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DPPL Celebrates Pride 2026 - PART 1

The Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame
This June, as the library continues to celebrate 250 years of American Independence, we wanted to take a moment to highlight the 10% of Americans – and 4.5% of those living in Illinois – who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community.

As inductees to Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Hall of Fame, the individuals whose stories I’ve chosen to share have helped contribute to the city’s LGBTQ+ community.

It cannot be understated, however, that this is just a glimpse into the variety of people who have helped build Chicago’s LGBTQ+ community.

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Spotlight

Deaf History Month and Libraries

Even before its founding in 2006, Deaf History Month has always been heavily intertwined with libraries.

In 1997, Alice Hagemeyer – a deaf librarian at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library – created Deaf Awareness Week, which began on March 13th.

This date was chosen for historical significance, as it coincided with the 1988 appointment of Dr. I. King Jordan, the first deaf president of Gallaudet University – the United States’ first and only higher education institution designed for deaf and hard of hearing students. 

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