In 1973, An Arson Killed 32 People At A Gay Bar. For Years, It Was Fotten : NPR

Contents:

• SHOOTG AT GAY CLUB COLORADO LEAV 5 DEAD, 18 INJURED
• FORTY FIVE YEARS AGO A FIRE NEW ORLEANS GAY BAR TOOK 32 LIV – AND WAS MET WH APATHY
• 5 AD, 25 JURED SHOOTG AT COLORADO GAY NIGHTCLUB, POLICE SAY
• ILLOIS OFFICIALS REACT TO ‘HEARTBREAKG' ATTACK THAT LEFT 5 DEAD AT COLORADO GAY NIGHTCLUB
• IN 1973, AN ARSON KILLED 32 PEOPLE AT A GAY BAR. FOR YEARS, IT WAS FOTTEN
• WATCH: ARSONIST SETS FIRE NYC GAY BAR
• GAY HISTORY NEVADA AND LAS VEGAS, 1969-2009, BY DENNIS MCBRI, CRYSTAL VAN DEE, AND PL ERSHLER
• A NEW ORLEANS GAY BAR INFERNO KILLED 32. ROY REED WAS FIRST TO REPORT THE TTH.LEADING THE WAYJACK THORNELL/APWHEN THE NEW YORK TIM’ ROY REED REPORTED ON NEW ORLEANS’ UP STAIRS LOUNGE FERNO OF 1973, WHICH KILLED 32 PEOPLE, HE WAS THE FIRST JOURNALIST TO INTIFY AS A GAY BAR.ROBERT W. FIELERUPDATED JUL. 28, 2021 3:59PM EDT / PUBLISHED JUL. 05, 2021 1:29AM EDT THE LATE JOURNALIST AND NEW ORLEANS RINT ROY REED, WHO PASSED AWAY 2017, IS PERHAPS BT KNOWN FOR HIS ENTERPRISG CIVIL RIGHTS-ERA VERAGE THE NEW YORK TIM, CLUDG A MARCH 1965 ATTACK OF STATE TROOPERS ON UNARMED MARCHERS SELMA, ALABAMA AT THE EDMUND PETT BRIDGE. IN HIS ONT-PAGE TIM STORY OF THE ENSUG RNAGE, KNOWN AS BLOODY SUNDAY, REED BOLDLY WROTE OF WHE TROOPERS WHO “TORE THROUGH LUMN OF NEGRO MONSTRATORS WH TEAR GAS, NIGHTSTICKS AND WHIPS.” THE NEW ORLEANS TIM-PIYUNE, BY PARISON, PAIRED NEWSWIRE VERAGE OF THE SELMA ATTACK WH A SYMPATHETIC STORY OF OFFENDG LAWMAN SHERIFF JAM G. CLARK, WHO PLAED OF ATH THREATS ON HIMSELF AND HIS FAY BY “NEGRO EXTREMIST GROUPS.”ROY REED’S SPECIAL REPORT OF BLOODY SUNDAY AT SELMA WOULD IGNE SYMPATHY FOR BLACK FREEDOM AND HELP SPEED POLIL PASSAGE OF THE 1965 VOTG RIGHTS ACT. REVEREND DR. MART LUTHER KG, JR. WOULD JO THE NEXT TWO SELMA TO MONTGOMERY MARCH ALONGSI THE YOUNG ACTIVIST JOHN LEWIS. REED’S JOURNALISTIC NTRIBUTN TO QUEER HISTORY, NVERSELY, REMAS UNKNOWN TO MOST AMERINS. IT’S SO UNJTLY OBSCURE THAT EVEN REED’S VERY WORTHY NEW YORK TIM OBUARY FAILED TO MENTN . LIKE SELMA, REED WOULD WRE THE FIVE BREAKG NEWS STORY ON THE ASSLT OF ANOTHER MARGALIZED MUNY. IN THE LATE HOURS OF SUNDAY, JUNE 24, 1973, ROY REED WAS JOLTED ALERT BY A PHONE LL OM THE TIM ANNEX NEW YORK CY TO HIS HOME ON UPPERLE STREET UPTOWN NEW ORLEANS, TWO BLOCKS OFF ST. CHARL AVENUE. HIS NIGHT EDOR ON THE NATNAL SK RMED HIM OF A ADLY FIRE DOWNTOWN, WH MULTIPLE AD. REED RACED HIS R TOWARDS A SMOLRG, SEND-STORY BAR PERCHED ON THE EDGE OF THE FRENCH QUARTER. THERE, BEFORE A SRCHED NOPY BEARG THE CURSIVE WORDS “UP STAIRS,” REED FOUND A MOB OF DNKEN SPECTATORS AND MORE THAN 100 POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS, WHO WERE PACKG AWAY HOS AND CRANG DOWN BODI OM A BOMBED-OUT BUILDG.THIS WAS THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE FIRE, A NOTOR ARSON ATTACK ON A GAY BAR THAT WOULD CLAIM 32 LIV. “THE FIRST THG THAT HS YOU WAS THE ODOR, BURNG FLH,” REMEMBERED REED ONE OF HIS LAST LIVG TERVIEWS FOR MY BOOK TRBOX: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE FIRE AND THE RISE OF GAY LIBERATN, A NONFICTN ACUNT OF THE FIRE. “THEN THE SIGHT OF THE MAN THE WDOW, THE EXPRSN OF HORROR ON HIS FACE.” THAT ASHEN FIGURE THE WDOW WAS REVEREND BILL LARSON, PASTOR OF THE LOL GAY-IENDLY METROPOLAN COMMUNY CHURCH. THOUGH REED ARRIVED WELL AFTER THE EMERGENCY WAS HAND, HE STILL WNSED LARSON HIS ATH POSE BEE THORI WOULD LEAVE THE MAN’S BODY DANGLG OUT OF THE BUILDG FOR HOURS.SUPPRSG HIS NATURAL SHOCK, CLICKG TO ACTN, THE VETERAN REPORTER TERVIEWED GAY UP STAIRS LOUNGE BARTENR BUDDY RASMSEN AND PIECED TOGETHER A NARRATIVE OF A BLUE-LLAR GAY HAVEN CERATED WH THE AID OF LIGHTER FLUID. SOME REPORTERS OF THE DAY WOULD HAVE FLCHED AT THE NOTN OF TERVIEWG ANY OPENLY GAY MAN. REED PRSED AHEAD, SENSG WHAT MAY HAVE SPARKED THIS ADLY FIRE: EXPLOSIVE ANGER. “I TRIED TO PUT MYSELF THE MD OR MDS OF THOSE GUYS,” HE RELLED S LATER. “THOSE FEW MUT OF UNMANAGEABLE RAGE WHEN THEY IMPULSIVELY L THAT FIRE.” HISTORIANS NOW REGNIZE THAT THE BLAZE WAS MOST LIKELY SET BY A DISTURBED SEX WORKER NAMED RODGER DALE NUNEZ, WHO FELLOW PATRONS OVERHEARD THREATENG TO “BURN” THE TABLISHMENT WHEN HE WAS FORCIBLY EJECTED BY BAR STAFF SEVERAL MUT BEFORE THE START OF THE FIRE. REED’S SPUR-OF-THE-MOMENT ASSSMENT THAT THIS NFLAGRATN WAS TENTNAL, AND THAT ANGER L THE MATCH, HAS THEREFORE PROVEN PRCIENT. ADVERTISEMENT MAKG EFFICIENT E OF HIS APPROXIMATELY 30 MUT AT THE SE, REED EVEN SPOKE TO A PHOTOGRAPHER WHO’D BEEN PERMTED TO THAT UPSTAIRS BAR TO DOCUMENT THE