The year after Stonewall in 1970, what we now call Pride events began taking place across America. While St. Louis did not host its first Pride until 1980, many foundational events paved the way for modern era Pride celebrations across the St. Louis region.
In 1977 and 1978, local gay rights rallies were held in association with St. Louis’ Metropolitan Community Church. It was at the November 4, 1978, event that the founding pastor of St. Louis’ Metropolitan Community Church, Reverend Carol Cureton, offered this inspirational message.
An early St. Louis Pride event. | COURTESY ST. LOUIS LGBT HISTORY PROJECT
“I want to tell you, those of you struggling with what right you have to live, just that it’s worth the struggle. Whatever you have to go through to find who you are, it’s worth it, because you’ll come out in the end being a real, whole, total person. And you won’t be like anyone else in the whole world, and that’s neat.”
For those who’ve never known life without a Pride celebration, it’s easy to not fully appreciate St. Louis’ journey to serve as host to the nation’s largest network of independent Pride celebrations. Here is a summary of sentinel community events that were precursors to formal Prides in St. Louis.
The Journey to Pride:
- 1880s-Present: Drag performances, bar/club activities, private events
- 1950s-Present: Miss Fannie’s Artists Balls
- 1960s-Present: Trans networking groups
- 1970-1975: Mandrake Balls
- 1970s-1980s: Halloween celebrations in the Central West End
- 1970s: Lesbian Alliance events
- 1970s: Powder Puff Review performances
- 1970s: Gateway and Blue Max leather/motorcycle club events
- 1973: Car parade/rally from the East side to Forest Park
- 1973-Present: Miss Gay Missouri pageants
- 1977 & 1978: Gay Rights Rallies at Metropolitan Community Church
- 1978: National Miss Gay America Pageant at Machinist’s Hall in Bridgeton
- 1979: Gay Pride Weekend at Washington University
- 1979: National March on Washington (St. Louis sent delegation)
A Pride event from the 1980s. | COURTESY ST. LOUIS LGBT HISTORY PROJECT
While it may have taken 10 years for St. Louis to formally join the nation in hosting formal Pride events, when the community finally came together (despite some normal St. Louis territorial bickering), it was full steam ahead.
At St. Louis’ April 20, 1980, Pride event, the keynote speaker – Larry Davis, Co-Chairperson of the National Association of Social Workers Task Force on Gay Issues, had this to say.
“The very fact that we have today marched down Lindell Boulevard on a Sunday afternoon in the buckle of the Bible Belt is proof in itself of how far we have come. The presence of our heterosexual friends and family members in this gathering is indicative of the effect of our outreach to others and their positive response to us.”
St. Louis now leads the nation in the number of regional Pride events. Here are some notable highlights from St. Louis’ Pride timeline.
As early as the 1970s people were marching to support LGBTQ rights. | COURTESY ST. LOUIS LGBT HISTORY PROJECT
Regional Pride Milestones:
- 1980: Celebration of STL Lesbian and Gay Pride (CWE and Washington University)
- 1981: First PrideFest by Pride St. Louis (CWE and Forest Park)
- 1987: First annual community award presented by Pride STL
- 1990: First trans organization hosts an information table at PrideFest
- 1991: Nicole Richards crowned first Queen of Pride at PrideFest
- 1993: First St. Louis Mayor attends and addresses crowd at PrideFest
- 1995: First Black Pride (B-Boys Festival)
- 1998: PrideFest relocates to Tower Grove Park
- 2003: First “Mass on the Grass” religious service at PrideFest
- 2008: First Metro East Pride
- 2012: Debut of St. Louis’ Pride flag
- 2012: First Tower Grove Pride
- 2013: Pridefest moves to downtown; first Pride flag flown at St. Louis City Hall; first Pride ceremony in nation to honor LGBTQIA+ military veterans
- 2015: First St. Charles Pride
- 2016: First Trans Pride flag flown at St. Louis City Hall
- 2019: First Soulard Pride
- 2019: First Trans Pride March and Rally in Benton Park
- 2020: First virtual Pride events; first city-wide Pride Care-A-Van
- 2022: First Alton Pride
