About the Foundation
Scholarship in service of understanding.
The William A. Percy Foundation for Social and Historical Studies supports scholarly research and public education intended to deepen understanding and tolerance of human sexual diversity.
Independent inquiry has a history.
The Foundation gives particular attention to subjects and populations that may be marginalized or overlooked by mainstream scholarship and media. Its work spans historical research, sexuality, civil liberties, criminal justice, archives, books, public education, and support for independent scholars.
William A. Percy portrait
William Armstrong Percy III · 1933–2022
The scholar behind the name.
William A. Percy taught history at the University of Massachusetts Boston for more than four decades. Trained in classical and medieval history, he later brought sustained scholarly attention to the history of sexuality and gay studies. His work crossed disciplinary boundaries and reflected a willingness to investigate subjects that academic institutions often approached cautiously.
The Foundation carries that spirit forward: rigorous inquiry, historical perspective, intellectual independence, and attention to voices and questions that can disappear when scholarship becomes too comfortable.