On sunday, june 24th, 1973, the 2nd floor bar room of the upstairs lounge burst into flames. Over the past few years, two books, two documentaries and even a musical came out about the fire. Despite this, outside of louisiana, the world has largely forgotten about it. That article became the first chapter of his book stand by me. The ground floor is more laidback, with a crisp and popjazz feel an ideal spot to meet new individuals or talk with the friendly bartender and staff. The few respectable news organizations that deigned to cover the tragedy made little of the fact that the majority of the victims had been gay, while talkradio hosts. Before the orlando mass shooting in 2016, it had been the largest massacre of gay people in u.
Before orlando shooting, an antigay massacre in new. Its the story of the up stairs lounge arson as youve never seen or heard it before. Its too soon to identify the upstairs lounge fires. Remembering the upstairs lounge fire that killed 32 lgbtq. The arson attack on the upstairs lounge in new orleans in 1973 killed 32 people. Book chronicles 1973 arson at gay club that barely made it into the papers, or even into the consciousness of the community. Nunez was kicked out of the upstairs lounge earlier in the evening after a physical altercation with another patron. Also read slate article new evidence shows that during the 1973 upstairs lounge arson, gays had to take rescue efforts into their own hands. The new orleans mcc had just taken off and was still gaining traction. Written in the wake of the pulse shooting, tinderbox recounts the untold story of the fire at the up stairs lounge, a senseless act of arson in 1973 that killed dozens of gay men and destroyed one of new orleans central workingclass gay bars. Rich with archival photos of the up stairs lounge, long lost newsreels and faded snapshots of the fallen, the story of the deadly up stairs lounge arson has never been more vivid or more personal than in upstairs inferno.
The up stairs lounge arson has been named book of the year by the louisiana endowment for the humanities, and it is a finalist for a 2015 lambda literary award in lgbt nonfiction. Jun 22, 2018 remembering the upstairs lounge fire that killed 32 lgbtq people the 1973 arson is one of the deadliest attacks on lgbtq people in american history. This attack resulted in the deaths of 32 people, the deadliest attack 1 on a gay club in u. Moreau was with friends at a nearby bar on june 24, 1973, when an arsonist doused the stairs of the upstairs lounge with lighter fluid, set it aflame and rang the doorbell. The up stairs lounge arson and let the faggots burn. On june 24, 1973, an arsonist set fire to the popular gay bar located on the edge of the french quarter in new orleans. The upstairs lounge fire by johnny townsend or robert w. Remembering the gay bar inferno that most people have. More than just words on a page, survivors breathe life into the story during this awardwinning documentary. Jun 23, 2018 fieseler began two years of research and two more of writing, and the result is his first book, tinderbox. Unknown victim of deadly 1973 arson in gay bar finally. The deadliest attack on gays before orlando was treated. The ghosts of a horrific 1973 arson at the upstairs lounge.
Jul 06, 2018 book chronicles 1973 arson at gay club that barely made it into the papers, or even into the consciousness of the community. The upstairs lounge arson was the deadliest fire in new orleans history and the largest massacre of gay people ever in the u. Upstairs is a parlor with couches where you can pick your own music extraordinary for bigger gatherings. Author robert fieseler s book tinderbox looks at the 1973 fire at the upstairs lounge, a gay bar in new orleans, which killed 32 people and put prejudicial beliefs against gay men in sharp. Upstairs lounge arson evidence shows gay rescue efforts amid. Upstairs lounge arson evidence shows gay rescue efforts. This attack resulted in the deaths of 32 people, the deadliest attack on a gay club in u. He described himself as skinny, nervous and just beginning to realize he was gay. At the time of the fire, the threestory building on 604 iberville street was occupied by the jimani lounge restaurant and its offices on the first floor, and the upstairs lounge and the mcc on the second and third floors.
Today, we remember the horrific attack on a gay bar in new orleans that occurred in 1973. In june 1973 an arson attack destroyed the upstairs lounge in new orleans, killing 32 of its predominately gay male patrons. Within about a week, most investigators believed arson was the cause. On june 24, 1973, a fire in a new orleans gay bar killed 32 people. May 29, 2019 with a clever rock score, the view upstairs focuses on a forgotten tragedy in new orleans in 1973, when 32 people died in a fire at the upstairs lounge, a gay bar in the french quarter. Jun 22, 2018 his cousin was an embalmer, and the funeral home had received dozens of anonymous bodies of men who had died in an arson attack on a gay bar, the upstairs lounge, in new orleans on june 24, 1973. It was the worst attack on a gay nightclub in us history until the 2016 orlando. Arson attack on the upstairs lounge new orleans historical. The untold story of the upstairs lounge fire and the rise of gay liberation, currently nominated for an edgar award in the best fact crime category. With interviews from survivors, familyfriends of victims and witnesses, upstairs inferno vividly examines this oftforgotten story and captures the power of unconditional love and forgiveness in the face of tragedy.
The attack killed 202 people including 88 australians, 38 indonesians, 23 britons, and people of more than 20 other nationalities. On gay pride day in 1973, someone set the entrance to a french. Youll find it within the upstairs inviting menu one thats highlighted by small bowls, shareable plates, and seasonal and daily specials all made from locally sourced ingredients. Clayton deleryedwards was just shy of 16 when he saw the first news reports about the arson in his hometown. New orleans upstairs lounge was a destination left intentionally. Up stairs lounge commemorative plaque restored ambush. Jul 09, 2018 a renewed interest in the upstairs lounge tragedy has been in the air. Arson at the upstairs lounge decades tv network youtube.
