Stories of Our Movement:
The Bay Area Reporter at 50
Curated by Rick Gerharter
About the Exhibition
“Stories of Our Movement: The Bay Area Reporter at 50” examines the history of the Bay Area Reporter (BAR) on the occasion of the paper’s 50th anniversary. It is the oldest continuously published LGBTQ newspaper in the United States serving the San Francisco Bay Area.
The first issue of the Bay Area Reporter. Vol. 1, No. 1, April 1, 1971; Periodicals Collection, GLBT Historical Society, copyright BAR Media, Inc.
From its very first issue on April 1, 1971 — adorned with a smiling clown face and inviting readers to “meet your friends” at a fundraiser called “Circus Circus” — to its coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bay Area Reporter has positioned itself as an invaluable source of news, site of information exchange and tool of community-building for the LGBTQ community.
Over its half-century lifespan, the publication has evolved along with its readers and the community itself. The paper has undergone a transformation from being primarily a bar-focused, community niche paper to a publication serving San Francisco, the Bay Area, California and ultimately a newspaper of national and international consequence — all while maintaining its LGBTQ focus.
Featuring digitized pages of the paper, with links to full issues, photographs, testimonials and other audiovisual materials, “Stories of Our Movement: The Bay Area Reporter at 50” examines this groundbreaking paper’s trajectory, impact and continued relevance. It highlights news, politics, culture and sex-positive reporting, opinions and reviews, neighborhood issues, letters to the editor and personal ads.
This exhibition is curated by Rick Gerharter, a San Francisco-based photojournalist who has documented the queer communities of the city and beyond for nearly 35 years. Gerharter has carefully selected historic headlines, cover images, articles and advertising from the BAR’s complete back run, which are paired with archival footage and photos from the GLBT Historical Society’s archives.
“My research in the BAR’s back issues really underscores just how much the paper has evolved in 50 years, right along with the community,” says Gerharter. “I want viewers to come away from this exhibition appreciating the tremendous advances the LGBTQ community has made in five decades, and with an understanding of how important the vital work of the Bay Area Reporter has been and continues to be in building and strengthening that community.”
About the Curator
Rick Gerharter is a San Francisco-based photojournalist who has documented the queer communities of San Francisco and beyond for nearly 35 years. He has been regularly published in the Bay Area Reporter since 1987. Gerharter’s extensive editorial work and travel photography documents performing arts, portraits, architecture and LGBTQ life, and has appeared in a wide variety of periodicals, newspapers, books, films and exhibitions. He is also a contributor to Getty Images. His work is in the collection of the James C. Hormel Center at the San Francisco Public Library and the GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco. For more information, visit https://www.rickgerharterphotos.com.
“Gay Freedom Day Parade ‘75” issue of the Bay Area Reporter; Vol. 5, No. 14, June 1975; Periodicals Collection, GLBT Historical Society, copyright BAR Media, Inc.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This exhibition is made possible with generous support from the Bob Ross Foundation. Based in San Francisco, the Bob Ross Foundation was established in 1996 by Bob Ross (1934–2003). A pioneer of LGBTQ community journalism, Ross was the co-founder of the Bay Area Reporter. He served as publisher from 1971 until his death in 2003. Tom Horn, publisher emeritus of the Bay Area Reporter, is now the trustee of the foundation, which provides grants to a Bay Area LGBTQ nonprofits and supports charities and causes that reflect the philanthropic priorities established by Ross.
Banner photo collage featuring fragments of Bay Area Reporter cover pages: The first issue (Vol. 1, No. 1, April 1, 1971), “Prop 8 Upheld: Marriages Stand” issue (Vol. 39, No. 22, May 28, 2009), Pride Weekend issue (Vol. 28, No. 26, June, 25, 1998), “No Obits” issue (Vol. 28, No. 33, August 13, 1998), and a title header (Vol. 4, No. 12, 1974); Periodicals Collection, GLBT Historical Society, copyright BAR Media, Inc.