Cleveland’s second unofficial gay pride march took place on July 10, 1976. Like the previous year’s gay pride celebration, the 1976 gay pride march was organized by Dan Richmond of the Metropolitan Community Church.
The 1976 gay pride march began outside of Gypsy’s Restaurant, 2418 St. Clair Avenue. After departing from Gypsy’s, participants “marched west down St. Clair Avenue to the heart of downtown.” Over 50 people attended the 1976 march. Reactions from the general public were reported as being “generally positive.”
The following year, Cleveland held two separate 1977 gay pride marches: the first on June 25th, and the second on on July 9th.
Additional information coming soon.
Resources
- “Cleveland’s Second Gay Pride.” High Gear. August 1976. Page 10.
- “Gay Pride.” High Gear. July 1976. Page 2.
- Gypsy. “1976 Parade.” Gay People’s Chronicle. August 1986. Page 5.
- “John Nosek and Leon Stevens Interview, 15 August 2023.” Cleveland Voices.
- Negron, Sidney. “Pride in Cleveland.” Encyclopedia of Cleveland History.
- Nosek, John, and Leon Stevens. “Gay Community 1970s.” Encyclopedia of Cleveland History.
- Schneck, Ken. LGBTQ Cleveland. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2018. Page 54.
- Vogel, John. “Cleveland Gay Pride.” High Gear. June 1976. Page 5.