LGBTQ History Lecture

Explore significant sites within Salt Lake City that have been central to the LGBTQ+ community, including City Creek Canyon, Capitol Hill, the historic West Side, and early downtown SLC. Learn about activism and community gathering efforts that continue to create visibility and foster a safer, kinder, and more loving environment for LGBTQ+ Utahans today. Also, learn about the key figures who have made significant contributions to the LGBTQ+ community in Utah.

Our speaker, Connell O'Donovan, is a historian, biographer, and professional genealogist who has uncovered much of what we know about LGBTQIA+ Utah. Connell is dedicated to inclusive research and ongoing community work, ensuring all Utahans are represented. He is currently documenting the history of Drag Queens in Utah from 1871-2021 and producing a film on the tragic double suicide of two young LDS lesbians in Salt Lake City in 1926. Originally from Syracuse, Utah, Connell has lived in Texas, Alaska, Brazil, and California and now resides in Salt Lake City. Known for his sense of humor, he enjoys posting puns on Facebook to the delight and occasional annoyance of his family and friends. Attendees will receive information about significant historic sites, researched and written by historian Randell Hoffman, which offers a comprehensive view of Salt Lake City's LGBTQ+ history, emphasizing the importance of visibility for past, present, and future community members. We will be offering a tour in October so keep an eye out!

Don't miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding and appreciation of Salt Lake City's diverse and dynamic LGBTQ+ history.