Leon's officially became a gay bar in 1957, although the bar had been attracting a gay clientele for many years. The bar survived during Prohibition by operating as a speakeasy and after World War II it became known as a hang-out for artists and beatniks, both gay and straight. The current name of the bar comes from Leon Lampe, who owned the bar in the 1930s. During the 1890s, the bar was known as Georgia's Tap Room. In has been continuously operating since and is the oldest gay bar in the city. Leon's, the first gay bar in Baltimore, opened in 1957. In 1978, African-American gay and bisexual men helped found the DC-Baltimore Coalition of Black Gays (now known as the D.C Coalition) to cater to LGBT African-Americans in the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area. When charges were dismissed against co-owners Victor Lance and Morton Cohen, cheers of "hurray" erupted in the court from their supporters. Following the Pepper Hill raid, the head of Baltimore city's vice squad testified in court that he had warned the nightclub against allowing homosexuals to congregate. The arrests were made after the nightclub's largely gay male patrons were seen kissing each other. It was the largest raid of a nightclub in Baltimore's history. In 1955, 162 gay men and lesbians were arrested on charges of disorderly conduct at the Pepper Hill Club on North Gay Street. The Afro-American wrote that "The coming out of new debutantes into homosexual society was the outstanding feature of Baltimore's eighth annual frolic of the pansies when the art club was host to the neuter gender at the Elks' Hall."
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The article detailed the "coming out of new debutantes into gay society." By 1931, the drag ball culture was starting to emerge into the mainstream in major cities such as Baltimore, Chicago, and New York. In 1931, the Baltimore Afro-American covered a local drag ball. Pride begins Friday night at the ticketed event Twilight on the Terrace at Gertrude’s located in the Baltimore Museum of Art, 7 p.m.Baltimore candlelight vigil for the Pulse massacre in Orlando, 2016. “That alone will enrich the GLCCB’s culture, because again, we can make good, meaningful partnerships for the future coming.” “What’s great about this parade is we have all types of community groups, organizations, joining in to show their unification and solidarity in a community,” Davis said of GLCCB’s work with sponsors such as Verizon, Giant and PNC Bank. One such service on offer from GLCCB, provided on June 17, will be the provision of healthcare facilities that will offer HIV testing, Davis said. GLCCB reported $270,235 in total support in 2015, over three-quarters of which was public support, its Form 990 shows. GLCCB has not published its 2017 financials on its website yet, but 2016’s self-reported figures for the previous year show steadily increasing contributions to the Center. “Any dollar earned will help the GLCCB continue to give great programming and services family members who come into the Center,” Davis said. Unlike other Pride parades, Baltimore Pride is not a state or city event. “It’s a laid back time for people to come out and enjoy being in one and other’s company.” Family Pride will have activities for children and Elder Pride will allow 40-year veterans of Baltimore Pride to “share their rich history,” Davis said. Family Pride and Elder Pride will both be at Druid Hill Park. Sunday’s pride events cater to the more low key. march lining up between 24th Street and 25th Street at North Charles Street. New this year, will be the Pet Parade, for “our furry companions” a June 16 1 p.m. Pride’s standard, the Lez Lot, returns to 1915 N. The Queen of Pride will take the stage at 6 p.m. The King of Pride is scheduled to perform on the main stage, a block east of Red Emma’s at the intersection of North Avenue and North Charles Street. The King and Queen of Pride return, Chris Jay, the Best of Gay DC’s Best Drag King 2016 and Sapphire Bleu, the last reigning Miss Gay Baltimore, respectively. Qualifying heels will begin at a two inch minimum. People will scramble from 25th Street to North Charles Street at 12:30 p.m.
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The High Heel Race returns, “signaling the beginning of the merry chaos that Pride weekend always delivers,” the website says. Sharing the lead will be GLCCB’s Activists of the Year, Erika Bridgeford and Ava Pipitone. The march will be led by Baltimore’s acclaimed drag queen Shawna Alexander and Baltimore singer and 2017 “The Voice” contestant, Davon Fleming. “It’s loud, it’s colorful and it’s campy, in the best possible sort of way,” the Baltimore Pride website, says. The Pride parade’s new route will march 11 blocks from 33rd Street to 23rd Street, June 16 at 1 p.m.