Events

Learn more about important topics and issues in our community’s history—and meet folks with shared interests—by attending thought-provoking and lively events offered throughout the year.

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Upcoming events

The LGBTQ Community and Logan Circle: A History -- a panel discussion

Wednesday, June 7 | 6:00 pm

"The Corner" at Whitman-Walker at LIZ
171 14th Streets NW (14th and R)
Washington, D.C.

About 25 years ago, D.C’s Logan Circle neighborhood started to become a new area for the LGBTQ community to live, find LGBTQ-friendly businesses, and socialize. Logan Circle quickly became known as a LGBTQ hotspot. What factors inspired these changes and what was the impact on this long-established neighborhood and its existing residents?

Hear first-hand accounts of this social change at a panel discussion on June 7, at 6:00 p.m., at “The Corner” at Whitman-Walker at LIZ, 171 14th Street (14th and R streets), Washington, D.C.

The free event is sponsored by the Logan Circle Community Association and Rainbow History Project. Last year, these organizations along with the Washington Blade conducted an oral history project to collect several diverse stories from longtime Logan Circle residents, newcomers, and business owners. Some of the oral history narrators have generously agreed to share their stories and first-hand accounts at the June 7 panel discussion.

Our panelists are:

  • Maurice Dorsey and Nicolas Shi, both longtime Logan Circle residents 
  • Larry Rosen, former longtime Logan Circle resident
  • Ed Bailey, owner of two LGBTQ bars in Logan, Number 9 and Trade
  • Sak Pollert, owner of Rice Restaurant and Market.

They’ll discuss how the neighborhood has changed, the impact, and creating social gathering and business spaces.

Bring your comments and questions. Light refreshments will be served.

The panel is free and open to the public. Registration appreciated but not required

Dupont Circle historic LGBTQ neighborhood walking tour

Saturday, June 17 | 11:00 am

Meet at the fountain in Dupont Circle.

Learn about the history of Dupont Circle as an LBGTQ neighborhood on this tour sponsored by Rainbow History Project.

Dupont Circle has long been among D.C.’s most prominent LGBTQ neighborhoods—a place where a significant number of LGBTQ people lived, gathered in celebration, sadness, party and protest, did business and socialized in welcoming stores and restaurants. How did this happen and when? Is Dupont Circle still known as a “gayborhood”? What has driven change over the past six decades? The tour lasts about 90 minutes.

Tour leader Jeff Donahoe is a longtime Rainbow History Project member with interests in oral history and social geography.

Registration appreciated but not required.

The tour is offered free-of-charge. Donations to Rainbow History Project are welcome.

Queering Capitol Hill historic LGBTQ neighborhood walking tour

Saturday, June 24 | 11:00 am

Eastern Market Metro stop
Street level

Join us for this popular walking tour offered by Rainbow History Project.

For more than 70 years, Capitol Hill has been a social and residential center for Washington’s LGBTQ community, with bars and clubs, youth services and innovative women’s businesses. This tour will explore the impact of radical lesbian separatists, First Amendment fights, the underpinning of LGBTQ religious organizations, and interactions with Marines and the Marine Barracks among other stories. The tour lasts about 90 minutes.

Tour leader Philip Clark is co-editor with Michael Bronski of the new Invisible History: The Collected Poems of Walta Borawski. Clark is also working on a biography of gay Washington publisher and First Amendment pioneer H. Lynn Womack.

Registration appreciated but not required.

The tour is offered free-of-charge. Donations to Rainbow History Project are welcome.

Past events

Learn more about our public panels and programs. Many of our past public panels and programs have been recorded on video and are available for viewing on the RHP YouTube channel.

Walking tours

Get to know historic LGBTQ neighborhoods with guided or self-guided walking tours.

Become a volunteer

Rainbow History Project is an all-volunteer organization and we encourage you to get involved. We always need volunteers to help grow our collection and develop public programs.