The history of any community is made up of the memories of the members of that community. We want to collect your stories in order to learn more about the LGBTQ+ history of Muncie. For too long, the histories of LGBTQ+ communities have been overlooked, forgotten, or swept under the rug. Even now, when people know more about the LGBTQ+ histories of New York, San Francisco, and other big cities, they are surprised to learn that mid-sized Midwestern cities like Muncie have their own LGBTQ+ communities and histories. That’s the story we want to tell.

How does this work?

Interviews can be conducted in person or via Zoom. They are video recorded, and the recordings and transcripts are stored in the Special Collections and Archives at Ball State University. Typically, interviews take 1-2 hours, depending on how much you want to share.

What do we want to know?

We are conducting “life history” interviews, which means that we want to hear all about your experiences as an LGBTQ+ person in the Muncie area. We’ll ask about your life story and we’ll ask about your perceptions of the Muncie community and how it’s changed over the years. You only have to share what you are comfortable sharing. We’ll work with you to make sure it’s a positive experience! Whether you are bursting with stories or feel like you’ve lived a pretty quiet life, we want to hear from you!

Are you eligible?

Probably! We want to talk to as many people as possible in order to really capture the diversity of our community. We want to talk to anyone who identifies with the LGBTQ+ community in any way (including allies), and who has any experience in Muncie or the surrounding area (whether you moved away, or just moved here, have lived here all your life, or lived in a different community but came to Muncie on weekends). We can only interview adults, but we are interested in your story whether you are 18 or 98!

If you have questions or want to schedule and interview, click here to get in touch. We can’t wait to hear from you!