NPS Photo / H.W.L. Dana Papers We, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer people (LGBTQ), all the subdivisions of the sexual and gender minority community, exist in America. The places we remember and hold dear, those places that have become part of our identity, also exist. Still. Many of them. LGBTQ+ history is a key piece of the broader history of Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters. Join us in exploring the queer past, and the resonance of these stories today. The site's archival collections allow us to trace three generations of queer Longfellows within the home. Harry Dana, the grandson of the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, preserved many of his families’ important documents — as well as his own. As a gay man and a public figure in his own right, Harry Dana was preserving queer history and creating it at the same time. The site's archives hold the rich family history that Harry Dana worked to preserve. The personal papers of Longfellow family members held in the archives give insight into the intimate relationships of Samuel Longfellow (1819-1892), Alice Longfellow (1850-1928), and Harry Dana (1881-1950).
Through the lens of these family members, we can gain insight into the experiences of LGBTQ people throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. These periods saw major changes in cultural attitudes towards intimate relationships between people of the same gender, as well as the shift from queerness being perceived as a behavior to becoming an actual identity. This page features a growing collection of stories that have emerged from this archival research. 
Glenn Carrington and Harry Dana
Glenn Carrington and Harry Dana' relationship exemplifies both the struggles and meaningful connections of queer life in the 1920s-1940s. 
Boston Marriages
A literary lens on the history of romantic relationships between women in 19th century New England. Videos
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Last updated: October 12, 2024