A Forgotten Chapter in LGBTQ+ History
Throughout LGBTQ+ history, certain events have become rallying cries for equality and justice, such as the Stonewall Riots and the AIDS crisis. Yet, some tragedies remain lesser known, overshadowed by more widely recognized milestones. One such event is the UpStairs Lounge arson attack—a devastating act of violence that claimed 32 lives on June 24, 1973, in New Orleans.
Despite being the deadliest attack on LGBTQ+ individuals in U.S. history until the Pulse nightclub shooting in 2016, the tragedy has often been overlooked in conversations about the fight for queer liberation. The story of the UpStairs Lounge is not just about loss; it’s also about the resilience of a marginalized community and the importance of preserving this history to honor those who came before us.
The UpStairs Lounge: A Sanctuary in the French Quarter
The UpStairs Lounge, located at 604 Iberville Street in New Orleans' French Quarter, opened its doors in 1970 as a second-floor refuge for the LGBTQ+ community. As the LGBT+ Archives Project highlights, it catered primarily to white gay men but also welcomed Black patrons, drag queens, transgender individuals, and straight allies. This inclusivity distinguished the UpStairs Lounge as a sanctuary for those often marginalized within and beyond the gay community.
New Orleans in the 1970s was a city of contrasts. While its reputation for diversity and eccentricity was well-known, LGBTQ+ life remained largely hidden. Public expressions of sexuality were rare, and many queer individuals remained "in the closet." As New Orleans Historical describes, the UpStairs Lounge provided a "friendly neighborhood bar" where patrons could gather safely and authentically. Despite the French Quarter’s anything-goes image, gay bars were frequent targets of police raids, and the threat of public exposure carried severe consequences for those caught in these crackdowns.
Bars like the UpStairs Lounge played a dual role in the community. They were more than places for socializing; they were vital hubs for organizing, self-expression, and solidarity. These spaces were often tailored to working-class individuals, akin to New York City's Stonewall Inn. The "gay triangle" near Canal Street, where the UpStairs Lounge was located, stood in contrast to the more upscale establishments closer to Bourbon Street, creating an atmosphere of accessibility and warmth for those with fewer resources.
One of the bar's most notable traditions was its Sunday beer bust, a popular weekly event that drew a blue-collar gay crowd. This gathering frequently included members of the Metropolitan Community Church, a newly established gay-friendly Christian denomination. Before finding a permanent home, the church had even conducted services in the bar's entertainment area, illustrating the UpStairs Lounge's significance as a multipurpose community space.
Tragedy Strikes: The UpStairs Lounge Arson Attack
On Sunday, June 24, 1973, the UpStairs Lounge hosted its regular beer bust, which coincided with the conclusion of New Orleans Gay Pride weekend, bringing approximately 110 patrons to the bar between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. After the event ended, 60 to 90 attendees remained, enjoying music by pianist George Steven “Bud” Matyi and discussing plans for a Metropolitan Community Church fundraiser benefiting the local Crippled Children’s Hospital.
According to Let the Faggots Burn by Johnny Townsend and the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Nightclub Fire Report by A. Elwood Willey, events took a tragic turn shortly after 7:00 p.m. when Roger Dale Nunez, a gay man, was ejected from the bar for drunken behavior and harassment. Upon leaving, he reportedly threatened to “burn you all out.” Patrons did not take his words seriously at the time.
At 7:53 p.m., a passerby noticed flames in the stairwell leading to the bar and alerted the fire department. Minutes later, the bar’s buzzer sounded, prompting bartender Buddy Rasmussen, a former Air Force veteran, to send Luther Boggs to investigate. When Boggs opened the door to the stairway, a blast of flames surged into the room. Witnesses later reported the smell of lighter fluid, leading investigators to suspect that Nunez had doused the staircase with an accelerant and ignited it.
The fire spread rapidly, consuming the bar within minutes. Structural limitations exacerbated the devastation. As was common in early gay bars, the UpStairs Lounge lacked proper fire safety measures, including adequate exits. The only emergency exit was unmarked, and many windows were blocked by metal bars, trapping patrons.
Amid the chaos, Rasmussen guided about 20 people to safety through the rear of the building and onto a neighboring rooftop. Others escaped through the blazing stairwell or by leaping from a fire escape. Despite firefighters arriving within minutes, the fire claimed 32 lives and injured 15 others, making it the deadliest fire in New Orleans’ history.
Among the victims was Reverend Bill Larson of the New Orleans Metropolitan Community Church, who perished while trying to escape through a window. Tragically, he became trapped when the upper pane of glass collapsed on him, leaving his body partially inside and partially outside the building—a haunting image that underscored the disaster's horror.
This attack marked the deadliest act of violence against LGBTQ+ individuals in the U.S. until the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting.
Furthermore, the UpStairs Lounge arson attack was not an isolated incident for the Metropolitan Community Church. Earlier that year, the church’s Los Angeles headquarters and its Nashville congregation were both targeted by arsonists, leading to the destruction of those buildings.
Homophobia and Indifference in the Aftermath of the UpStairs Lounge Fire
The aftermath of the UpStairs Lounge arson attack exposed deep-seated homophobia in New Orleans, both socially and institutionally. According to the National World War II Museum, nearly a third of the victims were military veterans, yet their service was disregarded in death due to the stigma of homosexuality, which was still criminalized at the time. This societal prejudice extended to families, with four victims' bodies left unclaimed as relatives refused to identify them, fearing exposure of their loved ones' sexual orientation.
Religious institutions largely mirrored this rejection. Archbishop Philip Hannon denied Catholic funerals for the victims, assuming their homosexuality. In contrast, Father Bill Richardson of St. George’s Episcopal Church held a small prayer service the day after the fire, attended by about 100 people. For his compassion, Richardson faced sharp criticism.
