IN MEMORIAM - 50th Anniversary of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire Memorial Worship Service

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Saturday, June 24, 2023: The New Orleans community gathered for the 50th Anniversary of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire Memorial Worship Service at St. Mark's United Methodist Church - the same church that held the original memorial service on July 1, 1973.

As in 1973, the St. Mark's sanctuary was packed, even filling the balcony. It was standing room only. People sat shoulder to shoulder to honor the memories of the Up Stairs Lounge Arson victims.

On June 24, 1973, an arsonist set fire to the Up Stairs Lounge, a gay bar located on the edge of the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana. The fire ultimately killed 32 people and severely injured countless others. Some bodies were never identified. The primary suspect was never charged with the crime. The tragedy did not stop at the loss of lives. There were also the delayed injuries: lost jobs, fear, public ridicule and severed families. The devastation was compounded by the homophobic reactions and utter lack of concern by the general public, government and religious leaders. The fire permanently altered lives and was the root of many lifelong struggles. Despite the staggering historical significance, few people know about the tragedy.

A coalition of organizations spearheaded by the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana presented a weekend of events commemorating the 50th anniversary of New Orleans' 1973 Up Stairs Lounge Fire: the horrific event that held the dubious title of “Largest Gay Mass Murder in U.S. History'' for over four decades. The commemoration events were held at various locations in the historic French Quarter of New Orleans, June 23-25, 2023, including this worship service at St. Mark's.

After Brett Burk’s (St. Mark’s Methodist Church) Call to Worship, the service began with the Opening Prayer led by Bishop Delores Williamson (Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church), followed by a reading from the Old Testament (in Hebrew) by Rabbi Edward Cohn and a recitation of Maya Angelou’s “And Still I Rise” by Reverend David Casey.

Then, for approximately 12 minutes, the congregation sat in silent reflection as MCC New Orleans Pastor Lonnie Cheramie and St. Mark’s Reverend Ed Cooper read the names of each of the victims. A haunting bell toll echoed throughout the sanctuary after each name. Black banners with each of the victims’ names embroidered in gold thread were then passed to members of the community who would later carry them through the streets of the French Quarter during the Jazz Funeral/2nd Line memorial procession.

Pastor Lonnie Cheramie provided the Closing Prayer, and the service concluded with a performance by the New Orleans Gay Men's Chorus of “United We Stand”: the anthem sung by the Up Stairs Lounge patrons every Sunday at the conclusion of the weekly Beer Bust.

Immediately following the memorial service, the congregation prepared for the Jazz Funeral/2nd line memorial procession that would soon weave through the French Quarter from St. Mark's to the former site of the Up Stairs Lounge.

To learn more about the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and St. Mark's vital role in the aftermath, we invite you to watch the award-winning documentary, UPSTAIRS INFERNO.

▶️ UPSTAIRS INFERNO: the documentary is now streaming WORLDWIDE:
... and many more of your favorite streaming platforms!!

For more information:
Facebook: Upstairs Inferno: The documentary
Twitter: @UPSTAIRSINFERNO
Instagram: @Upstairs_Inferno