UpStairs Lounge Panel Discussion

THNOC and the LGBT+ Archives Project will commemorate the 45th anniversary of the UpStairs Lounge fire on Wednesday, June 27, with a panel of historians and witnesses discussing how  the event shaped the LGBT+ community locally and nationally.

A case of arson for which no one was ever convicted, the UpStairs Lounge fire claimed 32 lives on June 24, 1973, in a second-floor gay bar at 141 Chartres St. in the French Quarter. Many felt the fire was inadequately acknowledged by the New Orleans community—some family members refused to claim the bodies of their relatives out of shame, and local civic and religious leaders largely ignored the tragedy. According to survivors, many avoided talking about the event, as they faced discrimination in the workplace and from landlords.

This free public program is presented in collaboration with the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana. Advance registration is required and may be done online or by calling (504) 523-4662. 6 pm. hnoc.org.