History of Gay and Lesbian Life in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Events - Pride Celebrations

Milwaukee Pride Celebration Timeline
prior to PrideFest (pre-1988)

Jump to: 1980   PrideFest (1988+)  

(click on a year to see more detail on that year's Pride celebrations)

Year   Dates, Location   Firsts, Stats   Guide
1971     Dates: January and September 6

   Activities: Liberation March (January 2)
          Gay Pride Week (January)
          Kaleidoscope Gay Issue/ Takeover (January)
          Participation in Vietnam war protest parade (September)

   January events organized by the Gay Liberation Front and Radical Queens, with the support of faculty advisor Barbara Gibson

January 2 -- First-ever Gay Liberation March in Milwaukee held on Wisconsin Avenue
 
January -- First-ever Gay Pride Week with various organized activities (see flyer)
 
September 6 -- Gay Liberation Front participates in Vietnam war protest parade; photo of Chuckie Betz in drag in the parade appears on the front page of Milw. Journal newspaper


 
 
1972     Dates: April

   Activities: Midwest Homophile Conference

Gay People's Union hosted the Midwest Homophile Conference at the Marc Plaza Hotel in April, which brought national advocates Dr. Frank Kameny, Barbara Gittings and Troy Perry to Milwaukee for the first time. There was no 'Pride' event in 1972.
 
 
1973     Dates: June 30-July 8

   Activities: Rally Dance,
     Gay-in demonstrations,
     Baseball,
     Potluck

    
1974    Dates: June

   Activities: GPU Ball

   Attendance: 350

    
 
1975    Dates: June

   Activities: Unknown

    
 
1978    Dates: June 21-25

   Activities: Participation in Chicago Pride Parade

    
 
1980    Dates: events June 21-29

   Activities: Parade followed by
     rally in MacArthur Square
     (Sat. June 28)

   Firsts: Film Festival;
     Visual Arts Show;
     Street Festival outside The Factory bar;
     Potluck picnic Mitchell Park

    

1981    Dates: June 27

   Activities: Parade followed by
     Rally in Juneau Park
     (Sat. June 27)

   Firsts:

   

Jump to: 1971   1980   PrideFest (1988+)  

Credits: some original materials contributed by PrideFest and Ted Berg,
with additional materials provided by the UWM Libraries- Special Collections;
Additional 1971 info by Michail Takach.
Website concept, design and arrangement by Don Schwamb.
Last updated: October-2024.

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