This fall, Philadelphia will showcase an interactive, multimedia history of the AIDS epidemic.
The William Way LGBT Community Center will host “1981-Until It’s Over,” a display created by AIDS Fund to examine the myriad milestones in the 30 years of the epidemic, along with the past 25 years of Philadelphia’s AIDS Walk.
“We felt that we wanted to commemorate these milestones,” said AIDS Fund executive director Robb Reichard. “We wanted to take a look back at where we were and where we are now.”
The exhibit will run Sept. 15-Dec. 15, with an opening reception the first evening from 6-8 at the center, 1315 Spruce St.
The show will be constructed around one panel for each of the 30 years of the epidemic, detailing information on the most newsworthy items relating to HIV/AIDS each year. The exhibit is presented in a national context but will have a heavy local focus, Reichard said.
While each panel will contain highlights of that year, binders will also be available for guests who want to learn more about certain occurrences. For instance, while President Reagan’s first address on the disease in 1987 is noted on the panels, the full text of the speech in which he referenced the epidemic is included in the supplemental material.
By the time Reagan had even said “AIDS” in public, the FDA had already approved the first HIV antibody test, the first International Conference on AIDS had been held in Atlanta and some 13,000 people had died from the disease.
Also included in the display will be historical ephemera such as newspaper articles, photographs, buttons, pins and posters dating from the 1980s through today that trace the development of the HIV/AIDS community and its supporters.
A series of videos also will be presented, premiering at the opening reception, that highlights the growth and development of local organizations, the work of community members and the current state of HIV/AIDS in Philadelphia.
Reichard said the exhibit grew out of the timeline AIDS Fund created five years ago — to mark the 25th anniversary of the epidemic and the 20th of the walk — although it has been largely expanded and organizers will continue to build upon the display.
“We weren’t able to include everything and we know we will have missed some things, so we invite people to remind us of those things,” he said. “We don’t plan on just putting this away when it’s over. This is something that’s going to grow and develop over the years.”
Visitors to the exhibit will also have the opportunity to write their own personal stories, messages and tributes in books at the display.
The message and lessons of the display will be widely applicable, Reichard said.
“We want it to be educational for young people who may not have lived through this epidemic in the ’80s and ’90s, but it’s also a reminder for those of us who did of where we’ve come from,” he said. “Looking at the articles and the pictures, it really hits me emotionally. I think this can touch a lot of people.”
For more information, visit www.aidsfundphilly.org or call 215-731-9255.
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].