PIL OF BODI. DASHG TO HIS TYPEWRER TO TRY TO MEET A 10:30 P.M. ADLE FOR NEXT DAY VERAGE, REED SELECTED HIS QUOT AND CRIED WHILE OUTLG A STORY ON HIS QUICK TRIP TO THE TIM’ DOWNTOWN OFFIC ON CARONLET STREET. IN HIS MD, HE KEPT SEEG THAT BURNT MAN THE WDOW. THE GROTQUE RNAGE, MEN MARKED BY SMOKE AND CRYG OUT THE NAM OF THE MISSG, REMD HIM OF THE SCENE AT THE BRIDGE SELMA AFTER THE HORS CHARGED THE CROWD AMIDST THE TEARGAS. THEN DAWNED ON REED, AS HE RELLED OUR TERVIEW: “THIS WAS THE FIRST ASSIGNMENT I EVER RECEIVED NCERNG THE AMERIN HOMOSEXUAL MUNY.” REED FIGURED THAT THE SEXUALY OF THE VICTIMS WAS AN UNRCURRENT THAT ELUD THE EDOR WHO TASKED HIM TO REPORT THE FIRE. HAD THIS EDOR KNOWN, REED SPECTED THAT HE NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED THE STORY.NEWSROOMS AND REARS OF THE ERA WOULD EXPRS ALMOST UNIVERSAL REVULSN WHEN ALG WH THE TOPIC OF “VIATE” SEXUALI, AND NO LEADG PAPER THE UNTRY WOULD PRT THE RADIL WORD “GAY” WHOUT ENCLOSG PATRONIZG QUOTATN MARKS. AS POT OF FACT, THE NEW YORK TIM WOULD NOT REVISE S STYLE GUI TO ALLOW THE WORD “GAY,” STEAD OF “HOMOSEXUAL,” UNTIL 1987.QUEER BEHAVR BY ANY NAME TEND TO BE AVOID WHOLALE BY THE PRS UNLS S MENTN WAS PART OF EXONERATG AN ANTI-QUEER ATTACKER. FOR EXAMPLE, THE TIM’ 1969 VERAGE OF THE STONEWALL RT, HEADL LAMENTED THE “4 POLICEMEN HURT ‘VILLAGE’ RAID,” WHILE THE STORY SLD THE “HUNDREDS OF YOUNG MEN ON A RAMPAGE,” WHO NOCENT POLICEMEN WERE PELLED TO NONT. THE SAN FRANCIS CHRONICLE DIDN’T EVEN VER THE 1966 COMPTON’S CAFETERIA RT, AN UPRISG OF GENR MORI WHO FORCIBLY REPELLED ARRTG POLICE OM A TENRLO DISTRICT EATERY. THE MIAMI HERALD’S 1954 VERAGE OF THE MURR OF “HANDSOME EASTERN AIR L STEWARD” WILLIAM T. SIMPSON DIDN’T MENTN SIMPSON’S SEXUALY UNTIL THE 19-YEAR-OLD “YOUTH” WHO NFSED TO SHOOTG AND KILLG SIMPSON ACCED THE MAN OF “IMPROPER ADVANC.”A WHE, MARRIED, HETEROSEXUAL, SELF-PROFSED “HICK-TALKG ARKANSAWYER,” ’S REMARKABLE THAT ROY REED 1973 DID NOT RRY SUCH MON PREJUDIC. REED KNEW HE WOULD BE BOUND BY HIS DUTY AS JOURNALIST TO WRE DOWN AN UNAMBIGUO FACT, A PROVOTIVE WORD SO UNPOPULAR OFFEND HIS EDORS BACK NEW YORK: THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE BAR SERVED “HOMOSEXUAL” PATRONS. IT WAS A FACT, REED RELLED OUR TERVIEW, THAT “ULD POT TO MOTIVE THE EVENT OF A CRIME.” ADVERTISEMENT REED MA HIS ADLE. HIS 700+ WORD, ONT-PAGE STORY THE NEW YORK TIM, ENTLED “FLASH FIRE NEW ORLEANS KILLS AT LEAST THIRTY-TWO BAR,” WOULD BE THE ONLY SPECIAL REPORT ON THE TRAGEDY TO RM THE PUBLIC OF THE BAR’S “HOMOSEXUAL” CLIENTELE THE NEXT MORNG. OTHER MAJOR MARKET PUBLITNS IGNORED OR OBSCURED THE REALY THAT THE STCTN OF THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE WAS AN TENTNALLY SET BLAZE THAT KILLED GAY MEN. THOUGH A SYMPATHETIC, CLOSETED GAY LOL JOURNALIST NAMED JOHN LAPLACE -REPORTED ONE OF THE NEW ORLEANS TIM-PIYUNE’S ONT-PAGE STORI ON THE FIRE THAT MONDAY, NO ONE HIS NEWSROOM WOULD TAKE THE RISK OF PRTG THAT DANGERO WORD. LIKEWISE, THE TIM LONDON EXCLUD HOMOSEXUALY OM THEIR STORY. NEHER THE CHIGO TRIBUNE NOR THE LOS ANGEL TIM MENTNED THE LIKELY ORIENTATN OF THE VICTIMS THEIR ONT-PAGE VERAGE, STEAD LLG THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE “A POPULAR PLACE ON SUNDAYS,” HTG AT A N OF UNSIRABL UP TO TROUBLE ON THE PROVERBIAL LORD’S DAY.ROY REED WAS, SENCE, A LONELY REPORTG VOICE WHO GOT THE MSAGE PAST A BLOCKA. HIS SGLE MENTN OF THE PATRONS’ SEXUALI—“A NEIGHBORG BARTENR SAID THE PLACE WAS EQUENTED BY HOMOSEXUALS”—TROUBLED TIM EDORS SO PROFOUNDLY THAT THEY SHUFFLED THE MENTN OFF THE NEWSPAPER’S ONT PAGE AND BURIED 10 PARAGRAPHS EP TO THE STORY AFTER A 65-PAGE JUMP.YET REED’S MONDAY MORNG STAND PRAGED A DRAMATIC SHIFT LOL VERAGE. HE WAS, AFTER ALL, A NOTABLE NEW ORLEANS WRER WHO’D JT SHATTERED TABOOS BY PORTRAYG HOMOSEXUALS NOT AS PERPETRATORS BUT AS VICTIMS THE NATNAL NEWSPAPER OF RERD. THE NEW ORLEANS STAT-ITEM, AN AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER SHARG OWNERSHIP AND A NEWSROOM WH THE TIM-PIYUNE, PRTED THE WORD “HOMOSEXUALS” S ONT-PAGE FIRE VERAGE LATER THAT MONDAY. THEY ALSO QUOTED NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPARTMENT MAJOR HENRY M. MORRIS AS STIGATG THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE BY SAYG, “SOME THIEV HUNG OUT THERE, AND YOU KNOW THIS WAS A QUEER BAR.”THE NATNAL CBS NEWS SK, AS WELL AS THE LOL AFFILIATE WWL-TV, AIRED EVENG NEWS PIEC THAT LLED THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE A “HANGOUT FOR HOMOSEXUALS.”