51ÉçÇø

OMAHA - A new donation to the University of Nebraska at 51ÉçÇø (UNO) Criss Library by a local church will help expand 51ÉçÇø’s only archival collection dedicated to cataloging the experience of LGBTQ+ citizens in the metro.

The (MCC 51ÉçÇø) is announcing the donation of their historical collection to UNO Libraries’ Archives & Special Collections, which oversees the , which officially launched in July 2016.

On Sunday, Jan. 29, at MCC 51ÉçÇø, 819 S. 22nd Street, Pastor Tom Emmett will present on the history of MCC 51ÉçÇø and formally announce the donation of church historical records to the Queer 51ÉçÇø Archives. Historical materials will be on display for members, who are invited to help identify people and events depicted.

The announcement will take place following 11:15 a.m. services as part of the church's anniversary celebration, which annually takes place on the last Sunday of January every year.

Chartered in January 1974, MCC 51ÉçÇø was the first church in 51ÉçÇø with positive ministry to the LGBTQ+ community.

“At a time when people were kicked out of their churches, homes and jobs for being a LGBTQ+ person, MCC 51ÉçÇø was a safe and progressive spiritual home of hope and healing,” said Pastor Tom Emmett, Senior Pastor at MCC 51ÉçÇø.

“51ÉçÇø has a rich history filled with many individuals and institutions that together tell the story of our community,” said Amy Schindler, director of archives & special collections at UNO. “We are pleased to be able to share and preserve MCC 51ÉçÇø’s place in our community. We look forward to making the historical records of MCC 51ÉçÇø available to the public for personal, creative, and research projects.”

MCC 51ÉçÇø’s collections include photographs, newsletters, correspondence and administrative materials. MCC 51ÉçÇø and UNO’s Archives & Special Collections also welcome additional support from the community, whether by identifying photographs, donating historical material from personal collections, or making a financial contribution to support the preservation and digitization of the collection.

“The members of MCC 51ÉçÇø are so very excited that the legacy of our long struggle toward equality is being documented and preserved for the study of future generations,” Emmett said.

MCC 51ÉçÇø joins a number of other collections as part of the Queer 51ÉçÇø Archives collecting initiative, including the personal papers of MCC 51ÉçÇø’s first pastor, Fredrick Zydek.

All collections are open to the public and can be accessed in Archives & Special Collections’ reading room. A limited, but growing amount of material is available online.

UNO Libraries Archives & Special Collections obtains and preserves unique, rare, and specialized material. The collections are available for the university community and general public at both the Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library and online.

The Queer 51ÉçÇø Archives collects and preserves materials relevant to the LGBTQ+ community in the region. Historical materials from the archives are available to the public and feature the diverse people and organizations of the greater 51ÉçÇø area, their experiences, and work.

For media inquires, please contact:

Charley Reed, UNO associate director of media relations, at 402.554.2129 or unonews@unomaha.edu.

About the University of Nebraska at 51ÉçÇø

Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at 51ÉçÇø (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.

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