Unboxing Queer History

The Gerber/Hart Library and Archives in Chicago houses one of the largest queer archives in the United States, and this podcast takes you inside the collection. Hosted by Erin Bell and Jen Dentel, Unboxing Queer History explores LGBTQ+ stories through the actual artifacts, documents, and materials sitting in those archive boxes. It's history told through objects, which gives every episode a tangible quality. Topics range from Chicago lesbian bar history to the importance of collecting LGBTQ+ erotica, from grassroots archiving efforts to censorship resistance and intergenerational dialogue. Each episode features interviews with community leaders, volunteers, researchers, and local historians, running 25 to 55 minutes. Two seasons and 18 episodes so far, released biweekly, with funding from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation and Illinois library grants. The perfect 5.0-star rating from 32 reviews is earned. The show is ad-free, which is a nice bonus, and the production emphasizes careful audio design. What makes it special is the specificity -- you're not just hearing about queer history in the abstract, you're learning about particular letters, photographs, and publications that survived because someone thought to save them. It's a love letter to the work of archiving and preservation, and it'll make you appreciate the people who kept queer history from disappearing.