. DECISIVELY, THE NEW ORLEANS TIM-PIYUNE AMEND S REPORTG THAT TUDAY MORNG TO FOLLOW SU WH THE STAT-ITEM, AND AN ALT-WEEKLY THE FRENCH QUARTER LLED THE VIX CARRé COURIER VERED THE FIRE EXCLIVELY OM A HOMOSEXUAL ANGLE. ADVERTISEMENT NOHELS, ALL OF THIS ANXIETY SURROUNDG A BASIC WORD THAT ONE OF THE MOST LEGENDARY JOURNALISTS OF THE 20TH CENTURY EMED “A CCIAL TAIL” REVEALED BIAS WARPG THE PUBLIC PERCEPTN OF AN TERNATNAL NEWS CINT, REPORTED AS FAR AWAY AS LONDON AND ATRALIA. MOST AMERIN NEWSREARS LEARNED ABOUT THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE, THE ADLIT FIRE ON RERD NEW ORLEANS HISTORY AND THE WORST MASS KILLG OF QUEER CIZENS 20TH CENTURY AMERI, AS A RANDOM BAR FIRE WHOUT SOCIAL NTEXT—AND FOT A BLIP. INED, THE IAL MEDIA “STRAIGHT-WASH” RULTED THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE ALL BUT DISAPPEARG OM DISURSE WH DAYS. REED ATTEMPTED TO NTUE HIS VERAGE OF THE FIRE BUT ONLY SUCCEEDG PUBLISHG A SGLE FOLLOW-UP STORY, WHICH ALARMED EDORS WH A HEADLE THAT BEGAN “ARSON SPECTED…,” BEFORE BEG FORCIBLY REASSIGNED TO TAMER MATERIAL.AS EVEN LOL TERT WANED, PUBLIC OFFICIALS NEW ORLEANS WORKED HARD TO PIVOT UP STAIRS LOUNGE VERAGE TO A BATE ABOUT THE NECSY FOR STALLG DOOR FIRE SPRKLERS, AND CLOSETED GAY NSTUENCI REJECTED ATTEMPTS TO PUBLICIZE OR POLICIZE THE TRAGEDY, FOR FEAR OF POLICE REPRISALS.“WHILE I N UNRSTAND THE VAR GAY LEARS OM AROUND THE UNTRY G HERE TO HELP, I DO NOT WANT MY BAR OR THIS TRAGEDY TO BE ED TO FURTHER ANY OF THEIR ,” UP STAIRS LOUNGE OWNER PHIL ESTEVE TOLD THE PHILALPHIA INQUIRER WHILE STANDG THE S OF HIS BAR. LOLS LIKE ESTEVE WOULD NOT RAISE IRE WHEN POLICE CLOSED THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE VTIGATN THAT AUGT WHOUT TERVIEWG THE CHIEF SPECT. ADVERTISEMENT THOUGH TECTIV REVERED A LIGHTER FLUID NISTER THE LOTN WHERE THE FIRE BEGAN, THEY CLARED THE FIRE TO BE OF “UNTERMED ORIG.” CHIEF SPECT NUNEZ WOULD DIE BY SUICI ABOUT A YEAR LATER HAVG NEVER BEEN TERVIEWED BY NEW ORLEANS POLICE. THE FIRE AT THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE IS STILL, OFFICIALLY, AN UNSOLVED CRIME. “ROY REED SERV CRED FOR REPORTG A SEMAL EVENT QUEER HISTORY AS AN ALLY OF ACCURACY.” THOUGH ROY REED’S REPORT OF BLOODY SUNDAY AT SELMA WOULD BEE A RALLY CRY FOR THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, REED’S UP STAIRS LOUNGE STORY WAS NOT PART OF A SIAR LL TO ACTN FOR “GAY LIBERATN” THE 1970S SOUTH. DES LATER, HOWEVER, THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE DID VELOP SUCH A LEGACY WHEN QUEER ACTIVISTS NEW ORLEANS CED THE TRAGEDY TO SECURE ANTI-DISCRIMATN PROTECTNS FOR SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND GENR INTY 1991 AND 1998, RPECTIVELY. SCE THOSE ACTIVISTS, LED BY FIRE SURVIVOR STEWART BUTLER, DARED TO SPEAK THE WORDS “UP STAIRS LOUNGE” THEIR 1980S AND 1990S MPAIGNS, LOL VERAGE OF THE FIRE EVOLVED TO PORTRAY THE EVENT AS A HUMAN RIGHTS TRAGEDY, WH THE VICTIMS AND THEIR SEXUALI AS CENTERPIECE. NATNAL PUBLITNS NOW ELEGIZE THE FIRE THE NEW CENTURY. TODAY, THERE IS A PERMANENT MEMORIAL AT THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE SE, AND QUEER GEN-Z ACTIVISTS WEAR T-SHIRTS BEARG THE PHRASE, “REMEMBER THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE.”ROY REED SERV CRED FOR REPORTG A SEMAL EVENT QUEER HISTORY AS AN ALLY OF ACCURACY—ON A DAY AND AT AN HOUR WHEN THE PUBLITNS LIKE THE TIM-PIYUNE WOULD NOT. HE SEED A QUEER TTH THAT BLOSSOMS TODAY ANNIVERSARY MEMORIALS HELD FOR THE FIRE VICTIMS NEW ORLEANS. REED’S VERAGE OF THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE SHOULD BE HAILED ALONGSI HIS WORK AT SELMA, REVEALG NNECTIVE TISSUE BETWEEN THE HUMAN RIGHTS MOVEMENTS FOR BLACK AND QUEER AMERINS, FOR WHOM GREAT TRAGEDY PROVOKED HARROWG TRANSFORMATN. THE REPORTG FEATS NOW REVERBERATE THROUGH TIME AND REVEAL AN EVER-PRENT NEED FOR ALLI OUR UNRELENTG STGGLE TO REALIZE A “MORE PERFECT UNN.” ADVERTISEMENT I THK ABOUT MY NVERSATN WH ROY REED, WHO HE WAS, HOW HE DIDN’T POLISH HIS OWN STAR, HOW HE’D TAKEN THE TEAR GAS WH THE SELMA PROTTERS. I’M SURE I’LL THK ABOUT MY TALK WH HIM FOR THE RT OF MY LIFE. AND I SEE HIS LEGACY TODAY DIVIDUALS LIKE DARNELLA FRAZIER, WHO DOCUMENTED THE BTAL MURR OF GEE FLOYD AND WHO, FOR THAT URAGEO RERDG, RECEIVED A SPECIAL CATN PULZER. REED’S EXAMPLE LIV EVERY UNBIASED CIZEN REPORTG TTH THE FACE OF STATE-SANCTNED VLENCE. HOW MANY FAIL TO DOCUMENT SUCH VLENCE? HOW MANY IGNORE ? FROM SELMA TO STONEWALL, MNEAPOLIS TO THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE, THE PRICE OF SUCH VLENCE MT NOT BE ERASED. ROBERT W. FIELER
• GAY CHIGO
• CHIGO GAY NIGHTLIFE GUI: DOWNTOWN & SOUTH SI

