Above, the exhibit includes the suit that Harvey Milk was assassinated in, which still has the bullet holes and blood stains. There’s also a rugby ball dedicated to Mark Bingham, one of the heroes killed on 9/11 in the United Flight 93 tragedy.

By Joseph Amster

With the closing of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society’s Passionate Struggle: Dynamics of San Francisco’s GLBT History exhibit at the corner of 18th and Castro Streets this coming weekend, Executive Director Paul Boneberg says the year-long run was a success for both his organization and the neighborhood. 

“Our intent a year ago was to see if this would work. If we built the exhibit, would anyone come? I think we proved our point: that we’re an economic draw for the Castro, and I think that’s why the city is supporting us to try to do it again longer, and that’s what we’re going to try to do,” he says. The GLBTHS has secured a $100,000 grant from the City of San Francisco and is currently in negations to continue a presence in the Castro. “We are now exploring spaces. We are in negotiations with the Walgreen’s corporation, and the space they have next to the Badlands bar,” he says. “That may happen, it may not happen, but we have the city grant, and we’re actively looking to see if we can open another space. If we can, we will, but it will not be until the spring of next year.” A spring opening would coincide with the GLBTHS’ 25th anniversary.

The exhibition space for Passionate Struggle at 18th and Castro Streets was never intended to house the artifacts for more than one year, and was made possible by a donation by Chase Bank. Boneberg says the exhibition attracted over 25,000 people during its run and had a positive economic impact on the neighborhood. “We’ve had some businesses say that their business was up during the year, and considering the enormous recession, that is extraordinary - they attribute that to us,” he says. “It’s clearly a cultural attraction of enough note that it’s enhancing the visitor experience for the Castro. 

“One of the things that I was pleasantly surprised by was how many of the visitors were non-GLBT community,” says Boneberg. “I would say that at least a third of our overall visitors were non-gay, which is great and wonderful. They’re going to the Castro looking for queer culture and finding us.” 

Neighborhood businesses also supported the exhibition, with the Castro Theatre donating T-shirt sales proceeds during its run of the film Milk, as well as a significant donation from Harvey’s restaurant. The GLBTHS also credits a dedicated staff of volunteers with keeping the exhibition open during its run.

Passionate Struggle resonated with attendees for a myriad of reasons, says Boneberg. “Some are stunned that we have a history, and they had never realized the breadth and depth of GLBT history - that includes people from our own community or not,” he says. “For some, it can be something that relates to their history. Perhaps it’s a flyer they made or a photograph of an event they were at, or a T-shirt that relates to something in their lives’ experience. That’s another place where people are just stunned that the objects survived, and it moves them.” 

The item with the most emotional impact in the exhibit, however, was a blood-stained, bullet ridden suit at the back of the exhibit. “The single item that impacts the most, the suit [Harvey Milk was wearing when he was assassinated], because many people saw the film Milk, and many people came to San Francisco because of Harvey. A number of times I have found people stunned looking at the suit. We’d often talk to them about how we got the suit. Clearly, that’s the single most powerful, emotion-packed item for many people.” 

Passionate Struggle attracted far higher attendance numbers than any exhibit at the GLBTHS’ downtown space on Mission Street, one reason why Boneberg hopes to secure a more permanent space in the Castro. “For us, the fundamental message is that the exhibit has succeeded and it allows us to now return for a longer run”, he says. “It makes the case that there should be a GLBT museum in San Francisco, and we’ve taken the first step toward that with this successful one-year exhibit.”

While the GLBTHS seeks donations of significant, historical items for their collection, the number one way the community can support the organization is by becoming a member. “We’re a membership organization, and memberships begin at $30,” says Boneberg. “Certainly, people can support us by becoming members. They can do that by going to our Web site. We’re a small institution with a staff of three with a lot of volunteers. Our annual budget is under a half million dollars.”

Another way to support the GLBTHS is by attending their first-ever gala, on Thursday, Oct. 29, from 6:30-9:30 pm in The Green Room at the San Francisco Performing Arts Center and War Memorial, 401 Van Ness Ave. Titled Unmasked, the Halloween gala includes a performance from Beach Blanket Babylon and the Twilight Vixen Review, an all queer burlesque troop, as well as appearances by Honorary Gala Chair Supervisor Bevan Duffy, The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and Dykes on Bykes. Advance tickets begin at $75 and are available at http://www.glbthistory.org/gala2009/index.html.

The GLBTHS is located at 657 Mission St., San Francisco. For more information, go to www.glbthistory.org, or call (415) 777-5455.