Stonewall National Museum to honor Barney Frank, Janis Ian and more at “heroes” gala

The Stonewall National Museum and Archive in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has announced details of its fourth annual “Standing on the Shoulders of Heroes” gala. It takes place on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2026

The Stonewall National Museum and Archives has a history dating back to 1973. Its founder, Mark N. Silber, began collecting LGBTQ material and storing it at his parents’ home. This material later merged with the Boca Raton-based Southern Gay Archives and became the Stonewall Library & Archives.

The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of South Florida provided a home for this in 2001. When developers slated that building for demolition, the Broward County library service offered the archives space in a former Fort Lauderdale library branch.

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The museum hosts a permanent library and temporary exhibitions. It also curates collections of its vast archives that are available to hire. Its “Standing on the Shoulders of Heroes” exhibition has visited Philadelphia, PA; NYC; Washington D.C.; New Orleans, LA; New Jersey; Ann Arbor, Michigan; Rockland County, New York; Arlington, TX; West Palm Beach, FL; and continues its travels to cities and corners of the U.S.

Its library contains over 28,000 items, including many rare books.

At a time when many in power want to erase our history, the museum’s work has never been more important.

Heroes

The “Standing on the Shoulders of Heroes” gala takes place at The VENUE in Wilton Manors. As in previous years, the event will see new names added to the exhibition. This year, those names will be philanthropist Jon Stryker, retired Congressman Barney Frank, and singer-songwriter Janis Ian.

Organizers expect all three figures to attend the gala.

Stryker, Founder of the Arcus Foundation, has contributed more than $700M dollars social and environmental justice causes around the globe, as well as more than $300M to LGBTQ+ organizations.

In 1987, former Congressman Barney Frank publicly came out as gay, becoming the first member of Congress to do so voluntarily. In 2012, he was the first member of Congress to enter into a same-sex marriage while in office.

Many remember Grammy-winner Janis Ian best for her 60’s and 70’s hits ‘Society’s Child (Baby I’ve Been Thinking)’ and ‘At Seventeen’. She came out as a lesbian in 1993.

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A post shared by Janis Ian (@therealjanisian)

“Transformative”

“Our three honorees continue to be transformative figures in all aspects of our society. They uniquely represent what is best in us simply by being themselves,” said Robert Kesten, Stonewall National Museum’s President and CEO, in a press statement.

“Jon has impacted the planet with his one-of-a-kind foundation, his board service, and commitment to our humanity. Barney can synthesize what is going on in the world and keep it in perspective and in his colorful and expressive way, letting us know this too can be solved. And then there is Janis. Her vulnerability in words and music takes you in and her wicked guitar riffs keep you emotionally engaged, it’s almost like being hypnotized and transformed.

“I am thankful that in the world as it is today, these three will be inducted into our exhibit and join us in repairing our world.”

Tickets for the evening start at $350.

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