The Black Cat

The 1967 Black Cat Demonstration marks one of the earliest moments in US history that the LGBTQ community organized and gathered publicly to peacefully protest the harassment, brutality, and persecution they were suffering for being queer.

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The Black Cat Tavern opened in October 1966 catering to a gay clientele. At that time, homosexuality was a medically classified mental illness. Same-sex relations were criminalized in California. And in Los Angeles, the LGBTQ community faced constant institutional harassment and oppression at the hands of the Los Angeles Police Department. 

On New Year’s Eve 1967, The Black Cat was targeted in an undercover police sting. As the unsuspecting revelers celebrated at midnight, a dozen plainclothes police officers launched a sudden, violent raid. Frightened patrons and staff fought back defensively against the unannounced officers. It was a confusing scene that quickly devolved into chaos. All resistance was met with brutal police force. Fourteen people were beaten to the floor, dragged outside, and arrested on the sidewalk in front of the bar that night.

In 2007, The Black Cat was recognized by the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission as Historic-Cultural Monument #939. A commemorative plaque on the façade of the building honors The Black Cat as the site of the first documented LGBTQ civil rights demonstration in the nation (two years prior to Stonewall)

In 2022, the State of California designated The Black Cat a Historical Landmark #1063, the first and only California Historical Landmark to recognize California’s LGBTQ history. A commemorative plaque on the corner of Sunset and Hyperion marks the monumental civil and human rights history of the location.

This business is featured in the Pride Town Connect Discover Collection, recognizing inclusive businesses and organizations across the United States.

Discover The Black Cat, serving Los Angeles CA, and the surrounding community. Pride Town Connect’s Discover Collection highlights businesses making it easier for LGBTQIA+ individuals, families, friends, and allies to find welcoming places across the country.