| MADELINE DAVIS GLBT ARCHIVES OF WESTERN NEW YORK |
| Local History |
The Mattachine Society of the Niagara Frontier is born, 1970
1969 received mixed review from gay “kids” in Buffalo. We had heard about the Stonewall
riots in New York but Buffalo was still quietly oppressive. Police would wait outside bars and
pick up people that looked different or harass customers as they exited. Jim Garrow, owner
of the Tiki Club on Delaware Ave., south of City Hall, was fed up. He couldn’t get a liquor
license and was afraid of the cops arresting people for bringing in their own booze. He
invited Frank Kameny of Washington, D.C. Mattachine to speak to Buffalo’s Gay community.
Frank came in December and addressed a crowd of over 100 gays and lesbians, bar people
who only wanted to congregate in peace. The speech was dynamic and colorful. Frank gave
a surge of energy to the crowd and excited those who thought Buffalo was ready for a really
dynamic gay organization. In January of 1970, Jim Garrow brought together a group of gays
and lesbians that wanted to work for civil rights; were willing to negotiate with the police; were
willing to go on radio and T.V. (under pseudonyms at that point); were willing to be as “out”
as possible to do the work of gay liberation. At least 200 people congregated for the first
Meeting of the Mattachine Society of the Niagara Frontier. Gay liberation finally came to
Buffalo and it has made all the difference. – Madeline Davis, Director, Madeline Davis
GLBT Archives of WNY.
1969 received mixed review from gay “kids” in Buffalo. We had heard about the Stonewall
riots in New York but Buffalo was still quietly oppressive. Police would wait outside bars and
pick up people that looked different or harass customers as they exited. Jim Garrow, owner
of the Tiki Club on Delaware Ave., south of City Hall, was fed up. He couldn’t get a liquor
license and was afraid of the cops arresting people for bringing in their own booze. He
invited Frank Kameny of Washington, D.C. Mattachine to speak to Buffalo’s Gay community.
Frank came in December and addressed a crowd of over 100 gays and lesbians, bar people
who only wanted to congregate in peace. The speech was dynamic and colorful. Frank gave
a surge of energy to the crowd and excited those who thought Buffalo was ready for a really
dynamic gay organization. In January of 1970, Jim Garrow brought together a group of gays
and lesbians that wanted to work for civil rights; were willing to negotiate with the police; were
willing to go on radio and T.V. (under pseudonyms at that point); were willing to be as “out”
as possible to do the work of gay liberation. At least 200 people congregated for the first
Meeting of the Mattachine Society of the Niagara Frontier. Gay liberation finally came to
Buffalo and it has made all the difference. – Madeline Davis, Director, Madeline Davis
GLBT Archives of WNY.
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