Search

Materials collected by Bruce Ground documenting his life, business, and activism, 1966-2013. Included are documents, memorabilia, photographs, and other items donated by Bruce Ground. These items pertain to his business, personal life, projects, and general accomplishments and achievements. Born in 1962, Bruce Ground spent the first part of his life in Kentucky, living on his family farm. In 1985, Ground moved to Florida and became involved in the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC), a local gay-friendly church in Tampa. It was there he met Marty Pelham, who helped Ground to open his first bookstore, Tomes & Treasures, with him 1987. Pelham left the store in 1990, leaving Ground to own and operate the store as the sole owner and manager. In 1992, Bruce Ground and Gary Bailey, Ground's partner, opened Out & About Books, Orlando's first gay and lesbian bookstore. After his partner's death, Ground continued to operate Out & About Books for another four years before its eventual closing on January 31st, 2001. As of 2023, Bruce Ground resides in Orlando, Florida.

The Bryant West Indies Slides Collection, Ccirca 1940-1981, contains 35mm slides of various islands in the Caribbean as well as Florida and Venezuela. The slides were taken on collecting trips sponsored by the William L. Bryant Foundation, where books, music and art indigenous to the regions were gathered. They are organized by geographical location. The content of the slides vary and include landscapes, religion, houses, people and everyday life.