SHOOTG AT GAY CLUB COLORADO LEAV 5 DEAD, 18 INJURED

READ NEXTLGBTQ+ Victory Fund Endors Joe Vogel for CongrsWhoopi Goldberg Slams Conservativ over “Barbie” MeltdownsKylie Mogue Announc Las Vegas RincyIsland Hoe Staff Says “Keep Key Wt Gay”.

FORTY FIVE YEARS AGO A FIRE NEW ORLEANS GAY BAR TOOK 32 LIV – AND WAS MET WH APATHY

An oasis for the cy’s sizeable but, for the most part, strictly closeted gay male populatn, a lack of visibily was many ways s most valuable 1973 when the club was set ablaze an act of arson that st a staggerg 32 liv, that lack of attentn endured, the news barely makg to the papers or, seemed, even to the nscns of the lol muny. “An ordary reactn New Orleans society would have been effive sympathi and a large outpourg, ” said Robert Fieler, whose new book Trbox: The Untold Story of the UpStairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberatn, chronicl the blaze and s aftermath.

“Homosexualy was not supposed to be talked about openly, and when was thst to the open ma a lot of people panic, ” he told the Guardian an the time, New Orleans was a place of strange dualy for LGBT people. Acrdg to Fieler, unrver police would regularly nduct stg operatns to tch gay men solicg for sex public spac, and if ught and arrted on a dread “crim agast nature” charge, the ramifitns the wir world were absolute. You’d lose your job, your home, everythg, ” Fieler the time, a rince occupied by two spected gay men (or two “spsters”) uld be clared a hoe of ill-repute and seized wh ltle to no due the relatively safe space of the UpStairs lounge, a quietly well-known place where gay men (Fieler not that durg this era, the lbian scene was polilly and socially isolated om the gay scene) uld openly be themselv.

5 AD, 25 JURED SHOOTG AT COLORADO GAY NIGHTCLUB, POLICE SAY

” Fieler were reports 2016 that, like Nunez, the Pulse shooter was a sexually nflicted man who may have been engaged gay relatnships prr to his rampage. Officials Illois are reactg to a horrific crime Colorado, wh a gunman openg fire si of a gay nightclub an attack that left five people ad and at least 25 jured.

Sillen Glenn, who moved to New York om Florida 2015, said the fire had ma them thk of the mass shootg at Pulse, a gay nightclub Orlando, Fla., where a gunman wh an asslt rifle and a pistol killed 50 people and wound 53 more 2016.

ILLOIS OFFICIALS REACT TO ‘HEARTBREAKG' ATTACK THAT LEFT 5 DEAD AT COLORADO GAY NIGHTCLUB

"By early fall, there was creasg evince that the tragedy had roed a dre of gay New Orleanians ways unthkable jt a season before, " thor Robert Fieler wr Trbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberatn. New Orleans firefighters are vtigatg what sparked a fire that stroyed one of the cy's most popular gay took more than four hours to extguish the flam that burned down Club Fns, regard as the cy's bt Ain-Amerin LGBT club, acrdg to New Orleans televisn statn club was closed at the time of the fire, 3 a.

IN 1973, AN ARSON KILLED 32 PEOPLE AT A GAY BAR. FOR YEARS, IT WAS FOTTEN

The Stonewall Rts, also lled the Stonewall Uprisg, began the early hours of June 28, 1969 when New York Cy police raid the Stonewall Inn, a gay club loted Greenwich Village New York Cy. For stance, solicatn of same-sex relatns was illegal New York such reasons, LGBT dividuals flocked to gay bars and clubs, plac of refuge where they uld exprs themselv openly and socialize whout worry. However, the New York State Liquor Authory penalized and shut down tablishments that served alhol to known or spected LGBT dividuals, argug that the mere gatherg of homosexuals was “disorrly.

But engagg gay behavr public (holdg hands, kissg or dancg wh someone of the same sex) was still illegal, so police harassment of gay bars ntued and many bars still operated whout liquor licens— part bee they were owned by the Rights Before StonewallThe first documented U. Police raids forced them to disband 1925, but not before they had published several issu of their newsletter, “Friendship and Freedom, ” the untry’s first gay-tert newsletter.