Jack thornellap this article is more than 2 years old. The failure of police to thoroughly investigate the incident helped spur on the growing gay rights movement. His cousin was an embalmer, and the funeral home had received dozens of anonymous bodies of men who had died in an arson attack on a gay bar, the upstairs lounge, in new orleans on june 24, 1973. Upstairs lounge arson victim identified after 45 years.
Tripod new orleans at 300 revisits the upstairs lounge fire in the wake of last. Its a much more detailed account of the beforeandafter of the deadly attack on patrons of the up stairs, and its an essential read, especially for young gay people who have no idea how deep the homophobia of the late 20th century ran. The view upstairs is a musical with music, lyrics and book by max vernon based on the reallife events of the 1973 arson attack at the upstairs lounge, a gay bar in new orleans. Arson at the upstairs lounge tripod new orleans at 300 revisits the upstairs lounge fire in the wake of last months orlando pulse night club shooting. Forty five years ago a fire in new orleans gay bar took 32 lives. Various members of jemaah islamiyah, a violent islamist group, were convicted in relation to the bombings. The 2002 bali bombings occurred on 12 october 2002 in the tourist district of kuta on the indonesian island of bali. The excerpt describes the immediate aftermath of the upstairs lounge fire, an arson attack on a gay night club in 1973 new orleans that claimed 32 dead and many more injured. The upstairs lounge fire southern fried true crime podcast. The bar, on bill larson, pastor of the new orleans chapter of the gayinclusive metropolitan community. Jun 26, 2015 douglas buddy rasmussen, bartender in the downstairs jimani lounge, hurried upstairs through a back door to find his partner adam fontenot. This book is the undoubtedly the best piece of nonfiction that i have ever read. It took 40 years to commemorate the lives that were lost, and until. In 1973, new orleans gay bar site of arson that killed 32.
Before orlando shooting, an antigay massacre in new orleans. The first chapter, titled the largest massacre of gay people in american history, is about the upstairs lounge fire. The book was selected as one of the louisiana endowment for the humanities 2015 books of the year. Despite its grim status as the most fatal crime against lgbt people in u. Buddy rounded up as many people as he could find in the dense smoke. During the 1973 upstairs lounge arson, gays had to take. The upstairs lounge arson attack occurred on june 24, 1973 at a gay bar called the upstairs or up stairs lounge located on the second floor of the. The upstairs lounge was, much like the pulse nightclub in orlando, fla. Remembering the upstairs lounge massacre and the aspirations. He led about twenty individuals to an unmarked rear exit and out to the streets below. Clancy dubos, the journalist whose story blood, moans.
Forty five years ago a fire in new orleans gay bar took 32. On june 24, 1973, a fire in a new orleans gay bar killed. Sep 01, 2014 now a new book has come out the up stairs lounge arson by clayton deleryedwards. Sep 15, 2019 clayton delery is the author of the up stairs lounge arson.
To learn more about the whole story of that tragic day, you can watch the new documentary upstairs inferno or read johnny townsends book, let the faggots burn. The legacy of the up stairs lounge arson out in jersey. This still stands as the deadliest fire in the citys history. Reverend troy perry recalls the days after the upstairs lounge fire and trying to find a church to host a service in this storycorps interview. Most of the victims were found near the windows in the background. In revisiting a tragedy, the view upstairs opens a window. Thirtytwo deaths in a new orleans gay bar, june 24, 1973 mcfarland, 2014. Thirtytwo deaths in a new orleans gay bar, june 24, 1973. Remembering the gay bar inferno that most people have forgotten. In 1973, clayton deleryedwards was living just outside new orleans in metairie, going to high school and, as he puts it, wrestling with the g question.
The deadliest attack on gays before orlando was treated like. Jun 27, 2018 participants in the june 27 panel include royd anderson, director of the documentary the upstairs lounge fire 20. I was watching tv and the program was interrupted, deleryedwards. Johnny townsend does an incredible job placing the reader into the everyday lives. Though arson was suspected, and though the police identified a likely culprit, no arrest was ever made. Nov 06, 2016 the former location of the upstairs lounge in 2016. On 24 th june 1973, the upstairs lounge, a gay bar situated in the french quarter of new orleans, was the victim of an arson attack. Jun 24, 20 the upstairs lounge arson was the deadliest fire in new orleans history and the largest massacre of gay people ever in the u. May 06, 2019 author robert fieseler s book tinderbox looks at the 1973 fire at the upstairs lounge, a gay bar in new orleans, which killed 32 people and put prejudicial beliefs against gay men in sharp. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the upstairs lounge arson, an event that was the largest mass murder of gay people in u. The untold story of the up stairs lounge fire and the rise of gay liberation kindle edition by fieseler, robert w download it once and read it on. A deadly fire, an indifferent cop, and an escaped arsonist.
The upstairs lounge was a gay bar that occupied the second floor of a building at the corner of chartres and iberville streets in the french quarter. Upstairs lounge arson attack from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia the upstairs lounge arson attack occurred on june 24, 1973 at a gay bar called the upstairs or up stairs lounge located on the second floor of the threestory building at 604 iberville street in new orleans, louisiana, in the united states. A horrific haunting in new orleans lgbtq community. Author robert fieselers book tinderbox looks at the 1973 fire at the upstairs lounge, a gay bar in new orleans, which killed 32 people and. Clayton delery, awardwinning author of the up stairs lounge arson. Nov 26, 2018 an exterior view of the former upstairs lounge above jimani lounge. Jul 24, 2018 a view inside the upstairs lounge following an arson on june 25, 1973.
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