UW’s AHC and Playwright Hinton Honored for ‘A Sissy in Wyoming’

The American Heritage Center (AHC) at the University of Wyoming has received the prestigious Award of Excellence from the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) in the “rapid response” project category, alongside playwright and producer Gregory Hinton.

The AASLH award recognizes the outstanding achievement of the AHC and Hinton for their collaborative efforts in bringing the Wyoming tour of the play “A Sissy in Wyoming” to fruition last fall.

Wyoming Humanities, the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, the Wyoming Arts Council and the Wyoming Historical Society supported this pioneering tour, which garnered widespread acclaim.

“A Sissy in Wyoming” vividly portrays the extraordinary life of Larry “Sissy” Goodwin (1946-2020), a Wyoming educator, power plant operator, activist and cross-dresser. The thought-provoking play, written and read by Hinton, draws upon oral interviews conducted by Leslie Waggener, AHC Simpson archivist, with Sissy’s wife, author and activist Vickie Jones Goodwin. The play serves as a tribute to Sissy’s remarkable journey, highlighting the complexities and triumphs of his life in the Cowboy State.

The Wyoming tour of “A Sissy in Wyoming” took place Sept. 30-Oct. 9 in Casper, Cheyenne, Cody, Douglas, Laramie, Jackson, Rock Springs, Riverton and Sheridan. All performances were open to the public, with either no admission fee or a nominal charge. Following each reading, Hinton and Goodwin engaged in enlightening question-and-answer discussions about the play’s themes, providing an opportunity for community members to explore and reflect upon the profound issues it addresses.

The recognition received from the AASLH with the Award of Excellence highlights the exceptional contribution of the AHC and Hinton to the preservation of state and local history.

Established in 1945, the AASLH Leadership in History Awards represent esteemed accolades in the field, celebrating achievements in the collection, preservation and interpretation of state and local history throughout the United States. The award acknowledges the AHC and Hinton’s commitment to excellence; their dedication to advancing historical understanding; and their significant role in fostering dialogue about important societal issues.

AASLH empowers the history community, making the past meaningful through research, advocacy and professional development, connecting practitioners and advancing public history.

“Receiving the Award of Excellence from the AASLH is a tremendous honor that recognizes the transformative impact of ‘A Sissy in Wyoming’ and the profound dedication of Gregory Hinton and the center,” AHC Director Paul Flesher says. “This recognition underscores the AHC’s commitment to preserving the memory and stories of the different ways Wyoming’s people live their lives and the ways in which their lives were interwoven with and influenced by those around them.”

In addition to the AASLH award, Hinton has been honored with the Diversity Award from the Society of American Archivists (SAA) for his outstanding contributions in advancing diversity within the archival record. Hinton’s work on the tour of “A Sissy in Wyoming” and his instrumental role in establishing and developing “Out West in the Rockies” with the AHC played a significant part in his recognition.

SAA is a professional organization that promotes the understanding, value and accessibility of archives and archivists’ work to support the preservation and interpretation of our collective cultural heritage.

“Out West in the Rockies” is a groundbreaking regional LGBTQ+ archive of the American West, co-founded by Hinton and the AHC in 2015. It serves as a vital resource for collecting and preserving the history and culture of the LGBTQ+ community in Wyoming and the seven surrounding Rocky Mountain states: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.

A longtime resident of Southern California, Hinton found himself longing to return to Wyoming, but “I wanted to come home as who I am.”

Hinton’s work extends beyond “A Sissy in Wyoming,” encompassing various media such as novels, films and plays. Notable among his works are the border novels “Cathedral City” and “Desperate Hearts”; the feature film “Circuit”; and several verbatim plays including “Beyond Brokeback,” “Diversity Day” and “Walking Steven Home.” Moreover, Hinton created and produced “Out West,” a national museum program series that illuminates the history and culture of the LGBTQ+ community in the American West through lectures, plays, films and gallery exhibitions.

Reflecting on the awards, Hinton says, “This is such an honor, and it recognizes the importance of preserving and promoting diverse voices within the archival record.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the documentation and celebration of LGBTQ+ history and culture through the Wyoming tour of ‘A Sissy in Wyoming’ and ‘Out West in the Rockies,’” he adds.

About the American Heritage Center

UW’s AHC serves as the university’s repository for manuscripts, rare books and university archives. Internationally renowned for its historical collections, the AHC provides free and open access to a diverse range of researchers, from undergraduates to international scholars and the public. Established in 1945, the AHC boasts over 90,000 cubic feet of historic documents and artifacts across more than 3,500 collections, making it one of the largest nongovernmental archives in the nation. Notable holdings include the university’s history; significant materials related to Wyoming and the West; transportation; mining and energy extraction; entertainment and popular culture; journalism; natural resources and the environment; and military history.