Part 6 of the
Chicago Gay Crusader series.
The front-page headline of the September 1973 issue of the Crusader read: 'Gay Community Center to Close.'
'On Sept. 15, Chicago will lose a friend. The friend, the Chicago Gay Alliance Community Center at 171 W. Elm St., has been in operation for two years.'
The center closed because of lack of funds and staff and with a $1,000 debt.
Chicago gays and lesbians had first heard about the community center on Feb. 1, 1971, when the Chicago Gay Alliance announced they had rented a property. The center itself opened on May 1, 1971, and was made available every night of the week for 'drop-ins,' meetings, and music.
Paying off the cops …
Several gay bars on the Near North Side figured prominently in testimony at the trial of 22 former 18th (Chicago Ave.) district vice squad cops, and their former commander, accused of extorting money from 53 taverns between 1966 and 1970.
Some of the bars mentioned were: Ifs, Ands, or Burt's; the Inner Circle; Gerry's Club; the Nite Life; Bently's; the Gold Coast; the King's Ransom; and the Baton. The first five of these bars had closed prior to this trial.
Other gay bars named in indictments as extortion victims, but not yet mentioned in reported testimony, were the Baron Lounge; the Croydon Circle Lounge; the Haig; New Jamie's; the Normandy; Sammy's 1205; and Togetherness.
Also accused on similar charges were 13 other former vice cops, and their ex-commander, in the 15th (Austin) District for extorting money from 30 taverns. One gay drag bar, the Blue Dahlia, was named in this district as having paid $300 a month from 1966 to 1970.
Anti-drag laws …
Cook County Circuit Court Judge Jack Sperling announced that he would declare unconstitutional the Chicago city ordinance against wearing the clothes of another gender.
The decision stemmed from an incident where a group of transvestites walked into a non-gay tavern on the Near Southwest Side and were beaten up. When they reported the incident to the police, the transvestites were promptly arrested under Chicago's draconian anti-drag law.
New lesbian bar …
Margaret Wilson, in her column Lesbian Lore, reported on a new lesbian bar opening called Ms., located at 661 N. Clark St.
Ms. took over from PQ's, which was the first gay disco in Chicago. The hostesses at Ms. were Marge Summit and Chee Chee, who were also the owners. Summit later went on to open His 'n' Hers in three different locations: 2316 N. Lincoln Ave., 944 W. Addison St., and 5820 N. Broadway.
The Ms. float in the 1974 Gay Pride Parade was controversial for some reason, though I don't know why. The lesbian newspaper, Lavender Woman, condemned the float with a label of 'most insulting to women' and 'most messed up lesbians of 1974.'
After Ms. closed, the bar changed names several times, before becoming O'Banion's, a gay punk bar.
The contest took place at the Casino De Castaways in Springfield on Aug. 18, 1973. There were 12 contestants from East St. Louis, seven from Chicago, two from Springfield, and one each from Peoria, Danville, and Champaign. Contestants were rated on poise, attire, performance, and hair and make-up.
Miss Dina Jacobs, of David's Place bar in Chicago, was elected by the contestants to be Miss Congeniality. The judges then announced the first runner-up to be Miss Terry of East St. Louis. The title of Miss Gay Illinois went to Lana Kuntz, of the Red Bull in East St. Louis.
Another new bar opens …
The Devil's Den at 163 Burton Place, at the corner of Burton and Wells, offered dining and dancing. Monday nights there was a Booze Bust with all you can drink for $4.
If you have memories to share, contact Sukie de la Croix at Windy City Times. You can leave a message on his voicemail at (773) 871-7610. He collects memories and interviews over the phone, in person, or via e-mail sukie@windycitymediagroup.com .
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