History of LGBT community in New Brunswick being compiled

A small group of archivists and historians is starting to collect the stories and history of NewBrunswick'slesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendercommunity.

The New Brunswick Queer Heritage Initiative is asking the public to submitphotos, letters, and documents from across the provinceto help piece together the history of people who identify as being part of the LGBT community.

"We're really small at the moment,"said Dusty Green, thefounderof the initiative."But we've had a lot of interest."

The independent initiative is working with the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick to create space for any related material.

"We want to act as a safe space to store all those things," said Green, who is working as a student at the provincial archives. "We want to keep and share stories that have never been told."

Green says he came up with the idea for the projectwhen he noticed odd pictures while combing through historical amateur photographs.

"There was a prisoner of war camp in Amherst, Nova Scotia where all the men were dressed in drag and fooling around," said Green. "Lots of photos where men are wearing dresses and mops on their heads as wigs."

I grew up gay in New Brunswickin the '90s and that was a trying experience.So I can't imagine what is was like back then.- Dusty Green, founder of the initiative

"It's amazing," said Green. "Not at all what you would expect at a POW camp."

The find led Green to look for more examples of LGBThistory.

"You look at old pictures and see lots of older folks, posing with their wives, and family. But then you come across pictures of men hugging, or drapedover each other and you go, 'This is something different.'"

Greensays the items examined by the initiativeto dateare limited because documented expression of LGBT relationships or lifestyles were traditionally hidden.

"It is not somethingpeople talked about for a long time," hesaid.

"I grew up gay in New Brunswickin the '90s and that was a trying experience.So I can't imagine what is was like back then."

Green has been fascinated with the uncovered history of Cub Coats and Leonard Keith, who were described as boyfriends in theHavelock, N.B., regionin the early-1900s.

Aphoto album,which wasdonated to the archives, shows the two mencanoeing, hugging, posing and wrestling in isolation at Keith's cabin outside the rural community.

"We've learned that Leonard owned a garage and was in the army, but we're notsureabout Cub, other than he was in themilitary, because that's not his real name," saidGreen. "But they were really affectionate."

Keith ended up being outed for the relationship and run out of town, said Green, who delved further into the historical records, but has so far been unable to findmore documents about the two men or their relationship beyond that point.

"It'sa sad story, but I think it's a very important one," said Green. "These are stories that have never been heard and I thinkNewBrunswickersare ready to hear them."

RaegeanSwanson, the archival advisor for the Council of Archives New Brunswick, is working with the New Brunswick Queer Heritage Initiative to create a space to collect andsafeguardhistorical documents and artifacts for the fledgling group.

"I'mhoping that this goes beyond the queer community, and not just gay and lesbian groups in the region, but also helps to educate people that have questions," saidSwanson. "This would offer a place for everyone to learn."

Anyone wishing to donate material to theNew Brunswick Queer Heritage Initiative can reach the group atNewBrunswickQI@gmail.com.