JD Doyle, a former resident of Virginia and a notable figure in LGBTQ+ history, has been acknowledged for his contributions to queer culture. Doyle lived in Norfolk from 1978 to 1981 and was a chemical engineer before deciding to travel and gain new experiences. His book, ‘1981—My Gay American Road Trip: A Slice of Pre-AIDS Culture,’ recounts his nationwide journey and the people he encountered.
Doyle’s work has earned him several awards. In 2019, the Library of Congress included the JD Doyle Archives in their internet LGBTQ studies web archive. In 2021, he received the Trailblazer Award from the Texas Conference on Digital Libraries. Houston’s Mayor declared a ‘JD Doyle Day’ in 2022, and in 2023, he received the Legacy Award from the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
Doyle has a keen interest in music, which has resulted in many stories, resources, and sound archives. He started collecting records in the early 1970s, with a focus on queer music. In 2000, he hosted a radio show that highlighted music from the 1920s onwards, particularly from independent artists. The show also included interviews with LGBTQ+ community pioneers.