The Jefferson Parish Library will honor the 50th anniversary of the UpStairs Lounge Fire, a tragic event in New Orleans LGBTQ+ history, by hosting a special screening of Royd Anderson’s documentary followed by a panel discussion. The event will occur on Thursday, June 20, at 6:30 p.m. at the East Bank Regional Library in Metairie (4747 W. Napoleon Avenue).

The screening of Royd Anderson’s documentary explores the 1973 UpStairs Lounge arson attack in New Orleans. Anderson, a Cuban-American filmmaker and historian based in New Orleans, is known for shedding light on often-overlooked tragic events in Louisiana’s history. The UpStairs Lounge Fire documentary was released in 2013 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the fire.

Joining Anderson for a panel discussion will be two esteemed local writers who will delve into the impact of the fire. David Johnson, the Director of Marketing and Outreach for the Jefferson Parish Library system, will be the moderator for the discussion.

Robert Fieseler, the acclaimed author of  Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the UpStairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation, will bring his expertise and insights to the panel. Fieseler’s book, published in 2018, received critical acclaim, including winning both Edgar and Louisiana Literary awards.

Clayton Delery, a retired faculty member of The Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts, will also contribute to the panel discussion. Delery, an author recognized for his book The UpStairs Lounge Arson, named Book of the Year by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities in 2015, brings a wealth of knowledge to the conversation.

The UpStairs Lounge Fire, which claimed the lives of 32 individuals on June 24, 1973, in a second-floor gay bar in the French Quarter, had long been inadequately acknowledged by the New Orleans community. Survivors faced discrimination and stigma, and many families refused to claim the bodies of their loved ones due to shame. In 2022, the New Orleans City Council formally apologized for the tragedy, acknowledging the pain and erasure experienced by the LGBTQ+ community.

The commemorative event at the Jefferson Parish Library aims to shed light on this pivotal moment in LGBTQ+ history, encouraging remembrance and dialogue and fostering a more inclusive and understanding community.