A CLOSER look

In October of 1979, a small group of gay men in Asheville established the Community Liaison Organization for Support, Education and Reform. According to the group’s constitution, its purpose was “to serve as a liaison organization between the gay/lesbian community and the larger population, to provide mutual support, education and information regarding problems and concerns of the gay/lesbian community, to work for reform of social prejudices and discrimination practices and attitudes, and to foster for individuals and the community a sense of gay/lesbian identity.”

Along with regular meetings and social events, CLOSER published Community Connections, a weekly newspaper providing updates and information about local happenings.

The organization disbanded in the early 2000s, but its archival materials are now housed in the North Carolina Room at Pack Memorial Library as part of the special collections’ ongoing work to expand its catalog concerning local LGBTQ history.

Within the past year, the N.C. Room has also begun hosting pop-up exhibits, including last year’s “Out!” at Banks Ave in South Slope, which displayed photos, newspaper clippings and other items documenting Asheville’s queer community during the years from 1972-2002.

According to N.C. Room manager Katherine Cutshall, additional pop-ups are planned for later this year, with dates and locations to be determined. In the meantime, she adds, the N.C. Room will continue to welcome donations of photos, documents, letters and other archival materials once country libraries reopen.