WATCH: ARSONIST SETS FIRE NYC GAY BAR

In 1966, three years before Stonewall, members of The Mattache Society, an anizatn dited to gay rights, staged a “sip-” where they openly clared their sexualy at taverns, darg staff to turn them away and sug tablishments who did.

When The Commissn on Human Rights led that gay dividuals had the right to be served bars, police raids were temporarily Stonewall Inn The crime syndite saw prof terg to shunned gay clientele, and by the mid-1960s, the Genove crime fay ntrolled most Greenwich Village gay bars. And was one of the few—if not the only—gay bar left that allowed were still a fact of life, but ually rpt ps would tip off Mafia-n bars before they occurred, allowg owners to stash the alhol (sold whout a liquor license) and hi other illegal activi.

Stonewall's LegacyThough the Stonewall uprisg didn’t start the gay rights movement, was a galvanizg force for LGBT polil activism, leadg to numero gay rights anizatns, cludg the Gay Liberatn Front, Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD (formerly Gay and Lbian Alliance Agast Defamatn), and PFLAG (formerly Parents, Fai and Friends of Lbians and Gays) the one-year anniversary of the rts on June 28, 1970, thoands of people marched the streets of Manhattan om the Stonewall Inn to Central Park what was then lled “Christopher Street Liberatn Day, ” Ameri’s first gay pri para.

GAY HISTORY NEVADA AND LAS VEGAS, 1969-2009, BY DENNIS MCBRI, CRYSTAL VAN DEE, AND PL ERSHLER

”In 2016, then-Print Barack Obama signated the se of the rts—Stonewall Inn, Christopher Park, and the surroundg streets and siwalks—a natnal monument regnn of the area’s ntributn to gay Gallery The Stonewall Inn is a bar loted New York Cy’s Greenwich Village that served as a haven the 1960s for the cy’s gay, lbian and transgenr muny. At the time, homosexual acts remaed illegal every state except Illois, and bars and rtrants uld get shut down for havg gay employe or servg gay patrons.

Most gay bars and clubs New York at the time were operated by the Mafia, who paid rptible police officers to look the other way and blackmailed wealthy gay patrons by threateng to “out” them. As -founr of the Gay Liberatn Front, Rivera was known for participatg the Stonewall Rts and tablishg the polil anizatn STAR (Street Transvte Actn Revolutnari). After the Stonewall Rts, a msage was pated on the outsi of the board-up bar readg, "We homosexuals plead wh out people to please help mata peaceful and quiet nduct on the streets of the village.

