This week, the GLBT History Museum is launching "The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus - Celebrating 35 Years of Activism Through Song," a major exhibition chronicling the history of the Chorus. Curated by SFGMC member and historian Tom Burtch, it's a look through the Chorus' archives at its various stages of growth in the City By The Bay.

An opening reception will be held Thursday, September 19, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. The exhibit runs through Jan. 15, 2014.

Here's the official press release text, courtesy of the GLBT Historical Society:

Founded in 1978 as the first openly gay choral group in the world, the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus has performed for music lovers in the Bay Area and across the United States. Its rousing songs have accompanied the journey of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community for more than three decades. The little-known history of this enduring musical institution is the subject of The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus: Celebrating 35 Years of Activism Through Song.

Drawing on comprehensive archives that the chorus donated to the GLBT Historical Society, the exhibition foregrounds the group’s musical advocacy. In addition to posters, artifacts and photographs, the show features an interactive sound-and-video monitor. The displays highlight contributions of the chorus at key moments from the memorial march following the assassinations of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk in 1978 to public celebrations of marriage equality in 2013.

"The chorus isn't just about making music," notes lead curator and longtime chorus member Tom Burtch. "Our performances have always been about making social change, too. Our singing has supported our community in its calls for equality, its hours of grief, its expressions of love and its celebrations of triumph. The exhibition doesn't just tell the story of the chorus; it also highlights the remarkable history of more than three decades of the movement for GLBT equality."