CLUBHOUSE HISTORICAL EVENT
Rainbow History Project
Is Preserving The History Of The ClubHouse
In 2020, Rainbow History Project (RHP) is undertaking a major new project to collect and preserve the story of the ClubHouse. The ClubHouse, a DC after hours club from 1975-1990, catered mostly to a Black queer clientele. It was known internationally for its sound system, had legendary DJ’s and introduced house music to DC and the World. The ClubHouse hosted the Children’s Hour and many political events and was an important incubator for AIDS activism. It was the first home for Us Helping Us - an organization offering support to gay Black men living with HIV/AIDS, and hosted the first AIDS Forum for Black and Third World Gays.
To advance this project, we are excited to announce:
- Howard University History Graduate Student and RHP Board member Delan Ellington will lead efforts to collect at least 15 audio oral histories from people associated with the ClubHouse and its amazing story.
- Irene Rojas will videotape up to 5 oral histories from people associated with the ClubHouse and its legacy.
We have been awarded a $1,610 grant from The BHT Foundation to help underwrite the costs of videotaping the full length oral history interviews and post-production work creating 3-5 minute videos to tell the story of the ClubHouse and be a part of an online archive.
We have begun the process to create an online archive that will feature selections from a collection of ClubHouse photographs and documents donated to RHP by Paul Butler in 2018 and previously digitized with grant funds from The BHT Foundation.
YOU can be a part of this project:
If you would like to be a volunteer and help collect the ClubHouse oral histories, please contact Delan Ellington at info@rainbowhistory.org.
If you or someone you know would like to tell your story about the ClubHouse, send an email to info@rainbowhistory.org.
If you would like to make a donation to support this project you can make a donation online here or send a check to RHP, P.O. Box 73176, Washington DC 20056.
https://www.culturaltourismdc.org/portal/web/portal%20/the-clubhouse-african-american-heritage-trail
https://www.nps.gov/places/clubhouse-bar-washington-dc.htm
https://larrybeatsthestreets.wordpress.com/2010/09/14/once-upon-a-time-in-a-dance-club-called-the-clubhouse-like-new-york-had-paradise-garage-d-c-had-the-clubhouse/
https://www.nps.gov/places/clubhouse-bar-washington-dc.htm
https://larrybeatsthestreets.wordpress.com/2010/09/14/once-upon-a-time-in-a-dance-club-called-the-clubhouse-like-new-york-had-paradise-garage-d-c-had-the-clubhouse/
