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Freedom to Marry records, 1948-2016, bulk 2003-2015

Abstract Or Scope

Freedom to Marry (2003-2015) was an organization and campaign founded by Evan Wolfson in 2003, with the sole purpose of legalizing marriage for same-sex couples at both the state and federal level. The campaign formulated a three-part strategy to accomplish its goals: win marriage equality in more states, build support for marriage equality, and end federal discrimination. Freedom to Marry's campaign culminated in 2015 when the Supreme Court decided the landmark case, Obergefell v. Hodges, in favor of marriage equality for same-sex couples. The Freedom to Marry records include incorporation documents, meeting minutes, grant applications, promotional material, correspondence, office memos, legal cases, briefs, amici curiae, administrative files, research files, polling files, websites, and audiovisual materials created by, about, and for Freedom to Marry, a bipartisan campaign, to attain marriage equality for same-sex couples in the United States. The organization's records focus almost exclusively on this goal, and the few materials that do not are related to civil rights for the LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, plus) community. Materials are dated from 1948 to 2016 with the bulk falling between 2003 and 2015, the years that the campaign was active. Material dated prior to 2000 is related to the organization either as historical context or research, or pertains specifically to Evan Wolfson's (Freedom to Marry's founder and president) career prior to the establishment of Freedom to Marry.

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