“A defining mantra of feminism, “The personal is political,” resonates loud and clear in Rossman’s sensitive, discerning chronicle…
Founded in the 1970s in a New York City apartment, The Lesbian Herstory Archives is now the world’s largest collection of materials by and about lesbians. For more than 40 years, the all-volunteer organization has striven to combat lesbian invisibility by literally rescuing history from the trash.
Frustrated by misogyny and homophobia within academia, Deborah Edel and Joan Nestle co-founded the archives for those conducting research, both professional and personal. Over the years, the organization has witnessed many of the major milestones in LGBTQ+ history and has weathered several storms. Today, with its founders in their seventies, the archives are facing new challenges, including a change in leadership and the rise of digital technology.
Exploring the fascinating origins of the organization, THE ARCHIVETTES is a tribute to second-wave feminism and intergenerational connection, as well as an urgent rallying cry for continued activism in a politically charged moment.
“THE ARCHIVETTES makes clear that The Lesbian Herstory Archives is more than a repository, more than a compendium of stuff; it’s also a ‘rescue squad’ for those stories, and its members are action heroes… A defining mantra of feminism, ‘The personal is political,’ resonates loud and clear in Rossman’s sensitive, discerning chronicle.” —Hollywood Reporter
“History books are generally written by and about men, with women’s contributions omitted or minimized. As underrepresented as women are in these texts, lesbian women are altogether absent. The Lesbian Herstory Archives is home to the world’s largest collection of materials by and about lesbians and their communities, making it an indispensable resource.”
—Women and Hollywood
