Presents the first comprehensive synthesis of the rapidly developing field of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer US history. Featuring nearly thirty chapters on essential subjects and themes from colonial times through the present, this collection covers topics including: Rural vs. urban queer histories; Gender and sexual diversity in early American history; Intersectionality, exploring queerness in association with issues of race and class; Queerness and American capitalism; The rise of queer histories, archives, and collective memory; Transnationalism and queer history. Gathers authorities in the field to define the ways in which sexual and gender diversity have contributed to the dynamics of American society, culture and nation.