Village Legacy: Photo Archive of Philip Hannan

Philip Hannan was a significant photo-journalist within Ottawa's queer community, and was particularly active in the 1980s and 90s, writing and taking photographs for Capital Xtra and other periodicals in Ottawa. His extensive photo collection covers local queer history, particularly during the height of the AIDS epidemic and when many civil rights cases were being fought in the provincial and federal courts.

Sadly, Philip passed away suddenly on May 18, 2023, just as he was beginning to work on scanning negatives from his collection for use in partnership with the Village Legacy Project, to share and preserve the people, places and events he captured on film. With his passing, we are faced with the daunting prospect of scanning thousands, possible tens of thousands, of negatives— before his collection will finally be donated to the City of Ottawa Archives for preservation and accessibility to future researchers.

We are hoping to count on community interest and support for this massive undertaking, as well as look for grant opportunities to fund this important work of preserving Philip's outstanding contribution to Ottawa's queer community. Any amount you are able to donate to this cause would be greatly appreciated. It is our hope that we will also host an exhibition of Philip's photography sometime in the future. Your name will be included as a sponsor of the Village Legacy Project at this event for your generous contribution. Thank you for considering supporting this initiative, and Happy Pride!

Glenn Crawford,

Researcher/Developer of the Village Legacy Project