A glimpse at the history of the U.S. LGBTQ community Part 1 by Valerie Etienne-Leveille LGBTQ is an acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning (1). The acronym meaning is simple, yet it provides a glimpse to the varied and complex representative groups united in strength and solidarity toward a common cause which is equal rights for all individuals (2). The early LGBTQ Rights Movement Henry Gerber, a German immigrant, founded the first documented gay rights organization in the United States in 1924 (3)(4). The organization founded in Chicago was named The Society for Human Rights. Gerber’s organization published the earliest documented gay-interest newsletter called “Friendship and Freedom” (3)(5). Due to fear of continued harassment and persecution experienced by many individuals, subscription rates to the Friendship and Freedom newsletter were low. Henry Gerber and the members of his organization were not immune to the social and political hostilities occurring during this time. In 1925, Gerber’s organization disbanded because of unwarranted police raids, arrests, and negative media coverage. Nevertheless, Henry Gerber continued to advocate for gay rights through his writings and networking with the community (5).
The Henry Gerber House A National Historic Landmark in Chicago, IL. Photo by Thshriver (5).
Activists: Harry Hay (1912-2002) and William Dale Jennings (1917-2000) Harry Hay was an actor, Communist labor organizer, musicologist, theoretician, and political activist (6). He participated in the San Francisco General Strike of 1934 in which the City of San Francisco was shut down when 65,000 workers from all industries walked off from their jobs to demand for more union control toward improved working conditions (7). He fought against fascism, racism, and anti-Semitism during the 1940s. In 1950, he helped to create the Mattachine Society in Los Angeles which was one of the nation’s first sustained gay rights groups (3)(4).
Harry Hay Photo by LeRoy Robbins (6).
William Dale Jennings was a novelist, playwright, and political activist who also studied piano and dance while growing up in Denver, Colorado (8). He moved to Los Angeles in his early 20s and created his own theater company. Throughout his career, he wrote and produced more than 50 short plays (9). Dale Jennings served in
VALERIE ETIENNE-LEVEILLE 1
World War II and received the Victory Medal of honor in addition to being the recipient of many other military honors. In 1950, Jennings, Hay and three other activists (Bob Hull, Chuck Rowland, and Rudi Gernreich) founded The Mattachine Society which was one of the first gay civil liberties organizations in the U.S. By the end of the year 1952, Dale Jennings cofounded One, Inc. – a publication geared toward the gay community. In 1953, the magazine published its first issue and became the first widely distributed gay magazine in the United States (9). In 1954, the Los Angeles Post Office refused to deliver the One magazine citing it as obscene. The One Inc. organization pursued a long legal battle which culminated with the United States Supreme Court ruling in favor of the One magazine in 1958 (3)(9). Jennings published three novels: The Cowboys, The Ronin: A Novel Based on a Zen Myth, and the Sinking of the Sarah Diamond. His novel, The Cowboys, was made into a movie in 1972 starring the famous actor John Wayne (8).
William Dale Jennings Photo courtesy of Kay Tobin via Wikipedia Commons (9).
Harry Hay continued to support social justice causes for all people until his death. Dale Jennings continued to write articles and movie reviews; Upon his death, he left around 125 unpublished manuscripts of books, plays and stories (8). These pioneer leaders have greatly contributed to the creation of supportive LGBTQ communities everywhere.
References
1. Gaycenter.org. (n.d.) What is LGBTQ? https://gaycenter.org/about/lgbtq/
2. Helligar, J. (2021, May 26). What Does LGBTQ Stand For? Reader’s Digest. https://www.rd.com/article/what-does-lgbtq-stand-for/
3. History.com. (2021, May 27). Gay Rights. A&E Television Networks. https://www.history.com/topics/gay-rights/history-of-gay- rights
4. CNN Editorial Research. (2021, March 25). LGBTQ Rights Milestones Fast Facts. https://www.cnn.com/2015/06/19/us/lgbt-rights- milestones-fast-facts/index.html
5. National Park Service. (2018, February 20). LGBTQ Activism: The Henry Gerber House, Chicago, IL. https://www.nps.gov/articles/lgbtq- activism-henry-gerber-house-chicago-il.htm
6. San Francisco Public Library. (n.d.) The Life of Harry Hay. https://sfpl.org/locations/main-library/lgbtqia-center/radically-gay
7. Peoplesworld.org. (2012, July 16). Today in labor history: San Francisco General Strike. https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/today-in-labor-history-san-francisco-general-strike/
8. Clendinen, D. (2000, May 22). William Dale Jennings, 82, Writer and Gay Rights Pioneer. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2000/05/22/us/william-dale-jennings-82-writer-and-gay-rights-pioneer.html
9. Equality Forum. (2018, October 18). LGBTQ History Month – October 18: Dale Jennings. QNotes. https://goqnotes.com/61442/lgbt-history-month-october-18-dale-jennings/
VALERIE ETIENNE-LEVEILLE 2