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

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. However, narrations and dramatizations are necessarily subjective and even a timeline can be controversial owing to what is included and excluded and the implied cause and effect. For that reason, counterpoint submitted during the preliminary viewing period through March, 2010 is included for balance.

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. All dramatizations will be clearly marked.

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, May 1973-November 1973 -A Conspiracy Unraveled, My 23 Day Urbana Sit-in, March, 1976

Timeline: 

-October 30th, 1971 Champaign police arrest three drag queens at a Halloween Party -November 16th, 1971 Champaign City Council asked to repeal cross-dressing law -December 7th, 1971 Champaign City Council repeals cross-dressing law -December xxx, 1971 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” fizzles when large number of LGBT patrons treated well -April 8th, 1972 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 Wigwam management hires thugs to attack picketers, minor injuries, thugs escape -April 17th, 1972 Thug spotted by GLF members and arrested on campus by Urbana police. -April 17th, 1972 Thug turns out to be athlete. Thug released, two gays arrested. -April 17th, 1972 Urbana cop: “No faggot can bring charges against a straight without defaming his character.” -April 17th, 1972 Grand Jury investigation of Urbana cop arrest begins. -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. -June, 1972 Assistant States Attorney covering Urbana cop case “sick” on day of grand jury. -July xxx, 1972 Champaign City Council defeats gay rights ordinance 7-2. -July, 1972 Assistant States Attorney covering Urbana cop case “called out of town” on day of grand jury. -July 27th, 1972 Gays speak at Democratic Convention. McGovern sides with anti-gay speaker Kathleen Wilch. -August, 1972 Assistant States Attorney covering Urbana cop case “mother dies” just before day of grand jury. -August, 1972 I take a personal vow to overthrow the government of the United States by any means necessary. -August, 1972 I join the Young Socialist Alliance. -August xxx, 1972 Champaign City Council asked to reconsider gay rights ordinance after gay bashing. -September, 1972 Assistant States Attorney covering Urbana cop case refuses to return calls. -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. -November 9th, 1972 Two activists arrested at end of day for refusing to leave office -November, 1972 I decide to run for Mayor of Urbana on Socialist Worker’s Party ticket -January, 1973 I file enough signatures to get on the ballot

-February, 1975 Urbana passes gay rights ordinance

References (List references at the bottom of every page, like this)

Categories Categories: Gay | Lesbian | Activism | 20th century