Jim Andris, Facebook

LGBTQ History in St. Louis: First Pride

Since 2010, when I was introduced to the St. Louis LBGT History Project, I have been trying to reconstruct the St. Louis LGBT pride events of 1980 and their roots. This is a challenging and difficult job, and I am glad to put my hand to that work, as time permits. The work is far from finished, but I am hopeful that there has been new light shed on these truly wonderful events and the brave and visionary people who created them.

The menu to the left contains a link to an overview article of The 1980 Lesbian and Gay Walk for Charity and the 1980 Celebration of Lesbian and Gay Pride, and one to an in-depth analysis of The Magnolia Committee. There are additional links to supporting documents. I have also begun to write more detailed background articles on organizations that participated in the 1980 Celebration; this work has continued and further enriched my understanding of this event.

I was present at the 1980 Walk for Charity and Rally held on April 20, 1080 as the President of the Gay Academic Union. I wrote my own impression of the Walk and Rally at the time that was originally published in No Bad News, a publication of the time: Even Alexander the Great. I later added pictures that I and Will Wegener had taken. In 2012, Jim Pfaff informed me that he had taken color slides of the St. Louis Walk for Charity in 1980, the March in 1981, and the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights on Oct. 14, 1979. I digitized these over 200 images for Jim and they have been donated to the St. Louis LGBT History Project. I have used these remarkable color images to illustrate some of my articles.

In addition, you will find some articles under previous years that describe events that are foundational to the 1980 Pride Celebration, some of which may be surprising.

Sincerely,

Jim Andris