CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)- The Alliance for Full Acceptance (AFFA) gathers to display a project sponsored by the College of Charleston’s Addlestone Library and Women’s Health Research Team.

The project is called “Being LGBTQ in the Lowcountry.”

Their goal is to to document the history and experiences of the LGBTQ Community in the Lowcountry with photos, letters and memorabilia through the centuries.

College of Charleston Archivists Harlan Greene and Rebecca Thayer have been looking through library archives since July of 2018.

The team received a grant from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation and a $25,000 Linda Ketner challenge grant.

Harlan Green, Project Director of “Being LGBTQ in the Lowcountry,” believes the LGBTQ Community will benefit from recording and preserving their history.

“We’ve got a great history but it’s just not been documented,” says Greene.

“People take strength and pride from their past. Somebody once said the past is an exclusive club in the city of Charleston. Now, it’s time for members of the LGBTQ Community to be let into that exclusive club.”

Harlan Greene, Project Director

Tonight, the AFFA wanted to show off some of the interesting pieces that have been collected so far; including some donated by them.

Chase Glenn, the AFFA’s Executive Director, explains why this project is so impactful to him and what he hopes it will do for LGBTQ youth.

“I’m transgender, and [growing up] I felt incredibly different and didn’t know there was a community of people like me out there,” says Glenn.

“If there’s a place where I can go and see people in my community, who have lived this experience, and know I’m not alone- I think that’s pretty powerful.”

Chase Glenn, AFFA Executive Director

They will continue to research and collect items for the project. If you’d like to learn more you can click here.