UpStairs Lounge

UpStairs Lounge was a popular LGBT bar located in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, near Bourbon Street and Canal Street. The bar was a gathering place for the local LGBT community, including gay men, lesbians, and drag queens, and was known for its drag shows and other entertainment events, similar to those found at The Stonewall Inn in New York City and The Castro in San Francisco. The UpStairs Lounge was also a hub for LGBT activism, with many patrons involved in organizations such as the Gay Liberation Front and the Daughters of Bilitis. The bar's atmosphere was often compared to that of other famous gay bars, such as The Eagle in New York City and The Stud in San Francisco.

History

The UpStairs Lounge was opened in 1970 by Philip Hannan, the Archbishop of New Orleans, as a space for the local LGBT community to gather and socialize, similar to the Mattachine Society and the Janus Society. The bar quickly became a popular destination, attracting visitors from across the United States, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami. The UpStairs Lounge was also a hub for LGBT culture, with many patrons involved in the arts, including music, theater, and visual arts, similar to the Factory in New York City and the Cafe du Dôme in Paris. The bar's history was also marked by its connections to other famous LGBT figures, such as Harvey Milk, Marsha P. Johnson, and Sylvia Rivera, who were all involved in the LGBT rights movement.

The Fire

On June 24, 1973, a devastating fire broke out at the UpStairs Lounge, killing 32 people and injuring many others, in one of the deadliest attacks on the LGBT community in United States history, surpassing the UpStairs Lounge arson attack as the deadliest attack on an LGBT establishment until the Pulse Orlando shooting in 2016. The fire was started by an arsonist, who used gasoline to ignite the flames, similar to the Happy Land fire in New York City and the Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island. The fire was fueled by the bar's decorations and furniture, which were largely made of flammable materials, such as wood and fabric, similar to the Iroquois Theatre fire in Chicago and the Cocoanut Grove fire in Boston.

Aftermath

The aftermath of the fire was marked by a lack of response from the New Orleans authorities, including the New Orleans Police Department and the New Orleans Fire Department, who were slow to respond to the emergency, similar to the response to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City and the Our Lady of the Angels School fire in Chicago. The fire was also largely ignored by the mainstream media, with many newspapers and television stations failing to report on the tragedy, similar to the lack of coverage of the LGBT rights movement and the AIDS epidemic. The UpStairs Lounge fire was, however, covered by LGBT media outlets, such as The Advocate and Gay Times, which helped to raise awareness about the tragedy and its impact on the LGBT community, similar to the coverage of the Stonewall riots and the Matthew Shepard murder.

Legacy

The UpStairs Lounge fire has had a lasting impact on the LGBT community, with many regarding it as a turning point in the LGBT rights movement, similar to the Stonewall riots and the Harvey Milk assassination. The fire led to increased activism and organizing within the LGBT community, with many LGBT organizations and advocacy groups emerging in the aftermath of the tragedy, such as the Human Rights Campaign and the National LGBTQ Task Force. The UpStairs Lounge fire has also been commemorated in various ways, including through memorials and anniversaries, such as the UpStairs Lounge Memorial in New Orleans and the National Day of Remembrance for LGBT Victims of Violence.

Investigation

The investigation into the UpStairs Lounge fire was led by the New Orleans Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), with assistance from other law enforcement agencies, such as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The investigation found that the fire was started by an arsonist, who was never identified or caught, similar to the Unabomber and the Zodiac Killer. The investigation also highlighted the need for improved fire safety measures in LGBT establishments, such as sprinkler systems and fire alarms, similar to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the International Code Council (ICC). The UpStairs Lounge fire led to changes in fire safety regulations and emergency response procedures, similar to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Category:LGBT history