Mission: Cultural and educational resource center preserving gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender heritage.
Programs: Celebrating more than 40 years, stonewall national museum & archives (snma) promotes understanding through preserving and sharing the proud culture of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their significant role in society. Snma presents an ongoing schedule of exhibits, including author readings and movie screenings on lgbt topics, writer's and book discussion groups and special events. Stonewall national archives currently contains more than 5,000 items that document a century of lgbt cultural and social history. The professionally-catalogued collection is maintained according to strict conservation and archival standards. (continued on schedule o) it is used by community leaders, writers, scholars, researchers, historians and members of the general public. Stonewall national museum - wilton manors gallery, engages lgbt visitors, residents and their allies with meaningful, lively exhibits and community conversations by lgbt people at the hub of lgbt activity in south florida. Exhibits, programs and special events in the wilton manors gallery amplify the distinctly personal connection of sexuality, gender and civil rights at the front door of the lgbt community. Stonewall national library is the largest lgbt lending library in the united states. With new titles added every week, library holdings now number over 25,000 books, 1,500 dvds, and offer more than 60 national and regional periodicals in the john graves reading room. Stonewall national education project, a project of stonewall national museum & archives, shares and implements lgbt inclusive policies and practices through a national network of educators. Stonewall museum is a resource that integrates historically relevant accurate information about lgbt history and culture into the fabric of american history. As part of the larger movement for equality of all people, stonewall national education project is an advocate for the safety, inclusion and value of lgbt students, with the focus of improving student image, attendance and graduation rates.
As a former Board Chair of The Stonewall Library & Archives I can proudly say that this is one of the hidden gems of Fort Lauderdale. The collection has been carefully preserved for over 40 years, most of which was done with 100% volunteer staff.
The most thrilling part of watching The Stonewall Library grow is how it has changed with the community. Beginning as a group of men and women who wanted to share books that were scarce, to assembling an archive of LGBT history that has no match in the world. Now the focus has changed from merely preserving artifacts and running a lending library to presenting the story for the nation to see.
Recently they have partnered with Broward County District Schools to form The Stonewall National Education Project. This group has developed a program for school districts all across the nation to address the issue of bullying and discrimination. So far the program has touched the lives of over 2 million students.
