Pride Month Recap with FMA!
Pictured: Lexington Men's Chorus, and others, marching for Fairness in the parade on July 3, 1999
Wow!!! What an incredible Pride Month full of celebrating Kentucky’s LGBTQ History!
We are so overwhelmed with the amount of love and support that we have received this month. Seeing the joy on people’s faces as they see LGBTQ Kentuckians being highlighted so publicly has felt truly magical. From Queer, Here, & Everywhere at the Lexington Public Library to the street banners lining Vine Street, we at FMA wanted to make it clear that we will not hide our history in the shadows. Instead, we will always work towards our mission of unequivocally affirming our community’s place in the rich tapestry of Kentucky’s past, present, and future.
While Pride Month may be over, this work doesn’t stop! All year long, we will continue to create a strong schedule of exhibitions, talks, workshops, and other events that remind all Kentuckians that LGBTQ history is a very important part of Kentucky history. We hope to see you all there!
FMA @ LEXINGTON PRIDE FESTIVAL
We were so excited to bring "Queer, Here, & Everywhere" to the Lexington Pride Festival this year!!! With the festival returning outside, we had an amazing time with the thousands of visitors attending Pride! Every single person who came had the opportunity to explore the exhibit and discover some of the people, places, organizations, and moments that helped to define Kentucky's LGBTQ history!! This exhibit will continue to travel, so make sure to check out its upcoming venues!
August 4 to September 12, 2025
Lexington History Museum – Lexington, KY
October 1-31, 2025
Lexington Public Library, Eastside Branch – Lexington, KY
This exhibition was made possible by a generous 250Lex Cultural Grant!
FMA was proud to honor some of the iconic individuals and organizations who have made a major impact on Kentucky’s LGBTQ history. These street banners were on display along Vine Street in downtown Lexington throughout the month of June!
This project highlights the enduring legacy of Lexington's LGBTQ community and these banners provide a small glimpse into the broader narrative of queer history in this city and throughout the state. Every single person walking or driving down Vine Street were confronted with these images of queer joy! Kentucky’s rich LGBTQ history was on full display!
Want to see the banners up close? They will be shown at Lussi Brown Coffee Bar throughout February 2026! They will also be back up on display for June 2026!
This project was made possible the support of JustFundKY and the LFUCG Mayor’s Office.
Dr. John Fryer’s Historic Marker
Last week, we were so honored to help dedicate the historic marker for Winchester-native Dr. John Fryer! Fryer, also known as Dr. Anonymous, was a true pioneer in LGBTQ activism and played a crucial role in getting the APA to remove homosexuality from its list of mental disorders.
As Dr. Jonathan Coleman said in his remarks, "Dr. Fryer’s life, and now this marker, helps remind us: Truth is not a luxury. It’s a responsibility. And to all who pass by this marker in the years to come—may you see not just the history, but the hope. May you be inspired to speak up for truth and justice, especially when silence is easier, and to know that even one voice—even a trembling voice—can change the world."
His marker is now the fifth LGBTQ historic marker in Kentucky and we invite you to visit it at 1117 West Lexington Avenue, Winchester, KY whenever you have a chance!
Photos by Jon Paul Martin / Whiskey & Wiles Photography, courtesy of WinCity Voices.
REMEMBERING PETER TAYLOR
While Pride Month involved many wonderfully joyful moments, we also suffered a great loss. We were deeply saddened to announce the passing of Peter Taylor, one of the earliest and most dedicated supporters of the Faulkner Morgan Archive and a beloved member of our Board of Directors. Peter died yesterday at the University of Kentucky Hospital after a brief illness.
A lifelong LGBTQ advocate, Peter brought profound insight, courage, and compassion to every role he held — from mental health professional to rare book collector to archivist of Kentucky’s LGBTQ history. His life was a testament to resilience, justice, and quiet revolution. Peter’s unwavering commitment to visibility, dignity, and truth shaped not only our work at FMA but the broader narrative of LGBTQ Kentucky. We are honored to have known him and privileged to carry forward the legacy he helped build. As he once said: “History is written by the winners and the existence of this archive proves that here, by God, we won one.”
He is deeply loved and will be deeply missed.
DEPICTING DESIRE PANEL
The John Burton Harter Foundation and Institute 193, in collaboration with the Faulkner Morgan Archive, proudly presented Depicting Desire, a panel discussion examining the work of Patrick Angus (1953-1992) and John Burton Harter (1940-2002) alongside other queer Southern artists of their generation. The discussion included the perspectives of contemporary working artists dealing with the nuances of depicting queer life in the South today.
Panelists included long-time friends of the gallery Jonathan Coleman (Co-founder and president of the Faulkner Morgan Archive) and John Brooks as well as 193 exhibitors, Jackson Markovic and Ceirra Evans.
THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS!
We also want to extend our gratitude to all of our supporters from Pride Month! We especially want to thank two of our most consistent supporters, Lussi Brown Coffee Bar and local artist Wylie Caudill! All month long, Lussi Brown Coffee Bar celebrated their "Pride Fridays" and giving 10% of sales go to local LGBTQIA+ organizations! For June 20, that nonprofit was FMA!!
Then, last week, Wylie Caudill released (and quickly sold out) the LAST limited run of his "I Feel Lex" prints, with 50% of the proceeds going to FMA and our mission of sharing Kentucky's LGBTQ history! We are always eternally grateful for those who utlize their business and platform to help support us and ensure that our community’s stories get shared for generations to come!
“THE BEST GAY ONE-NIGHT
STAND IN AMERICA”
Have you grabbed your copy of Queer Kentucky's newest print issue on LGBTQ art and performance?? We were proud contribute an article highlighting the long legacy of performers visiting queer spaces in Lexington.
"For one night and one night only, Lexington hosted some of the most visibly Queer entertainers of the 1970s and 1980s. Drawn by the city’s reputation as a gay haven, and facilitated by the connections of several bar owners, Lexington became a “one-night stand” as celebrities stopped to perform on their way to other, larger cities."