Exhibit Celebrates Gay Civil Rights History
Valentine's Day Gift Leads To Growth Of Museum
POSTED: Friday, March 19, 2010
UPDATED: 7:52 am EDT March 23, 2010
  |
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- One Valentine's Day gift grew over the years into a one-of-a-kind collection commemorating the love between two people and the history behind what made their love possible.Each artifact in the 70-piece collection was a Valentine's Day gift from Ray Struble to his partner, Brian McNaught."The work is actually a reflection of our love of history, our love of one another," McNaught said.The priceless books, statues and pictures, including a novel written by gay author Walt Whitman, document the struggle of being gay in America."In three different places, Walt Whitman has crossed out type and made a last-minute change in his own handwriting," McNaught said.McNaught, a writer, said he has spent his life fighting for gay rights."When I came out in 1974, I was fired, and that began a career of public education," McNaught said.The private collection will make a public appearance at the Stonewall Museum in Fort Lauderdale, the only museum in the U.S. with a permanent collection dedicated to gay and lesbian rights."Unlike people in other minority communities, we didn't grow up with gay family members who told us the stories of their survival," McNaught said."It's time that they should be on display for other people, as opposed to just ourselves," Struble said.Their collection celebrates gay history, but it also documents the evolution of their relationship, which they said was made possible by the struggles of those who came before them.
Copyright 2010 by Post-Newsweek Stations.
All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten
or redistributed
The views expressed are not those of JustNews.com, WPLG or its affiliated companies. This is a community moderated forum (Please note the 'Flag' button). By posting your comments you agree to accept our Terms of Use.
blog comments powered by Disqus
A resident of an assisted-living facility who is accused of stabbing a nursing assistant is caught on video threatening a bond court judge Wednesday.
A 15-year-old girl was released from Miami Children's Hospital after being stabbed several times in a Perrine neighborhood.
Glenn Shadix, best remembered for his portrayal of a portly, pretentious designer in the metaphysical comedy "Beetlejuice," died Tuesday at his home in Birmingham. He was 58.
Florida Power and Light is installing new "smart meters" at homes in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, giving customers greater control over their electric bill.
A couple continues a fight in court to keep their adopted son and help lift Florida's statewide ban on gay adoption.
A hot new sport that’s both fun and great exercise is making a major splash in South Florida.
A girl born 14 months ago weighing only 11 ounces continues to amaze her doctors with her resilience.
Two lawyers, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper and a tow truck driver rushed to the rescue of a kitten stuck under the hood of a car Wednesday outside Miami's courthouse.
When it came to graduating from high school, several big-name celebrities didn't make the grade. Here's a look at the stars who defied one-in-a-million odds to make it big without a diploma. 
Rise and shine with Local 10's Jacey Birch and see how she spends her day.
See the beautiful furry friends waiting at the Humane Society of Broward County to find a home this week.
Email Alerts
RSS News Feeds
Mobile
Live Streams
Slideshows
Video
Search
