New Orleans City Council honors 32 queer lives lost in 1973 arson
Upstairs Lounge Arson had no idea their night out would turn into anything other than a moment of social escapism. During that era, they entered that gay bar knowing full well the dangers of publicly identifying oneself as queer.
Sadly, on June 24, 1973, their bravery would cost their lives.Above the Jimani, a sports bar that remains, the Upstairs Lounge served as the popular hangout for New Orlean’s queer community and allies.
Located on the second floor of a three-story building, a staircase arrived at steel doors leading patrons inside the venue. The attack happened during that year’s Pride weekend, which had recently been made a tradition in 1971.At 7:56 p.m., an unidentified man rang the buzzer, which was used to indicate when a cab arrived.
When the bar opened its entrance, the staircase had been set ablaze, trapping over sixty people inside. Unfortunately, the owners failed to mark the emergency exit, and the windows had been boarded up or covered with iron bars.
