
Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project
By Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project
We are a community-based history initiative committed to researching and telling the stories of LGBTQ+ individuals and organizations in our region

The Lavender Menace
Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project • By • Jun 01, 2021
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18:58
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The Lavender Menace
From the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project, we proudly present this podcast episode on the topic of Lesbian Feminism in Southwest Virginia.
The episode includes an interview with Dr. Emma Heaney, readings by Grace Fowler and Caroline Painter, and audio interviews drawn from oral histories in the LGBTQ+ History Collection at the Virginia Room, in the Roanoke Public Library, located in Roanoke, Virginia. The oral history narrators featured in today’s program include:
- Robin Jordan
- Nancy Kelly
- Kathryn L Beranich
- Gail Burress
- Ashley Rhame
All of the music in today’s episode is courtesy of Blue Dot Sessions and Purple Planet Music.
Please subscribe and share. You can find more information about the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project, and this podcast, at www.lgbthistory.pages.roanoke.edu. We are also on Facebook at Southwest Virginia LGBTQ History Project, and follow us on Instagram at swvalgbtqhistory.
18:58
June 01, 2021

LGBTQ People and the Police
There is a long history of interactions between LGBTQ communities and the police in Roanoke, Virginia.
From the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project, we proudly present this podcast episode on the history of LGBTQ people and the police in Roanoke, Virginia.
All of the audio interviews in this episode are drawn from oral histories in the LGBTQ History Collection at the Virginia Room, Roanoke Public Libraries, located in Roanoke, Virginia. The oral history narrators featured in today’s program include:
- Robin Jordan
- Peter Thornhill
- Don Muse
- Anonymous
- Nathaniel Preston
- Theodore Cassel
- Mary Boenke
- Rodger Saunders
- Myer S. Reed
- Rissa
- Daddy Sam
- Joe Cobb
- Yodie Cleveland Swain
The music in today’s episode comes from: Audionautix, Blue Dot Sessions, Fesliyan Studios, Kevin Luce at freesound.org, Kevin MacLeod at filmmusic.io, Nathaniel Ma, Purple Planet Music, and Shane Ivers at silvermansound.com.
Please subscribe and share. You can find more information about the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project, and this podcast, at www.lgbthistory.pages.roanoke.edu. We are also on Facebook at Southwest Virginia LGBTQ History Project, and follow us on Instagram at swvalgbtqhistory.
32:42
May 07, 2021

The HIV/AIDS Crisis
In the 1980s and 1990s, the HIV/AIDS crisis had a major impact on LGBTQ communities in Southwest Virginia.
From the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project, we proudly present this podcast on the history of HIV and AIDS in Southwest Virginia.
All of the audio interviews in this podcast are drawn from oral histories in the LGBTQ History Collection at the Virginia Room, Roanoke Public Libraries, located in Roanoke, Virginia. The oral history narrators featured in today’s program include:
- Anonymous
- Larry Bly
- Gail Burruss
- Larry Forrest
- Gerry Jennings
- Miss Grace Kelly
- Nancy Kelly
- Barbara Maberry
- Don Muse
- Myer S. Reed
- Rissa
- Rodger Saunders
- Peter Thornhill
- Edna Whittier
Thank you to Roanoke College student research assistants Megan Reynolds and Beth Janes for their contributions to the research in this podcast.
All of the music in today’s podcast is courtesy of Purple Planet Music, under Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0. For more information, see www.purple-planet.com.
Please subscribe and share. You can find more information about the Southwest Virginia LGBTQ+ History Project, and this podcast, at www.lgbthistory.pages.roanoke.edu. We are also on Facebook at Southwest Virginia LGBTQ History Project, and follow us on Instagram at swvalgbtqhistory.
32:09
April 24, 2020