I recently received an e-mail from a student asking me how/ when/ if the Stonewall riots in New York were reported in the Chicago newspapers, because she had looked and couldn't find anything.
The truth is that Stonewall was such a minor incident that local newspapers ignored it. It only gained importance as a "turning point" in gay history later.
However, gay activist Bill Kelley did mention it in an article he wrote in the July '69 issue of the newsletter Mattachine Midwest ( MM ) ; the only Chicago gay publication at the time. The headline alone sums up the low-key nature of the event.
RIOT, TREE-CUTTING MARK NYC GAY SCENE by Bill Kelley
"In an unprecedented display of brute 'gay power,' hundreds of young people angered by the New York police's treatment of the Stonewall bar and its patrons rioted outside the bar June 28, threatening police, trying to overturn a patrol wagon, chanting and chalking slogans on walls. The next night, crowds formed and attempted a demonstration, but police tactical forces broke them up.
"The Stonewall is in Greenwich Village and is very popular with quite a young clientele. The police had entered reportedly to seize illegally sold liquor, not to arrest patrons. Judging from the complete havoc their visit wreaked inside the bar, their behavior may have been a bit provocative, and it seems there was a citizen over-reaction. The New York Times of June 30, the Village Voice of July 3, and the Berkeley Barb of July 4 carried a variety of fuller accounts, with pictures in the case of the Voice.
"That incident immediately preceded the Times' disclosure on July 1 that residents of the New York borough of Queens had cut down dozens of trees in a neighborhood park said to be frequented by homosexuals. The lumbering effort followed an openly-admitted residents vigilante campaign against the homosexuals, who had been chased out of the park nightly by men protecting their women and children. A leader of the residents was one Myles Tashman, described as a lawyer. No one would admit taking part in the tree-cutting itself; a police car had responded to a call of disorderly behavior while the cutting was in progress, but had taken no action. The New York Times ran at least three days of stories, one editorial and one letter on the subject. They were against cutting the trees."
Other Chicago news from '69 …
The Stonewall wasn't the only bar to get raided that year. Chicago had its share of bar raids too: the Blue Pub ( 3059 W. Irving Park ) , the 21 Club ( Legacy ) ( 3042 W. Irving Park ) , the Annex ( 2865 N. Clark St. ) and the Alameda Club ( 5210 N. Sheridan Road ) were all raided by the police .
In the October 1969 issue of MM Jim Bradford and Bill Kelley wrote: COPS HIT MORE BARS: "The Vice Control Division of the Chicago Police Department is again waging a concerted war on Chicago's homosexual community.
"The first raid of the current series occurred in the early morning hours of Saturday, Sept. 20, when the 21 Club was hit and 12 persons were arrested and charged with public indecency. ( Public indecency is defined as lewd fondling on the body in public, and Chicago police routinely apply the law to cover homosexual dancing and even two men with arms over each other's shoulders. Allegations of lewd fondling are always thrown in, but the real police target is harmless activity on a par with accepted heterosexual behavior. )
"As usual, nothing was going on, but the time had come, so the 21 club was raided and innocent victims grabbed. Woody, the owner, was taken in and quite generously bailed out the patrons. He contacted MM, gave us details of the event and took an MM referral attorney. Moreover, Woody has helped raise funds for the legal defense of the patrons ( a benefit cocktail party was being held on Sunday, Oct. 21, as this went to press ) .
"The second raid followed on the heels of the first, one week later to the day. In the early hours of Saturday, Sept. 27, the Blue Pub, just across the street from the 21 Club was hit. The plainclothes officers were recognized by their former victims from the 21 and had to pull off the second raid a bit prematurely, before the other customers could be alerted. They took in four men, including one bartender. MM was notified by observers, and several members went to Police headquarters.
"In the wee hours of Thursday, Oct. 9, the Alameda Club was swooped down upon. The same tired allegations of public indecency were marched out, the same perjured complaints, the same visit to 11th & State.
" … In addition to the foregoing raids, which were conducted by officers from Vice Control Division headquarters, on Sept. 8 the Annex was entered by Town Hall ( 19th ) district police and two men were arrested."
Were you living in Chicago at the time of the Stonewall Riots? How did you hear about it? What was the first gay bar you went to in Chicago? Let me know.
Send your stories to Sukie de la Croix at Windy City Times. You can leave a message on his voicemail at ( 773 ) 871-7610. He interviews over the phone, in person, or sukiedelacroix@ozhasspoken.com
