The St. Paul Hotel
350 Market street, St. Paul, MN
St. Paul's queer community learns of the 1978 repeal. Karen Clark is pictured center-right, and Craig Anderseon is pictured crossing his arms to the right, next to Leo Treadway. Image Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society.
The St. Paul Citizens for Human Rights reserved the ballroom of the St. Paul Hotel for the night of April 25th, 1978—the organizers planned to celebrate a resounding victory over the Citizens Alert for Morality (CAM), who vigorously campaigned against Gay Rights.
Throughout the campaign, organizers of CAM spread vicious untruths via campaign literature: “…you can be persecuted and punished for opposing the selection of an activist homosexual or lesbian as a teacher and role model for your children[.]” Read one pamphlet, which continued by remarking “Ironic, Isn’t it, that the immoral and lawless can use the FORCE OF LAW to persecute the moral and lawful?”(1)
Gay Community News cover story, courtesy of the Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection |
The tactic worked well on many St. Paul voters—the final results tallied 31,690 in favor of keepin a non-discrimination ordinance in St. Paul. A whopping 54,090 voted to repeal the measure. Thousands marched in the streets that night, pledging to continue the fight.(2)
Criag Anderson issued an all-caps press statement on the 25th. He wrote “TONIGHT WE ARE ANGRY, HURT, AND DISSAPOINTED IN A SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO VOTE ON BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS WHILE CLAIMING TO BE BASED ON THE PRINCIPAL THAT EVERYONE IS CREATED EQUAL AND ENTITLED TO EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW.”(3)
The Minneapolis Tribune reported the following morning that the Rev. Richard A. Angwin—who spearheaded the anti-gay effort—was jubilant at the news of his victory. |
“We are very happy over the outcome,” he said. “We’re somewhat disheartened, though, that we had to go to a lot of trouble “ to get the measure repealed. The city council should not have enacted this law in the first place. He added “We hope that in the future the city council will enact laws that will more accurately reflect the feelings of the people.”(4)
His hope was dashed in 1993, when the St. Paul City Council revived the equal rights clause.
(1)"St. Paul Citizens for human Rights" Manuscript collection, Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection in GLBT Studies, University of Minnesota Libraries.
(2) Marko, Jim. "Rights Measure Repealed in St. Paul." Gay Community News, Volume 5, No.42. 1978. Page 1.
(3)Andersen, Craig. St. Paul Citizens for Human Rights Press Statement. April 25th, 1978.
(4)Griffin Jr.,Carl. "Gay Rights Repealed in St. Paul" The Minneapolis Tribune, 4/16/78.
Part of Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN: 100 Queer Places in Minnesota History, (1860-1969), (1969-2010)
