Collection contents include materials related to various lesbian and gay organizations in Vancouver and Toronto, as well as political activities in the New Democratic party, left-wing organizations, presses and radio. The Gay Liberation movement is widely represented, with Labour, Socialist and Marxist, Women’s Liberation, and First Nations organizations peppered throughout the collection. Significant attention is given to Gay Alliance Towards Equality, the John Damien, Gay Tide and Body Politic legal battles, and Anita Bryant. There is also a significant presence of materials relating to CRFO Co-op Radio.

It was collected and donated by James Thomas, Founder of the Archives Collective. Significant donations were made to the Archives Collective by Randy Notte, a writer and gay advocate based out of Victoria and then Toronto and Vancouver; these donations document his wide range of involvement in the NDP and Socialist groups throughout Canada, especially as they have to do with gay and lesbian rights at that time. Files 2-20 to 6-07 are related to Notte’s activities. The collection is divided into two series, Subject Files (1919-1989) and Archive Administration (1979-1989).

Collection includes materials in the form of letters; pamphlets; posters; political materials, including a number of NDP related items collected by Randy Notte; materials relating to the functions of Gay and Lesbian organizations in Vancouver, Victoria and globally; newspapers and newspaper clippings; and other ephemera.