We invite everyone with an interest in LGBTQ history to use our online and physical collections. Anyone interested in using the collection is considered a researcher and ALL people are welcome. Our users include students, academics, journalists and members of the community.

Consistent with our mission to “collect, preserve and promote an active knowledge of the history, arts and culture of metropolitan Washington, D.C.’s diverse LGBTQ communities,” Rainbow History Project collects documents, letters, newspapers, magazines, posters and other records; radio, film, television and music recordings; oral histories; and certain artifacts.

We collect from local groups, organizations and residents of the Washington, D.C., area and beyond. Please fill out the Donate to our Archives form if you have historical items to donate to the archives. We will respond to you as quickly as we can.

We have digitized well over 1,500 items in our online archives. In addition to paper records, the online archives include oral histories and other sound files, photographs and other images, our social geography database and more.

We have an ongoing partnership with the DC History Center, which provides a permanent repository and researcher access, while Rainbow History Project collects and organizes the paper collections. Researchers should make arrangements directly with the DC History Center to use the physical collection.

Rainbow History’s collection contains materials acquired as part of our mission to “collect, preserve and promote an active knowledge of the history, arts and culture of metropolitan Washington, D.C.’s diverse LGBTQ communities.” Researchers are encouraged to use these materials for personal, educational, research and other purposes in accordance with these Terms of Use. All uses of RHP’s photographs, documents, publications and other materials must be respectful of LGBTQ history. Any use of RHP’s materials or its name that distorts, minimizes or denies LGBTQ history, or promotes homophobia, transphobia, racism, misogyny or bigotry will not be tolerated.

Materials are collected and made available for educational purposes. They should be used under “fair use” principles. Credit should be given as “Courtesy of Rainbow History Project, Inc.” and “copyright” as indicated within the catalog record. The use of materials in our collection for commercial purposes (any use intended in a for-profit production) requires the permission of the RHP Board of Directors; reproduction or use of materials in educational settings–including curriculum, school projects and research projects does not require permission.

The Rainbow History Project respects the copyright and intellectual property rights associated with the materials in its collection. To the best of our knowledge, our archival items are either in the public domain, are orphaned works and/or had their rights for public use transferred to RHP. If you have information about the status of any work, especially its creator or donor, please contact us to discuss.