Associated Press - June 3, 2009 12:54 PM ET

BOSTON (AP) - Harvard University is creating a visiting professorship in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender studies with a gift of $1.5 million from the Harvard Gay and Lesbian Caucus.

The professorship is 1 of the first for gay and lesbian studies in the United States. The University of Louisville has a chair in race, class, gender and sexuality studies named for lesbian poet and activist Audre Lorde.

Harvard's chair is named for F.O. Matthiessen, a Harvard scholar, distinguished literary critic and gay man who died in 1950.

The university said Wednesday it would regularly invite experts in issues related to sexuality or sexual minorities to teach on campus for one semester.

The Harvard Gay and Lesbian Caucus advocates for gay and lesbian students, faculty and alumni.

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