LOUISVILLE, Ky. — City officials are kicking off Pride Month by commemorating Louisville's LGBTQ history.
On Thursday, the Fairness Campaign unveiled the first LGBTQ Kentucky Historical Highway Marker in the city. It is located at St. James Court and Belgravia Court in Old Louisville.
"For so many marginalized communities, our history has been intentionally erased or intentionally never recorded to begin with and so anything we can do to preserve is of the utmost importance," Chris Hartman, executive director of the Fairness Campaign, said.
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The historical highway marker recognizes 17 young, gay liberationists gathered at 420 Belgravia Court in July 1970 to openly advocate for gay equality.
The group, known as the Louisville Gay Liberation Front (LGLF), held marches and set up Louisville's first LGBTQ hotline and shelter as well as a gay studies course at the University of Louisville.
The Fairness Campaign and author Dr. Cate Fosl worked for nearly a decade to make this historic marker a reality.
"Let's let this marker be a source of inspiration to all of us to keep going and keep emphasizing that what happens to one of us happens to all of us," Fosl said. "We have to get there together."
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