices—of the people who lived them. They give context to the photographs, names, places, and moments preserved throughout the Come Out Seattle archive and help ensure that the stories behind our history are not lost.
Our history lives in our voices.
HISTORY CAFÉ: PRESERVING LGBTQ HISTORY
Oral Histories of LGBTQ+ Life in the Pacific Northwest
Recorded September 16, 2026
Presented at MOHAI, History Café: Preserving LGBTQ History highlighted the importance of oral history in documenting LGBTQ+ life in Seattle and throughout the Pacific Northwest
The program drew from oral histories collected through the work of the Northwest Lesbian and Gay History Museum Project (NWLGHMP) and preserved in UW Special Collections, where these stories continue to serve as a vital record of community life, activism, culture, and belonging.
Through community readings and archival context, the program brought these voices to life and underscored the importance of preserving LGBTQ+ stories for future generations.
TOPICS
Oral History • LGBTQ+ History • Pacific Northwest • Seattle • Community Memory • Archives
ARCHIVE / COLLECTION
UW Special Collections
Northwest Lesbian and Gay History Museum Project (NWLGHMP)
MORE ORAL HISTORIES COMING SOON!
PEOPLE ● PLACES ● STORIES
EVERY VOICE ADDS TO THE STORY.
Do you have a story to share?
Seattle’s LGBTQ+ history belongs to all of us. If you have memories, recordings, photographs, documents, or a story to tell, we'd love to hear from you.
These recorded oral histories preserve firsthand memories of the people, places, celebrations, struggles, and communities that helped shape LGBTQ+ life in Seattle.