A NEW ORLEANS GAY BAR INFERNO KILLED 32. ROY REED WAS FIRST TO REPORT THE TTH.LEADING THE WAYJACK THORNELL/APWHEN THE NEW YORK TIM’ ROY REED REPORTED ON NEW ORLEANS’ UP STAIRS LOUNGE FERNO OF 1973, WHICH KILLED 32 PEOPLE, HE WAS THE FIRST JOURNALIST TO INTIFY AS A GAY BAR.ROBERT W. FIELERUPDATED JUL. 28, 2021 3:59PM EDT / PUBLISHED JUL. 05, 2021 1:29AM EDT THE LATE JOURNALIST AND NEW ORLEANS RINT ROY REED, WHO PASSED AWAY 2017, IS PERHAPS BT KNOWN FOR HIS ENTERPRISG CIVIL RIGHTS-ERA VERAGE THE NEW YORK TIM, CLUDG A MARCH 1965 ATTACK OF STATE TROOPERS ON UNARMED MARCHERS SELMA, ALABAMA AT THE EDMUND PETT BRIDGE. IN HIS ONT-PAGE TIM STORY OF THE ENSUG RNAGE, KNOWN AS BLOODY SUNDAY, REED BOLDLY WROTE OF WHE TROOPERS WHO “TORE THROUGH LUMN OF NEGRO MONSTRATORS WH TEAR GAS, NIGHTSTICKS AND WHIPS.” THE NEW ORLEANS TIM-PIYUNE, BY PARISON, PAIRED NEWSWIRE VERAGE OF THE SELMA ATTACK WH A SYMPATHETIC STORY OF OFFENDG LAWMAN SHERIFF JAM G. CLARK, WHO PLAED OF ATH THREATS ON HIMSELF AND HIS FAY BY “NEGRO EXTREMIST GROUPS.”ROY REED’S SPECIAL REPORT OF BLOODY SUNDAY AT SELMA WOULD IGNE SYMPATHY FOR BLACK FREEDOM AND HELP SPEED POLIL PASSAGE OF THE 1965 VOTG RIGHTS ACT. REVEREND DR. MART LUTHER KG, JR. WOULD JO THE NEXT TWO SELMA TO MONTGOMERY MARCH ALONGSI THE YOUNG ACTIVIST JOHN LEWIS. REED’S JOURNALISTIC NTRIBUTN TO QUEER HISTORY, NVERSELY, REMAS UNKNOWN TO MOST AMERINS. IT’S SO UNJTLY OBSCURE THAT EVEN REED’S VERY WORTHY NEW YORK TIM OBUARY FAILED TO MENTN . LIKE SELMA, REED WOULD WRE THE FIVE BREAKG NEWS STORY ON THE ASSLT OF ANOTHER MARGALIZED MUNY. IN THE LATE HOURS OF SUNDAY, JUNE 24, 1973, ROY REED WAS JOLTED ALERT BY A PHONE LL OM THE TIM ANNEX NEW YORK CY TO HIS HOME ON UPPERLE STREET UPTOWN NEW ORLEANS, TWO BLOCKS OFF ST. CHARL AVENUE. HIS NIGHT EDOR ON THE NATNAL SK RMED HIM OF A ADLY FIRE DOWNTOWN, WH MULTIPLE AD. REED RACED HIS R TOWARDS A SMOLRG, SEND-STORY BAR PERCHED ON THE EDGE OF THE FRENCH QUARTER. THERE, BEFORE A SRCHED NOPY BEARG THE CURSIVE WORDS “UP STAIRS,” REED FOUND A MOB OF DNKEN SPECTATORS AND MORE THAN 100 POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS, WHO WERE PACKG AWAY HOS AND CRANG DOWN BODI OM A BOMBED-OUT BUILDG.THIS WAS THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE FIRE, A NOTOR ARSON ATTACK ON A GAY BAR THAT WOULD CLAIM 32 LIV. “THE FIRST THG THAT HS YOU WAS THE ODOR, BURNG FLH,” REMEMBERED REED ONE OF HIS LAST LIVG TERVIEWS FOR MY BOOK TRBOX: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE FIRE AND THE RISE OF GAY LIBERATN, A NONFICTN ACUNT OF THE FIRE. “THEN THE SIGHT OF THE MAN THE WDOW, THE EXPRSN OF HORROR ON HIS FACE.” THAT ASHEN FIGURE THE WDOW WAS REVEREND BILL LARSON, PASTOR OF THE LOL GAY-IENDLY METROPOLAN COMMUNY CHURCH. THOUGH REED ARRIVED WELL AFTER THE EMERGENCY WAS HAND, HE STILL WNSED LARSON HIS ATH POSE BEE THORI WOULD LEAVE THE MAN’S BODY DANGLG OUT OF THE BUILDG FOR HOURS.SUPPRSG HIS NATURAL SHOCK, CLICKG TO ACTN, THE VETERAN REPORTER TERVIEWED GAY UP STAIRS LOUNGE BARTENR BUDDY RASMSEN AND PIECED TOGETHER A NARRATIVE OF A BLUE-LLAR GAY HAVEN CERATED WH THE AID OF LIGHTER FLUID. SOME REPORTERS OF THE DAY WOULD HAVE FLCHED AT THE NOTN OF TERVIEWG ANY OPENLY GAY MAN. REED PRSED AHEAD, SENSG WHAT MAY HAVE SPARKED THIS ADLY FIRE: EXPLOSIVE ANGER. “I TRIED TO PUT MYSELF THE MD OR MDS OF THOSE GUYS,” HE RELLED S LATER. “THOSE FEW MUT OF UNMANAGEABLE RAGE WHEN THEY IMPULSIVELY L THAT FIRE.” HISTORIANS NOW REGNIZE THAT THE BLAZE WAS MOST LIKELY SET BY A DISTURBED SEX WORKER NAMED RODGER DALE NUNEZ, WHO FELLOW PATRONS OVERHEARD THREATENG TO “BURN” THE TABLISHMENT WHEN HE WAS FORCIBLY EJECTED BY BAR STAFF SEVERAL MUT BEFORE THE START OF THE FIRE. REED’S SPUR-OF-THE-MOMENT ASSSMENT THAT THIS NFLAGRATN WAS TENTNAL, AND THAT ANGER L THE MATCH, HAS THEREFORE PROVEN PRCIENT. ADVERTISEMENT MAKG EFFICIENT E OF HIS APPROXIMATELY 30 MUT AT THE SE, REED EVEN SPOKE TO A PHOTOGRAPHER WHO’D BEEN PERMTED TO THAT UPSTAIRS BAR TO DOCUMENT THE PIL OF BODI. DASHG TO HIS TYPEWRER TO TRY TO MEET A 10:30 P.M. ADLE FOR NEXT DAY VERAGE, REED SELECTED HIS QUOT AND CRIED WHILE OUTLG A STORY ON HIS QUICK TRIP TO THE TIM’ DOWNTOWN OFFIC ON CARONLET STREET. IN HIS MD, HE KEPT SEEG THAT BURNT MAN THE WDOW. THE GROTQUE RNAGE, MEN MARKED BY SMOKE AND CRYG OUT THE NAM OF THE MISSG, REMD HIM OF THE SCENE AT THE BRIDGE SELMA AFTER THE HORS CHARGED THE CROWD AMIDST THE TEARGAS. THEN DAWNED ON REED, AS HE RELLED OUR TERVIEW: “THIS WAS THE FIRST ASSIGNMENT I EVER RECEIVED NCERNG THE AMERIN HOMOSEXUAL MUNY.” REED FIGURED THAT THE SEXUALY OF THE VICTIMS WAS AN UNRCURRENT THAT ELUD THE EDOR WHO TASKED HIM TO REPORT THE FIRE. HAD THIS EDOR KNOWN, REED SPECTED THAT HE NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED THE STORY.NEWSROOMS AND REARS OF THE ERA WOULD EXPRS ALMOST UNIVERSAL REVULSN WHEN ALG WH THE TOPIC OF “VIATE” SEXUALI, AND NO LEADG PAPER THE UNTRY WOULD PRT THE RADIL WORD “GAY” WHOUT ENCLOSG PATRONIZG QUOTATN MARKS. AS POT OF FACT, THE NEW YORK TIM WOULD NOT REVISE S STYLE GUI TO ALLOW THE WORD “GAY,” STEAD OF “HOMOSEXUAL,” UNTIL 1987.QUEER BEHAVR BY ANY NAME TEND TO BE AVOID WHOLALE BY THE PRS UNLS S MENTN WAS PART OF EXONERATG AN ANTI-QUEER ATTACKER. FOR EXAMPLE, THE TIM’ 1969 VERAGE OF THE STONEWALL RT, HEADL LAMENTED THE “4 POLICEMEN HURT ‘VILLAGE’ RAID,” WHILE THE STORY SLD THE “HUNDREDS OF YOUNG MEN ON A RAMPAGE,” WHO NOCENT POLICEMEN WERE PELLED TO NONT. THE SAN FRANCIS CHRONICLE DIDN’T EVEN VER THE 1966 COMPTON’S CAFETERIA RT, AN UPRISG OF GENR MORI WHO FORCIBLY REPELLED ARRTG POLICE OM A TENRLO DISTRICT EATERY. THE MIAMI HERALD’S 1954 VERAGE OF THE MURR OF “HANDSOME EASTERN AIR L STEWARD” WILLIAM T. SIMPSON DIDN’T MENTN SIMPSON’S SEXUALY UNTIL THE 19-YEAR-OLD “YOUTH” WHO NFSED TO SHOOTG AND KILLG SIMPSON ACCED THE MAN OF “IMPROPER ADVANC.”A WHE, MARRIED, HETEROSEXUAL, SELF-PROFSED “HICK-TALKG ARKANSAWYER,” ’S REMARKABLE THAT ROY REED 1973 DID NOT RRY SUCH MON PREJUDIC. REED KNEW HE WOULD BE BOUND BY HIS DUTY AS JOURNALIST TO WRE DOWN AN UNAMBIGUO FACT, A PROVOTIVE WORD SO UNPOPULAR OFFEND HIS EDORS BACK NEW YORK: THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE BAR SERVED “HOMOSEXUAL” PATRONS. IT WAS A FACT, REED RELLED OUR TERVIEW, THAT “ULD POT TO MOTIVE THE EVENT OF A CRIME.” ADVERTISEMENT REED MA HIS ADLE. HIS 700+ WORD, ONT-PAGE STORY THE NEW YORK TIM, ENTLED “FLASH FIRE NEW ORLEANS KILLS AT LEAST THIRTY-TWO BAR,” WOULD BE THE ONLY SPECIAL REPORT ON THE TRAGEDY TO RM THE PUBLIC OF THE BAR’S “HOMOSEXUAL” CLIENTELE