Milwaukee, WI. - Wisconsin's first LGBTQ uprising was nearly forgotten, and lost to history forever, if not for the collaborative efforts of two local history projects.
With the unanimous support of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, County Executive David Crowley, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors and the Milwaukee Common Council, Thursday, August 5, 2021 has been proclaimed "Black Nite Remembrance Day" throughout Wisconsin, honoring the 60th anniversary of our "Stonewall Moment."
On Thursday night, the Hoan Bridge will be illuminated in pride and transgender flag colors from dusk until 2 a.m. to honor the unsung heroes of the Black Nite Brawl. All lighting costs will be covered by the Black Nite 60 fundraiser, hosted by the History Project and GoFundMe donors.
WHAT: Black Nite Remembrance Day 2021
WHO: Elected officials, media representatives, historians, transgender advocates, LGBTQ community organizations.
Featured speakers will include:
- Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett;
- Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa;
- Milwaukee County Executive's Office;
- Dr. Brice Smith, author, historian and coordinator of the Wisconsin Transgender Oral History Project;
- Elle Halo, transgender rights activist, educator and community health champion;
- Don Schwamb, founder, and Michail Takach, curator, of the Wisconsin LGBTQ History Project.
WHEN: Thursday, August 5, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. sharp
WHERE: 400 N. Plankinton Avenue, at St. Paul, northeast corner
(One block straight west from the Milwaukee Public Market)
About the Black Nite Brawl
On August 5, 1961, a young black transgender woman summoned the bravery, courage and righteousness to fight back against homophobic violence that invaded one of her community's only safe spaces, the Black Nite (400 N. Plankinton Ave.) She knew her very existence was criminal, her actions could have extreme social and legal consequences, and she may even be killed. But Josie Carter did not run from a fight.
With violence on the doorstep, she beckoned to her community to stop running and start fighting back -- inspiring something they'd never felt before -- a sense of pride in themselves and each other. As they defended their space and themselves against a violent invasion, they felt part of a community for the first time.
"On the great game board of local LGBTQ history, all the dominoes lead back to the Black Nite," said Schwamb. "Nothing was ever quite the same again after that night."
The Black Nite Brawl, as it became known, triggered a timeline of massive cultural change in Milwaukee. News coverage of the Black Nite continued for over a week, revealing to isolated LGBTQ people that they were not alone in the world. As people found their community, they began to demand liberation. Some of the earliest gay rights activists, including Eldon Murray and Alyn Hess, cited the Black Nite Brawl as an early glimmer of hope and a spark of revolution. Enterprising business owners began to open more and more bars catering to LGBTQ people, including some of whom identified as LGBTQ themselves. By 1969, over three dozen gay bars had opened in Milwaukee.
The Black Nite was not one of them. The bar was forced to close, the block was deliberately demolished to disperse the gay neighborhood that had been thriving since 1949, the first generation inspired by these events was almost entirely lost to AIDS, and eventually, the Black Nite was remembered only by an ever-shrinking group of aging survivors. If not for the combined efforts of Dr. Brice Smith and the History Project, these events may have been forgotten and lost forever to history.
Josie passed away in 2014, never accepting or receiving any formal recognition for her pivotal role in changing Wisconsin LGBTQ history. She was survived by one son, and countless other "children" she'd informally adopted, coached and mentored over the years after their own families had rejected them due to their gender or sexual identities.
