Dr. Jake Newsome is a historian, author, and public speaker whose work explores the history of LGBTQ+ people under Nazism and the ongoing struggle to preserve and learn from this history. He holds a PhD in history and is the author of Pink Triangle Legacies: Coming Out in the Shadow of the Holocaust (Cornell University Press).
As a public historian, Jake works to bring historical scholarship to wide audiences beyond the classroom. He is the Founder of the Pink Triangle Legacies Project, a nonprofit initiative dedicated to preserving the history of LGBTQ+ people persecuted under Nazism and connecting those histories to contemporary conversations about civil rights, inclusion, and democratic responsibility.
Jake regularly lends his voice to national conversations about LGBTQ+ history and historical memory. His writing has appeared in outlets such as The Washington Post, and he has been featured as a guest on podcasts including Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness.
He is also an invited speaker for universities, corporations, and museums seeking historically grounded conversations about inclusion, civic responsibility, and the consequences of discrimination. Recent engagements have included programs for organizations such as Capital One, the Library of Congress, the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, Axis Capital, and Holocaust Museum Houston. In addition to serving as a historical advisor for film projects, exhibits, and plays, Jake has been invited by the French, UK, and US governments to speak about why the history of LGBTQ+ persecution—and resistance—continues to matter today.
Invite Dr. Jake Newsome to Speak
Jake delivers lectures, keynote talks, and trainings for organizations seeking historically grounded conversations about inclusion, civil rights, and the consequences of discrimination.
Recent audiences include universities, corporations, museums, and government institutions across the United States and internationally.
Popular topics include:
• LGBTQ+ history under Nazism
• The history and legacy of the pink triangle
• Historical lessons for inclusion and leadership
• The dangers of censorship and historical erasure
Author
Dr. Newsome is the author of Pink Triangle Legacies: Coming Out in the Shadow of the Holocaust (Cornell University Press). Based on extensive archival research and oral histories, the book traces how LGBTQ+ survivors and activists transformed the pink triangle from a Nazi concentration camp badge into a global symbol of resistance and pride.
Organizations that Have Hosted Jake’s Lectures:
Corporate Organizations
Capital One
Axis Capital
Konica Minolta
Plaid
Sixth Street Partners
Government Organizations
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
U.S. State Department
U.K. Department of Transport
City of Paris
New Jersey Board of Education
Museums & Educational Organizations
Library of Congress
Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum
Illinois Holocaust Museum
NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project
Boston LGBTQ Museum
Universities
New York University
Keene State College
Pennsylvania State University
Emory University
Cal Poly Humboldt
The Pink Triangle Legacies Project
Dr. Jake Newsome is the Founder and President of the Pink Triangle Legacies Project, a nonprofit initiative that honors the memory of the Nazis’ LGBTQ+ victims and carries on their legacy by fighting queerphobia and transphobia today through education, empowerment, and advocacy.
Through public programs, educational resources, and a new traveling exhibit, the project works to ensure that the stories of the Nazis’ LGBTQ+ victims are remembered and that the lessons of this history continue to inform conversations about human rights today.
Dr. Jake Newsome 