THE NEXT MORNG. OTHER MAJOR MARKET PUBLITNS IGNORED OR OBSCURED THE REALY THAT THE STCTN OF THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE WAS AN TENTNALLY SET BLAZE THAT KILLED GAY MEN. THOUGH A SYMPATHETIC, CLOSETED GAY LOL JOURNALIST NAMED JOHN LAPLACE -REPORTED ONE OF THE NEW ORLEANS TIM-PIYUNE’S ONT-PAGE STORI ON THE FIRE THAT MONDAY, NO ONE HIS NEWSROOM WOULD TAKE THE RISK OF PRTG THAT DANGERO WORD. LIKEWISE, THE TIM LONDON EXCLUD HOMOSEXUALY OM THEIR STORY. NEHER THE CHIGO TRIBUNE NOR THE LOS ANGEL TIM MENTNED THE LIKELY ORIENTATN OF THE VICTIMS THEIR ONT-PAGE VERAGE, STEAD LLG THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE “A POPULAR PLACE ON SUNDAYS,” HTG AT A N OF UNSIRABL UP TO TROUBLE ON THE PROVERBIAL LORD’S DAY.ROY REED WAS, SENCE, A LONELY REPORTG VOICE WHO GOT THE MSAGE PAST A BLOCKA. HIS SGLE MENTN OF THE PATRONS’ SEXUALI—“A NEIGHBORG BARTENR SAID THE PLACE WAS EQUENTED BY HOMOSEXUALS”—TROUBLED TIM EDORS SO PROFOUNDLY THAT THEY SHUFFLED THE MENTN OFF THE NEWSPAPER’S ONT PAGE AND BURIED 10 PARAGRAPHS EP TO THE STORY AFTER A 65-PAGE JUMP.YET REED’S MONDAY MORNG STAND PRAGED A DRAMATIC SHIFT LOL VERAGE. HE WAS, AFTER ALL, A NOTABLE NEW ORLEANS WRER WHO’D JT SHATTERED TABOOS BY PORTRAYG HOMOSEXUALS NOT AS PERPETRATORS BUT AS VICTIMS THE NATNAL NEWSPAPER OF RERD. THE NEW ORLEANS STAT-ITEM, AN AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER SHARG OWNERSHIP AND A NEWSROOM WH THE TIM-PIYUNE, PRTED THE WORD “HOMOSEXUALS” S ONT-PAGE FIRE VERAGE LATER THAT MONDAY. THEY ALSO QUOTED NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPARTMENT MAJOR HENRY M. MORRIS AS STIGATG THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE BY SAYG, “SOME THIEV HUNG OUT THERE, AND YOU KNOW THIS WAS A QUEER BAR.”THE NATNAL CBS NEWS SK, AS WELL AS THE LOL AFFILIATE WWL-TV, AIRED EVENG NEWS PIEC THAT LLED THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE A “HANGOUT FOR HOMOSEXUALS.”. DECISIVELY, THE NEW ORLEANS TIM-PIYUNE AMEND S REPORTG THAT TUDAY MORNG TO FOLLOW SU WH THE STAT-ITEM, AND AN ALT-WEEKLY THE FRENCH QUARTER LLED THE VIX CARRé COURIER VERED THE FIRE EXCLIVELY OM A HOMOSEXUAL ANGLE. ADVERTISEMENT NOHELS, ALL OF THIS ANXIETY SURROUNDG A BASIC WORD THAT ONE OF THE MOST LEGENDARY JOURNALISTS OF THE 20TH CENTURY EMED “A CCIAL TAIL” REVEALED BIAS WARPG THE PUBLIC PERCEPTN OF AN TERNATNAL NEWS CINT, REPORTED AS FAR AWAY AS LONDON AND ATRALIA. MOST AMERIN NEWSREARS LEARNED ABOUT THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE, THE ADLIT FIRE ON RERD NEW ORLEANS HISTORY AND THE WORST MASS KILLG OF QUEER CIZENS 20TH CENTURY AMERI, AS A RANDOM BAR FIRE WHOUT SOCIAL NTEXT—AND FOT A BLIP. INED, THE IAL MEDIA “STRAIGHT-WASH” RULTED THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE ALL BUT DISAPPEARG OM DISURSE WH DAYS. REED ATTEMPTED TO NTUE HIS VERAGE OF THE FIRE BUT ONLY SUCCEEDG PUBLISHG A SGLE FOLLOW-UP STORY, WHICH ALARMED EDORS WH A HEADLE THAT BEGAN “ARSON SPECTED…,” BEFORE BEG FORCIBLY REASSIGNED TO TAMER MATERIAL.AS EVEN LOL TERT WANED, PUBLIC OFFICIALS NEW ORLEANS WORKED HARD TO PIVOT UP STAIRS LOUNGE VERAGE TO A BATE ABOUT THE NECSY FOR STALLG DOOR FIRE SPRKLERS, AND CLOSETED GAY NSTUENCI REJECTED ATTEMPTS TO PUBLICIZE OR POLICIZE THE TRAGEDY, FOR FEAR OF POLICE REPRISALS.“WHILE I N UNRSTAND THE VAR GAY LEARS OM AROUND THE UNTRY G HERE TO HELP, I DO NOT WANT MY BAR OR THIS TRAGEDY TO BE ED TO FURTHER ANY OF THEIR ,” UP STAIRS LOUNGE OWNER PHIL ESTEVE TOLD THE PHILALPHIA INQUIRER WHILE STANDG THE S OF HIS BAR. LOLS LIKE ESTEVE WOULD NOT RAISE IRE WHEN POLICE CLOSED THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE VTIGATN THAT AUGT WHOUT TERVIEWG THE CHIEF SPECT. ADVERTISEMENT THOUGH TECTIV REVERED A LIGHTER FLUID NISTER THE LOTN WHERE THE FIRE BEGAN, THEY CLARED THE FIRE TO BE OF “UNTERMED ORIG.” CHIEF SPECT NUNEZ WOULD DIE BY SUICI ABOUT A YEAR LATER HAVG NEVER BEEN TERVIEWED BY NEW ORLEANS POLICE. THE FIRE AT THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE IS STILL, OFFICIALLY, AN UNSOLVED CRIME. “ROY REED SERV CRED FOR REPORTG A SEMAL EVENT QUEER HISTORY AS AN ALLY OF ACCURACY.” THOUGH ROY REED’S REPORT OF BLOODY SUNDAY AT SELMA WOULD BEE A RALLY CRY FOR THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, REED’S UP STAIRS LOUNGE STORY WAS NOT PART OF A SIAR LL TO ACTN FOR “GAY LIBERATN” THE 1970S SOUTH. DES LATER, HOWEVER, THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE DID VELOP SUCH A LEGACY WHEN QUEER ACTIVISTS NEW ORLEANS CED THE TRAGEDY TO SECURE ANTI-DISCRIMATN PROTECTNS FOR SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND GENR INTY 1991 AND 1998, RPECTIVELY. SCE THOSE ACTIVISTS, LED BY FIRE SURVIVOR STEWART BUTLER, DARED TO SPEAK THE WORDS “UP STAIRS LOUNGE” THEIR 1980S AND 1990S MPAIGNS, LOL VERAGE OF THE FIRE EVOLVED TO PORTRAY THE EVENT AS A HUMAN RIGHTS TRAGEDY, WH THE VICTIMS AND THEIR SEXUALI AS CENTERPIECE. NATNAL PUBLITNS NOW ELEGIZE THE FIRE THE NEW CENTURY. TODAY, THERE IS A PERMANENT MEMORIAL AT THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE SE, AND QUEER GEN-Z ACTIVISTS WEAR T-SHIRTS BEARG THE PHRASE, “REMEMBER THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE.”ROY REED SERV CRED FOR REPORTG A SEMAL EVENT QUEER HISTORY AS AN ALLY OF ACCURACY—ON A DAY AND AT AN HOUR WHEN THE PUBLITNS LIKE THE TIM-PIYUNE WOULD NOT. HE SEED A QUEER TTH THAT BLOSSOMS TODAY ANNIVERSARY MEMORIALS HELD FOR THE FIRE VICTIMS NEW ORLEANS. REED’S VERAGE OF THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE SHOULD BE HAILED ALONGSI HIS WORK AT SELMA, REVEALG NNECTIVE TISSUE BETWEEN THE HUMAN RIGHTS MOVEMENTS FOR BLACK AND QUEER AMERINS, FOR WHOM GREAT TRAGEDY PROVOKED HARROWG TRANSFORMATN. THE REPORTG FEATS NOW REVERBERATE THROUGH TIME AND REVEAL AN EVER-PRENT NEED FOR ALLI OUR UNRELENTG STGGLE TO REALIZE A “MORE PERFECT UNN.” ADVERTISEMENT I THK ABOUT MY NVERSATN WH ROY REED, WHO HE WAS, HOW HE DIDN’T POLISH HIS OWN STAR, HOW HE’D TAKEN THE TEAR GAS WH THE SELMA PROTTERS. I’M SURE I’LL THK ABOUT MY TALK WH HIM FOR THE RT OF MY LIFE. AND I SEE HIS LEGACY TODAY DIVIDUALS LIKE DARNELLA FRAZIER, WHO DOCUMENTED THE BTAL MURR OF GEE FLOYD AND WHO, FOR THAT URAGEO RERDG, RECEIVED A SPECIAL CATN PULZER. REED’S EXAMPLE LIV EVERY UNBIASED CIZEN REPORTG TTH THE FACE OF STATE-SANCTNED VLENCE. HOW MANY FAIL TO DOCUMENT SUCH VLENCE? HOW MANY IGNORE ? FROM SELMA TO STONEWALL, MNEAPOLIS TO THE UP STAIRS LOUNGE, THE PRICE OF SUCH VLENCE MT NOT BE ERASED. ROBERT W. FIELER

