NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans is remembering the 32 people who died in the Upstairs Lounge Fire 50 years ago.
The City of New Orleans experienced one of its worst tragedies - the Upstairs Lounge Fire - one of the deadliest fires in the city's history. The fire changed the arc of gay rights and attitudes in New Orleans forever.
Author Johnny Townsend told Eyewitness News, "It put a lot of people back in the closest because of the horrible things people said."
"Until the Pulse Nightclub massacre in 2016, it was the largest massacre of LQBTQ in American history," said author Clayton Delery.
Right above what is now Jimani is where the Upstairs Lounge was located. At the corner of Charters and Iberville, there is a marker honoring those killed and the more than a dozen injured during the arson in June 1973. Many of those killed were trapped behind barred windows. Others were killed in the stampede of people trying to escape.
The blaze ripped through the second and third floors of the building, which housed three bars and apartments. The aftermath of the tragedy, was another tragedy in itself, said Delery.
"At time there was the perception that the police weren't terribly interested in solving the crime. They, like city leaders, wanted it to go away. And in doing the research I discovered that is precisely what happened. They called off their investigation at a moment when they had some very strong leads."
The Upstairs Lounge was a place where everyone was welcome.
"The bar had its own kind of atmosphere. One person had a bicycle delivered there and sat on the floor and put it together because he felt like it was his home," said Townsend.
Five decades later, the 50th anniversary is being commemorated. Frank Perez, with the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana said, "We're going to gather, and remember and honor, and commemorate, but hopefully draw some inspiration to continue to fight for the gains we have made because they could easily be lost."
Three bodies found after the fire are yet to be claimed.