One Archives at the USC Libraries

One Archives at the USC Libraries
Name	One Archives at the USC Libraries
Established	1952 (as ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives); affiliated with University of Southern California 2010
Location	University Park, Los Angeles, California
Type	Archives, special collections, LGBT repository
Director	Paul F. Smith (Director, USC Libraries Special Collections)
Collection size	over 2 million items

One Archives at the USC Libraries One Archives at the USC Libraries is a major research archive dedicated to the preservation of LGBTQ+ history, culture, and activism, housing manuscripts, photographs, periodicals, and audiovisual materials that document lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex lives. Founded from the private and institutional efforts associated with early ONE, Inc. activism and consolidated through partnerships with organizations like the University of Southern California and community archives, the repository serves scholars, artists, journalists, and activists. The archives intersects with collections related to prominent figures and institutions such as Stonewall riots, Harvey Milk, Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, Audre Lorde, James Baldwin, Ellen DeGeneres, and Cesar Chavez through contextual materials and collaborative programs.

History

The archive traces its origins to ONE, Inc. and the pioneering publication ONE Magazine, whose founders included Dorr Legg, W. Dorr Legg, and early homophile activists; these antecedents connected to broader movements documented alongside the Mattachine Society, Daughters of Bilitis, and post-Stonewall LGBTQ+ activism. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s the repository expanded via acquisitions from activists, artists, and organizations such as ACT UP, Gay Liberation Front, and labor allies like United Farm Workers, situating the collection amid intersections with civil rights figures like Bayard Rustin and literary networks including Audre Lorde and James Baldwin. In 2010 a formal affiliation with the University of Southern California Libraries integrated the holdings into academic special collections, aligning with institutional partners such as The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles Public Library, and museums like the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Recent decades saw growth through gifts from public figures including materials tied to Ellen DeGeneres, Larry Kramer, Armistead Maupin, and estates associated with visual artists who engaged LGBTQ+ themes.

Collections and Holdings

The archives' holdings span manuscript collections, organizational records, periodicals, ephemera, posters, photographic prints, oral histories, and born-digital content, documenting activists such as Harvey Milk, performers like Divine (performer), and writers including Truman Capote and Jean Genet. Major organizational collections include records from ONE, Inc., Gay Games, Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, and grassroots organizations tied to ACT UP and AIDS advocacy groups such as Gay Men’s Health Crisis. Visual arts holdings capture work related to Keith Haring, Robert Mapplethorpe, and West Coast artists engaged with queer identity, while periodical runs encompass titles like ONE Magazine, The Advocate, and regional newspapers tied to cities like San Francisco and New York City. The archives also preserve audiovisual materials documenting performances at venues linked to Stonewall Inn, The Factory, and Los Angeles sites, alongside personal papers of figures such as Bayard Rustin, E. Lynn Harris, and activists connected to movements like the Compton Cafeteria riot.

Programs and Exhibitions

One Archives at the USC Libraries curates rotating exhibitions and collaborates with institutions like the Autry Museum of the American West, Getty Center, and the Hammer Museum to present thematic shows on subjects including AIDS activism, queer visual culture, and cinema related to artists like Pedro Almodóvar and Chantal Akerman. Public programs feature lectures and panels with scholars from universities such as UCLA, Columbia University, and New York University, and invite cultural figures including Larry Kramer, Ellen DeGeneres, and contemporary artists to discuss archival materials. Educational initiatives coordinate with festivals and events such as LA Pride, Outfest, and academic conferences like the Modern Language Association annual meeting to foreground primary sources in teaching and community dialogues.

Research and Access Services

As a research-intensive repository affiliated with the University of Southern California Libraries, the archives provides reading room access, research consultations, fellowships, and reference services for scholars working on subjects related to figures like Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, Harvey Milk, and movements including Stonewall riots and ACT UP. The archives participates in consortia with institutions such as the Society of American Archivists and the California Digital Library to support research workflows, and offers instruction sessions for courses taught by faculty from departments like the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Digital finding aids, curated guides, and fellowship programs attract researchers from centers such as Smithsonian Institution, Library of Congress, and international universities.

Preservation and Digitization

Preservation priorities address analog and born-digital formats, employing standards advocated by organizations including the National Archives and Records Administration and the Society of American Archivists to stabilize film, videotape, paper, and digital files associated with activists and artists like Keith Haring and Robert Mapplethorpe. Digitization projects emphasize high-value periodicals and unique collections—such as issues of ONE Magazine and audiovisual documentation of Stonewall riots aftermath events—to facilitate remote access, partnering with digital initiatives like the California Revealed program and the Digital Public Library of America. Conservation labs work on photographic prints and posters connected to performances at venues like the Stonewall Inn while metadata standards align with Dublin Core and linked-data practices used by major research libraries.

Community Engagement and Outreach

The archives maintains relationships with community organizations, donor families, and advocacy groups such as GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign, and local LGBTQ+ centers to co-develop programming, oral history projects, and collecting initiatives that center marginalized voices including trans and nonbinary storytellers linked to figures like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. Outreach includes partnerships with K–12 educational programs, local historical societies, and cultural festivals like LA Pride and Outfest to broaden access and encourage donations from community members, while internships and volunteer opportunities connect students from institutions such as USC Gould School of Law and UCLA School of Law to archival practice and public history.

Category:LGBT history in the United States Category:Archives in California