Gay Liberation in Champaign-Urbana, IL. 1971-1976: A Personal History

Jeff Graubart 1972

About the Exhibit

This exhibit is based on my in-process autobiographical novel, The Quest for Brian, which explores not only various LGBT historical events, in Champaign-Urbana and later Chicago, but the complex and not always altruistic motives that drove early activists to obsessively “push the envelope” that others, both within and outside the community, insisted on keeping sealed. Unlike the novel, the exhibit will focus on the documented historical events, and only those events local to Champaign-Urbana, IL. However, narrations and dramatizations are necessarily subjective and this exhibit is based primarily on my own activism. For the sake of balance and improved historical accuracy, counterpoint submitted during the preliminary viewing period through March, 2010 will be included.

If you wish to provide counterpoint to a narration, supply a correction to the facts, add to the timeline or in any other capacity comment or contribute on this exhibit before it is finalized, please email me at jeffgrau@rcn.com.

Viewers will be surprised at the richness of LGBT history in this college town. Repeal of the cross-dressing laws, the fight for and passage of gay and lesbian civil rights legislation, the first conference for a national LGBT march on Washington, my own campaign for mayor of Urbana pitted against a fundamentalist minister, and a real life whodunit where justice prevails, all happened within the time frame.

The exhibit will focus on several events in the timeline, using audio reenactments, pictures of actual artifacts and news stories and passages from the book. Links to dramatizations from The Quest for Brian will be marked with the following thumbnail:

Characters in dramatizations from The Quest for Brian are associated with real historical figures at the start of each exhibit page in a table like the following:

The Cast - Major players identified. Actual historical figures on left.

Jeff Graubart, Activist	Dave Rosen
William O. Stanley, Activist	Winston Stanfield III

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Exhibit Pages:

• Repeal of the Champaign and Urbana Cross Dressing Laws, December 1971
• Harassment at the Wigwam, April 1972
• The Fight for a Gay Rights Bill in Champaign, May 1972-November 1972
• Grand Jury Delays and My Mayoral Campaign, June 1972-April 1973
• The Fight for a Gay Rights Bill in Urbana, April 1973-September 1973
• National Mobilizing Committee for a March on Washington, July 1973-November 1973
• A Conspiracy Unraveled, My 17 Day Urbana Sit-in, March, 1976

Timeline:

October 30th, 1971	Champaign police arrest three drag queens at a Halloween Party
November 16th, 1971	Jeff Graubart asks Champaign City Council to repeal cross-dressing law
December 7th, 1971	Champaign City Council repeals cross-dressing law
January 12th, 1972	Urbana City Council repeals cross dressing law
March 31st, 1972	Campus bar Wigwam begins harassment campaign against gay and lesbian patrons
April 8th, 1972	Planned “Stonewall uprising” at Wigwam fizzles when large number of LGBT patrons treated well. Wigwam Management goes on anti-LGBT offensive when only a few LGBT patrons remain.
April 13th, 1972	Gay Liberation Front pickets Wigwam. Call for a boycott
April 14th, 1972	U of I Student Government endorses boycott of Wigwam
April 15th, 1972	Daily Illini endorses boycott of Wigwam
April 15th, 1972	Picketers assaulted in front of Wigwam, minor injuries, assailants escape
April 17th, 1972	One Assailant spotted on campus by GLF members. He is arrested by Urbana police. Two gay men, Jeff Graubart and William Stanley arrested by Urbana police for "crime" of bringing charges against a heterosexual man. Jeff graubart and William Stanley bring incident to the attention of the Champaign County States Attorney.
May xxx, 1972	Twenty members of GLF march to Champaign City Council and demand gay rights ordinance.
May xxx, 1972	Wigwam goes out of business.
July xxx, 1972	Champaign City Council defeats gay rights ordinance 7-2.
August xxx, 1972	Champaign City Council asked to reconsider gay rights ordinance after attempted gay bashing.
November 7th, 1972	Champaign City Council defeats gay rights ordinance 6-3.
November 9th, 1972	Occupation of Champaign Mayor’s office by fifteen members of GLF. Jeff Graubart and Clarence Fletcher arrested.
January 19th, 1973	Jeff Graubart files petitions to become independent candidate for Mayor of Urbana.
April XXX	Election Day in Urbana
April XXX	Gay rights ordinance sent to committee at first meeting of new Urbana City Council.
June 5th, 1973	5 GLF protestors at Urbana City Council meeting demand vote on gay rights ordinance
July XXX, 1973	Urbana City Council votes down gay rights ordinance 7-6. Gay rights supporters storm out of meeting. Ordinance sent to Committee on Legislation.
July 9th, 1973	Urbana Committee on Legislation debates gay rights ordinance.
July XXX, 1973	William Stanley and Jeff Graubart travel to New York to discuss a national Gay and Lesbian march on Washington. National Gay Mobilizing Committee for a March on Washington formed.
August XXX, 1973	Urbana Committee on Legislation debates gay rights ordinance.
November XXX, 1973	Urbana Committee on Legislation debates gay rights ordinance.
February XXX, 1975	Urbana passes gay rights ordinance
MONTH XXX, 1975	Champaign passes gay rights ordinance
March 2nd, 1976	Jeff Graubart begins a 17-day sit-in at the Urbana City Building.
March 19th, 1976	Jeff Graubart arrested.

Contact Person

Jeff Graubart jeffgrau@rcn.com