" This sign was wrten by the Mattache Society–an early anizatn dited to fightg for gay unintified group of young people celebrate outsi the board-up Stonewall Inn after the rts.

”Over the next several nights, gay activists ntued to gather near the Stonewall, takg advantage of the moment to spread rmatn and build the muny that would fuel the growth of the gay rights movement. They are pictured here marchg Tim Square,, Sylvia Ray Rivera (ont) and Arthur Bell are seen at a gay liberatn monstratn, New York Universy, 1970 Marsha P. Johnson is seen at a Gay Liberatn Front monstratn at Cy Hall New York, a large crowd memorat the 2nd anniversary of the Stonewall rts Greenwich Village of New York Cy 1971.

Fally, Gee's landlady picked the boys up that night, and the next day a neighbor took them to the airport to fly home to Alabama, all the while not tellg them the ugly tth of why Dad never do you tell an 11-year-old that his father was burned alive, his body wrapped about his boyiend, the two men charred and clgg to each other, lovers life and ath, while tryg to pe the worst mass killg of gays Amerin history? Gee's son Duane didn't know his dad was gay but lls him a hero PRIDE IN THE '70SIt was the sweltergly humid last day of gay pri the South's most tolerant cy, and the fourth anniversary of New York's Stonewall Rts -- an actn thought unnecsary New Orleans. As Clayton Delery, thor of the upg book Neteen Mut of Hell, told The Huffgton Post's Gay Voic, "Thgs on the surface weren't as bad as they had been New York 1969.

GAY CHIGO

Townsend wr that bee the club was outsi the gay area of the French Quarter, the men worked extra hard to draw people wh dancg, sgg, and live piano by popular cktail lounge mician David Gary.

CHIGO GAY NIGHTLIFE GUI: DOWNTOWN & SOUTH SI

Though the Christian worshippers were as vout as any flock the South, a church n by gay, bi, and transgenr people wasn't wholeheartedly wele the lol muny. Gay thor Townsend, who wrote about the tragedy two s ago, was able to talk wh many survivors of the fire, no easy feat, says Anrson, who adms gettg people to talk about today is difficult.

"Toni Pizanie, who thors a lumn lled Sapphos Psalm for Ambh, the lol gay paper, wasn't at the UpStairs Lounge that night but says happened while she was still the closet and ma an impact on her. He was joed by Morris Kight om the Los Angel Gay Communy Servic Center, Morty Manford om New York's Gay Activists Alliance, and two other MCC lears, John Gill and Pl Breton.

Their appearance the cy marked the first time natnal gay lears gathered to mourn a tragedy, somethg that uld have been galvanizg or were turned away by every church the cy, however, and fdg a place to hold memorial servic was a unexpected battle.