History of Baltimore Black Gay Community? (population, interest)

[leonnorman1814]

Originally Posted by feck

At one time it was about five blocks of adult entertainment on both sides
interspersed with carry out restaurants and arcades. The city whittled it
down to a single block over time. Part of it is within view of City Hall.

Thanks a lot Feck, I will definitely check it out. See if I can find pics prior to the downgrade.

[leonnorman1814]

Originally Posted by B.K.

For many years I lived right around the corner from the Apex (at Ann and Lombard, to be precise). As far as I recall, the Apex showed only "straight" porn. Only went there once, shortly after I moved here. It was pretty scary, but even then you could see that it had at one time been a fairly nice little neighborhood theater, with a small balcony seating area over head-perhaps a remnant of the times when even movie houses were segregated, and the black patrons had to occupy the less desirable seats.

Thanks for the info B.K., I will keep the picture anyway as now my crazy brain is going to look for the "Red Light Districts" of whatever state had them. Why...I really don't know but it will be fun to see the underside of the country and how that manifested itself in each state. Thanks again.

[nurider2002]

Primary Black Gay Men's bar I recall was the Mardi Gras down on Eutaw Street. No idea when it closed but I'm guessing early ninties. A lot of men on the "down lo" frequented it and it wasn't unheard of to see guys packing weapons. Being white and probably not all that welcomed by some of the regulars there, I always thought it was an interesting bar. But then I liked all the old bars that disappeared in that area between the 70s and the 90s; No Fish Today, Marble Bar, there was a drag bar over there in the 80s - cannot recall the name but some of the bartenders there were scary (in a bad way). But Mardi Gras was primarily black.

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by leonnorman1814

Lastly, I think EVERYBODY should be able to look online and find their history....even black gay men!

Just me and my quackiness.

Not trying to advertise but if you look at my facebook page you will see some of the pictures I have already found. Don't have many but it's nice to wonder back in 1975 when I was just 10 yrs old, what gay life was like and what gay black life was like. It's about history

https://www.facebook.com/leon.norman.96?ref=tn_tnmn

Some interesting pictures. Your effort is appreciated.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by leonnorman1814

To Kharing, I did let some of the Mod's know I was going to do multiple post because if I post in DC, that I'm looking for a history of clubs in North Carolina...nobody who actually lives in NC may ever see it so I really had no choice.

To Infinite_heights77, yes I am a black gay 49 yr old male who has never been to a gay club. So as I look back at the things in my life I wish I had experienced I wondered what it was like for black gay men in the 80's, 70's and even before that. So I figured I would get a list of the places they partied, hung out, acted out, or just chilled out so I could look at them and wonder. May seem silly but that's me.

If you look on the NY page and you will see a picture I posted from a black gay club in the twenties and thirties and it makes me feel good to see at that time, with all the craziness of that era....they seem to be having a great time.

I just want to experience that through picture, stories I find on the net...etc!

Lastly, I think EVERYBODY should be able to look online and find their history....even black gay men!

Just me and my quackiness.

Not trying to advertise but if you look at my facebook page you will see some of the pictures I have already found. Don't have many but it's nice to wonder back in 1975 when I was just 10 yrs old, what gay life was like and what gay black life was like. It's about history

https://www.facebook.com/leon.norman.96?ref=tn_tnmn

Interesting that you're looking into this history. I'm 47, but spent plenty of time in gay clubs back in my single days of the early 90s. I remember here in Denver there was a gay club that was almost exclusively black guys, and another that was Hispanic guys. I'm white, but I liked going to both of them. Although I sort of found the segregation within a minority community to be odd. Especially in Denver, where racism isn't overt or common. Once I went to Charleston, SC for work and went to a gay club. It was very hidden and hard to find (this was in 1995). I remember noticing that everyone was white, and I asked why there were no black guys in the club. I soon found out that white gay men in Charleston were quite racist. They told me there was a different club where black gay men hung out.

[leonnorman1814]

Originally Posted by denverian

Interesting that you're looking into this history. I'm 47, but spent plenty of time in gay clubs back in my single days of the early 90s. I remember here in Denver there was a gay club that was almost exclusively black guys, and another that was Hispanic guys. I'm white, but I liked going to both of them. Although I sort of found the segregation within a minority community to be odd. Especially in Denver, where racism isn't overt or common. Once I went to Charleston, SC for work and went to a gay club. It was very hidden and hard to find (this was in 1995). I remember noticing that everyone was white, and I asked why there were no black guys in the club. I soon found out that white gay men in Charleston were quite racist. They told me there was a different club where black gay men hung out.

Unfortunately, it seems that "most" of the time, at least from everything I've heard and read blacks and whites largely partied separately. Today, if you go to NYC, you will find clubs where both exist.I'm sure there is a white presence in some black clubs and a black presence in some white clubs but for the most part....they both stay separate. Technically I can't swear that as I've never been to one but the famed Christopher St in Greenwich Village in the 70s and 80's was a mostly white gay hangout. In the 90s when more blacks began to hang out in the area Chelsea became the white gay hangout. (LOL) It's just the world we live in unfortunately. Would be nice if it were different but it doesn't seem to be.

HEY, YOU KNOW I WASN'T GOING TO LET YOU GET AWAY WITHOUT ASKING YOU?!

