Black Cat Tavern facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black Cat Tavern |
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| Location | 3909 W Sunset Blvd |
| Built | 1939 |
| Architectural style(s) | Art Deco |
| Governing body | private |
| Designated | 2008 |
| Reference no. | 939 |
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The Black Cat Tavern is a historic site in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles, California. It is important to the history of the LGBT community. In 1967, it was the location of one of the first protests in the United States against unfair treatment by police towards LGBT people. This protest happened more than two years before the well-known Stonewall riots.
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History of the Black Cat Tavern
The Black Cat Tavern opened in November 1966. Two months later, on New Year's Eve, several undercover police officers from the Los Angeles Police Department went into the bar.
New Year's Eve Incident
A local newspaper called Tangents reported that the Black Cat was a happy place with balloons and Christmas trees before the police arrived. Moments later, things became chaotic. Police arrested several customers for showing affection as they celebrated the New Year. The undercover officers then began treating some customers roughly. In the end, fourteen people were arrested for causing trouble and acting improperly in public.
The Peaceful Protest
Even though some people think there was a "riot" at the Black Cat, it was actually a peaceful protest. About 200 people gathered on February 11, 1967, to speak out against what happened. This protest was organized by two groups: PRIDE (which stood for Personal Rights in Defense and Education), started by Steve Ginsberg, and the Southern California Council on Religion and Homophile (SCCRH). Many police officers were present at the protest.
Legacy of the Black Cat
What happened at the Black Cat and the protests afterwards helped start a newspaper called The Advocate. It began as a newspaper for the PRIDE group. The events at the Black Cat Tavern in 1967 and another similar event at a place called The Patch in 1968 led to the creation of the Metropolitan Community Church, started by Pastor Troy Perry.
Important Moments in LGBT History
For a long time, the Stonewall riots were seen as the most important event for gay rights, and other important moments were sometimes forgotten. Historians now point to other important events that happened before 1969. These include the 1959 Cooper Do-nuts Riot and the 1966 Compton's Cafeteria riot. These events show that LGBT people had been standing up for themselves long before the Stonewall Inn incidents.
On November 7, 2008, the Black Cat site was officially recognized as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. In 2014, an artist named Alma López and her students at UCLA painted a mural showing the protests. This mural is located on the UCLA campus.
The Black Cat Today
After being a gay bar under different names for many years, the site became a restaurant and bar in November 2012. It was named The Black Cat again to honor the original establishment. The new Black Cat welcomes everyone, and there are photographs inside that show the events from 1967.
