Gay life in Chicago this week, back in...

1976

The Howard Brown Memorial Clinic celebrates its 2nd anniversary. Since it opened in May 1974 over 4,000 patients have visited the clinic, and the incidence of venereal disease among these has been at a higher level than the statistics reported by the Chicago Board of Health. The clinic was founded as a joint project of Gay Horizons, Inc. and the Chicago Gay Health Professionals.

(Image: Mattachine Midwest – March 1969)

The masthead of Gay Life May 28, 1976 reads: Publisher/Editor, Grant L. Ford; Managing Editor, Abe Olivo; Associate Editor, Ron Anderson; Entertainment, Roger Chaffin; Religion, Tom Peters; Politics, Les Trotter; Gay Living, Ron Coleman; and Photography; Sean Reynolds.

(Image: The Carnival – Gay Life June 29, 1979)

A full-page ad in Gay Life reads: The Nightclub-Disco that Chicago has been waiting for NOW OPEN. La Mere Vipere, 2132 N. Halsted, is a New Experience in Light and Sound.

Sam's Disco 15 in Gay Life are: 1) "Young Heart Run Free" – Candi Staton; 2) "Nice and Slow" – Jessie Green; 3) "Let Your Heart Do the Walking" – The Supremes; 4) "High Energy" – The Supremes; 5) "10%" – Double Exposure; 6) "Love Hangover" – Diana Ross; 7) "Touch and Go" – Ecstasy, Passion and Pain; 8) "Soul Searching" – The Trammps; 9) "First Choice Theme" – The First Choice; 10) "This Is It" – Melba Moore; 11) "Love Trilogy" – Donna Summers; 12) "Turn the Beat Around" – Vickey Sue Robinson; 13) "Lipstick" by Mike Toinareff; 14) "Sugar Boogie" – Bobby Thomas & Hot Line; 15) "I Love To Love" – Tina Charles.

1983

Events in the bars and clubs this week include An Evening With Cesar ACT IV (A GAA Benefit) at Paradise Chicago, 2848 N. Broadway; you can be Mister Broadway, 1st prize $300; 2nd prize $200; 3rd Prize $100, at Broadway Limited, 3132 N. Broadway; Tom Wilson, who San Diego's Update called "the premiere gay male songster" makes his Chicago debut at His ‘n' Hers, 944 W. Addison; Think of Home! Bill Mieldazis presents HOMECOMING '83 A Reunion Party at La Cage, 50 E. Oak St.; Diana Laffey and Kathy O'Hara perform together at His ‘n' Hers, 944 W. Addison; Bill Muzzillo and Mary Lynn Morrison play in the cabaret room at Opal Station, 6655 N. Clark St.; and it's the Grand Opening of the O–Gay–Corral Patio bar with complimentary hamburgers, hot dogs and Large Laser Show at Hunters, 1932 E. Higgins Rd, Elk Grove Village.

(Image: Eartha Kitt, Lady Day – Gay Chicago April 18, 1996)

The Brown Elephant, 3209 N. Clark St., the resale shop of Howard Brown Memorial Clinic, observes their first six months of being a successful business.

Item in Gay Life's Street Talk gossip column reads: "Ballet great Rudolf Nureyev spent much of his off-stage time while in Chicago last week at Paradise disco, where he enjoyed the company of the club's Mr. Deluxe. Besides dining and relaxing there, Nureyev (Who was at the Auditorium with the Zurich Ballet performing his own version of ‘Don Quixote') included on his itinerary Carol's Speakeasy, Man's Country, the Bijou Theater, and the lavish apartment of another ballet legend, choreographer Ruth Page."

The Windy City Rainbow Society for the Deaf host their seventh annual convention of the Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf, an organization linking gay hearing-impaired people around the country. The convention is held at the Continental Hotel, 505 N. Michigan Ave.

1998

Grace Baptist Church welcomes all, regardless of age, sex, orientation or race, for a silent meditation at 1307 W. Granville.

The 20th International Mr. Leather contest takes place at the Congress Theater, 2135 N. Milwaukee.

(Image: God Shave the Queen ­– Gay Chicago May 7, 1998)

A Lesbian Avenger Dyke March benefit with a vegan dinner is held at the Autonomous Zone, 2012 W. Chicago.

MACT Chicago (Men of All Colors Together), take a brunch outing to Las Maninitas Mexican restaurant, 3523 N. Halsted.

University of Chicago Queers & Associates co-host a gay and lesbian film series on Tuesday evenings all quarter at the Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E. 59th E 59th St. (in Hyde Park).

Comedienne Kate Clinton reads and discusses her 1st book, "Don't Get Me Started" at Unabridged Books, 3251 N. Broadway.

The legendary Viola Wells performs at Fusion, 3631 N. Halsted.

Thanks go to publishers Michael Bergeron for Chicago Gay Crusader, Ralph Gernhardt for Gay Chicago, Grant Ford and Chuck Renslow for Gay Life and Tracy Baim for all the publications at the Windy City Media Group, which aided the above research. St. Sukie de la Croix is an internationally published reporter, playwright, photographer and historian. He is also the author of the upcoming book Chicago Whispers: A History of LGBT Chicago Before Stonewall published by the University of Wisconsin Press.

Homework

What happened to the Lesbian Avengers?

Are Abe Olivo, Les Trotter and Ron Coleman still with us?

Anybody remember Fusion?