What was the name of the club in Denver you spoke of? Were there other Black Gay venues in Denver or elsewhere in Colorado you could help me out with. I'm not allowed to make anymore post on this topic for other states so I can't make one for Colorado but I sure would appreciated you detailing here in this forum whatever you know about the black gay scene back in the day for Denver. Also was there a "Red Light District" in Denver or Colorado in general?

Any help you could give would be appreciated.

Thanks
Leon

[denverian]

Originally Posted by leonnorman1814

Unfortunately, it seems that "most" of the time, at least from everything I've heard and read blacks and whites largely partied separately. Today, if you go to NYC, you will find clubs where both exist.I'm sure there is a white presence in some black clubs and a black presence in some white clubs but for the most part....they both stay separate. Technically I can't swear that as I've never been to one but the famed Christopher St in Greenwich Village in the 70s and 80's was a mostly white gay hangout. In the 90s when more blacks began to hang out in the area Chelsea became the white gay hangout. (LOL) It's just the world we live in unfortunately. Would be nice if it were different but it doesn't seem to be.

HEY, YOU KNOW I WASN'T GOING TO LET YOU GET AWAY WITHOUT ASKING YOU?!

What was the name of the club in Denver you spoke of? Were there other Black Gay venues in Denver or elsewhere in Colorado you could help me out with. I'm not allowed to make anymore post on this topic for other states so I can't make one for Colorado but I sure would appreciated you detailing here in this forum whatever you know about the black gay scene back in the day for Denver. Also was there a "Red Light District" in Denver or Colorado in general?

Any help you could give would be appreciated.

Thanks
Leon

I think the club in Denver was called The Raven. I don't think it's there anymore though. Denver has a large Hispanic population, but not a really big black population. I'm married (to a black man I've been with for 18 years!) and we have kids, so I don't keep up with the club scene in Denver - or stay up past 10 p.m. lol! But from what I recall, Denver's gay bars/clubs weren't all that segregated anyway. Overall, Denver isn't nearly as segregated as cities back East.

As for the rest of Colorado, there aren't many gay clubs/bars. Colorado Springs has a few, and problay a handfull in Ft. Collins and Boulder. I seriously doubt if there have ever been any other black gay clubs outside of Denver within the state. 60% of Colorado's population lives in the Denver metro area (around 3 million people) so overall, it's a sparsely populated state.

[leonnorman1814]

Originally Posted by denverian

I think the club in Denver was called The Raven. I don't think it's there anymore though. Denver has a large Hispanic population, but not a really big black population. I'm married (to a black man I've been with for 18 years!) and we have kids, so I don't keep up with the club scene in Denver - or stay up past 10 p.m. lol! But from what I recall, Denver's gay bars/clubs weren't all that segregated anyway. Overall, Denver isn't nearly as segregated as cities back East.

As for the rest of Colorado, there aren't many gay clubs/bars. Colorado Springs has a few, and problay a handfull in Ft. Collins and Boulder. I seriously doubt if there have ever been any other black gay clubs outside of Denver within the state. 60% of Colorado's population lives in the Denver metro area (around 3 million people) so overall, it's a sparsely populated state.

Thanks again for the help.

[leonnorman1814]

Just wondering if anyone has any information, an address/cross streets or story to tell about any of the clubs/bars listed below? I am told they were black LGBT establishments in Baltimore but can find little to NO info on them. Any help?
Hats
Paca Street, near Franklin?


The Last Stop (Hours: 2a.m. Fri & Sat)
Madison Ave below MLK Blvd




Club Fantasy (Friday Nights) closed 1990
Howard St above Franklin





Pete’s Mustache First Club (same bldg. Club Fantasy)


Joanne's (or maybe Joannie's Place Bar on Wilkenson?



Jones(Bar or club)?




Burger World (Seems like a ridiculous title for a gay establishment unless it was a restaurant)???

[manymore10]

hey leonnorman1814.. i think me and you talked via email about this stuff.(different name , email, etc.)
Hats - was bulldozed for a parking lot. the lot ( which is now partially occupied by an odd looking 7-11) is adjacent to a club called " select", which was previously the club called "ozone" .none of which existed when hats did.

the last stop - ( i think u mailed me a pic of what this space is now in our communication) full on, black,gay, trans, drag, and anything else you can use descriptors for. after hours only.

club fantasy - friday night wasn't a gay night. it was a college night that actually exposed a lot of college kids to house music and made them lifelong fans. saturday nite was just a bit older( early 20's to mid 30s), more soulful house music seasoned, and a bit of the old odells (famous black club w gay and straight nites) and was gay and straight patronized through the nite, but not neccesarily a gay "dominated" nite, but w lots of gay theme to it. sunday was the gay nite.

petes- before my time, but correct, preceded fantasy in same space .

joanne's - recently closed now, but was a little seedy place on dolphin off of pennsylvania ave. was gay at first, the drug boys and the gay mainstream m movement made everybody feel comfortable. was a place people came to get high. was in an old row house, mayb retail kinda building. straights mostly on one floor, fem male and trans on other. lesbians party w straights in baltimore for most part in black clubs.after hours here too. joanne got ill and just closed it

jones - believe they r saying " joannes" and the dialect is throwing you off.(lol)

burger world - never heard of it.

other places too - you had/have (mostly had)- bunns, our place, our place west, our place east..if other people can contribute, please do.

hit me if u want at [email]manymore10@gmail.com[/email]