A more public memorial on July 1, hosted by St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, drew 300 attendees, despite the presence of journalists and photographers intent on outing the mourners. As noted by LGBTQ+ activist Stewart Butler, attendees were given the option to leave discreetly through a back door but chose instead to exit publicly, presenting a unified front to honor the deceased.
The unclaimed bodies were another poignant reflection of society’s disregard for the victims. The City of New Orleans buried them together in unmarked graves in a potter’s field, rejecting the United Methodist Church’s request for proper burial.
Media coverage of the tragedy was similarly callous. National reporting was brief and laced with insensitivity, describing charred remains in grotesque terms. The Times-Picayune published a front-page photo of Reverend William Larson’s burned body trapped in the window bars of the UpStairs Lounge, a stark reminder of the indignities faced by the victims even in death.
Local broadcast media added to the harm. WVUE Channel 8 aired an anonymous call alleging the fire was a vigilante attack by a group targeting homosexuals, further fueling fear and misinformation. Radio commentators worsened the situation with crude jokes about burying victims in “fruit jars.” Meanwhile, no elected officials publicly addressed the tragedy, leaving the LGBTQ+ community to mourn without support from civic leaders.
Justice Denied: The Mishandling of the UpStairs Lounge Arson Case
The investigation into the UpStairs Lounge fire was marred by neglect and bias, reflecting the systemic homophobia of the era. According to historical accounts, Rasmussen identified Nunez as a potential suspect. Despite this lead, authorities showed little interest in pursuing the case. When asked about the lack of urgency, one police officer reportedly remarked dismissively, “This was, after all, a queer bar.”
Although police briefly attempted to question Nunez, their efforts were half-hearted. Nunez was hospitalized with a broken jaw at the time and unable to respond. A witness later informed authorities that Nunez was the only person seen entering and leaving the building in the moments before the fire. However, the police dismissed the witness as unreliable.
Compounding the failure to act, Nunez reportedly confessed to the crime multiple times while intoxicated, according to a friend. Despite these admissions, no arrest was ever made. Nunez died by suicide about a year and a half later, taking any definitive answers about his involvement with him. To this day, the fire’s official cause remains listed as “undetermined,” as noted in The UpStairs Lounge Arson: 32 Deaths in a New Orleans Gay Bar.
The tragedy was further marginalized in the years that followed. A museum exhibit celebrating the history of the New Orleans Fire Department omitted any mention of the fire, despite its distinction as the deadliest blaze in the city’s history. It wasn’t until 2003, three decades after the incident, that a plaque was installed outside the former site of the UpStairs Lounge to honor the victims.
In 2013, on the fire’s 40th anniversary, the Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans publicly apologized for its silence in the aftermath, acknowledging the church’s failure to support the victims and their families. These belated acts of recognition, while important, cannot undo the injustice and indifference that defined the initial response to this devastating event.
Honoring the Victims of the UpStairs Lounge Fire
June 2023 marked the 50th anniversary of the UpStairs Lounge arson attack. To honor the victims and ensure the tragedy is not forgotten, the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana organized a series of events in the French Quarter from June 23 to June 25. The commemoration included panel discussions, documentary screenings, and a jazz funeral, reflecting the resilience and unity of the LGBTQ+ community.
A key aspect of the anniversary involved calls for accountability. Event organizers sought a formal apology from the New Orleans Police Department for its handling of the tragedy, which many have described as callous and homophobic. While it remains unclear if the department issued an apology, the New Orleans City Council formally acknowledged and apologized in 2022 for the city’s failure to adequately address the fire and its aftermath.
In addition to these efforts, the anniversary brought renewed focus on recovering the remains of four unclaimed victims buried in unmarked graves. One of these individuals is believed to be World War II veteran Ferris LeBlanc, whose family learned in 2015 that his remains were among those interred without proper identification or ceremony. According to a 2022 PBS article, LeBlanc’s family has since campaigned for his remains to receive a proper military burial. However, missing burial records have made locating these graves a challenging and ongoing effort.
Historians suspect another unclaimed victim may be Larry Norman Frost, a member of the Metropolitan Community Church and likely present at the bar during the fire. Frost, 32 at the time, was never seen or heard from after the attack, and no records suggest he escaped or was hospitalized. The remaining two victims have yet to be identified.
The grave site itself has become a point of contention, with reports of neglect and poor conditions. Frank Perez, Executive Director of the New Orleans LGBTQ Archives Project, described the site as overgrown, littered with debris, and unfit for any form of burial, underscoring the lingering disrespect shown to the victims.
The case surrounding the UpStairs Lounge fire remains open but inactive. The Cold Case Division continues to encourage anyone with information to come forward by contacting 504-658-5300 or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.
Honoring the Past, Shaping the Future
The UpStairs Lounge arson attack serves as a powerful reminder of the prejudice and injustice endured by the LGBTQ+ community, even in the face of devastating loss. The initial response to the tragedy was marked by apathy and homophobia, yet the survivors and their allies displayed remarkable courage, refusing to remain silent or hidden. Their actions set a precedent of resilience and visibility for future generations.
As we look back on events like the UpStairs Lounge fire, it is essential to share these stories, not only within the LGBTQ+ community but with broader audiences. By understanding the struggles and resilience of the past, we can protect hard-won rights, push for greater equality, and honor those who endured injustice. Speaking out against oppression and advocating for change are vital steps toward ensuring that tragedies like this never happen again.
And remember: every day is all we have, so you've got to make your own happiness.
For more information on this topic, listen to Episode 90. The UpStairs Lounge Arson Attack.
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