Gay schoolteachers wearing masks at parade, June 28, 1986

In this image, Seattle schoolteachers participating in the Gay Freedom Day parade through the Capitol Hill neighborhood hold a banner reading, “Teachers with Pride Still Have to Hide,” and wear masks to protest the discrimination they have felt in their line of work. An estimated ten thousand people participated in the event, which was part of Seattle’s annual Gay Pride Week. The Pride Parade continues to be held annually on the last Sunday in June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, a series of events between police and LGBTQIA+ protesters which stretched over six days that became a catalyst for the movement.

Neon sign for Six Eleven Tavern, 1962

In the mid-twentieth century, the only public spaces gay people could gather and feel relatively safe from discrimination and harassment were gay bars. These bars became both a gathering place and second home for many members of the LGBTQIA+ community. This sign hung outside of the Six Eleven Tavern located at 611 Second Avenue in Pioneer Square, the center of gay life in Seattle until the 1970s. Like most bars in Seattle in the 1960s, the Six Eleven was subject to “blue laws,” which are designed restrict or ban certain activities on specified days. Police officers demanded payoffs from bar owners of about $50-$70 per week in return for overlooking violations of blue laws. Because of the “immoral” nature and their mostly closeted clientele, gay and lesbian bars were particularly vulnerable to this kind of extortion.

Gay Liberation Front members demonstrating against police chief, Seattle, May 5, 1973

Gay Liberation Front (GLF) was an advocacy group that formed nationally in 1969 in the aftermath of the Stonewall Uprising. In this image, members of the Seattle chapter of GLF picket in front of Police Chief George Tielsch’s condominium on Sand Point Way. The man in the center is holding a picket sign reading, “Are Homosexuals Revolting? You bet your sweet ass we are!” The group peacefully marched for about four hours, drawing attention to Chief Tielsch’s refusal to discuss accusations of uniformed police harassing LGBTQIA+ people, particularly in the Pioneer Square area, where most of Seattle’s gay night spots were concentrated at the time.

Let People Live! poster, 1978

This poster urges voters in Seattle to reject Initiative 13, which proposed to overturn Seattle’s nondiscrimination clauses covering sexual minorities, and Initiative 15, which would allow the use of deadly force to apprehend an unarmed suspect. The movement against Initiative 13 coalesced into three major local organizations: Seattle Committee Against Thirteen (SCAT), Women Against Thirteen (later Women Acting Together), and Citizens to Retain Fair Employment (CRFE).

Pennant from "The Prom You Never Went To," 1988

This pennant is a souvenir from a high school-themed dance party for Seattle’s LGBTQIA+ community organized by the Tacky Tourist Clubs of America. Founded in Seattle in the early 1980s, the nonprofit organization sponsored annual parties and events to raise money for other nonprofits, mostly those benefiting the local LGBTQIA+ community. “The Prom You Never Went To” was first held in 1983. The party at “Lavender Valley High School, Home of the Fighting Poodles” gave queer people an opportunity to take the dates of their choice to a recreated high-school prom, which was held annually until 1997.

Explore the MOHAI Collection

Explore additional related items from MOHAI’s online collection, including historic photos, posters, campaign buttons, and more!

Watch MOHAI Minute: Shelly's Leg

Learn about one of Seattle’s most influential gay bars, Shelly’s Leg, in this MOHAI Minute video. MOHAI Minutes offer short time-traveling journeys to some of Seattle’s most fascinating historic spots.

Please note that Shelly’s partner was Pat Nesser, not Pete as is stated in the video.

Listen on SoundCloud

Listen to related History Café recordings and episodes of the MOHAI Youth Advisor’s popular Rainy Day History podcast with this #ObjectsOfPride SoundCloud playlist.