LGBTQ+ History Month is an annual month-long observance of  LGBTQ+ history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. It was founded in 1994 by Missouri high-school history teacher Rodney Wilson. LGBTQ+ History Month provides role models, builds community, and represents a civil rights statement about the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. In the United States, Canada, and Australia, it is celebrated in October to coincide with National Coming Out Day on October 11 and to commemorate the first and second marches on Washington in 1979 and 1987 for LGBT rights.