LGBT Civil Rights Movement

Side A: This block of W. 29th Street was home to Cleveland’s vibrant LGBT community and central to the development of the modern LGBT civil rights movement. In 1988, the Striebinger Building, at 1418 W. 29th, housed Cleveland’s Lesbian-Gay Community Services Center, which addressed the needs of the LGBT community. Cleveland’s first Pride Festival since the mid-1970s was held on the block in 1989, and in 1990 Cleveland’s first Pride Parade culminated here. During the HIV/AIDS crisis, The Living Room and ACT UP were located in the Striebinger Building and gave support to those with HIV/AIDs and provided a platform for political activism. It was on this block where many people could find their voices to “come-out” and advocate for their rights and their humanity. (Continued on other side) Side B: (Continued from other side) The Lesbian-Gay Community Center and other organizations were joined by gay bars in the building and on the block: Ohio City Oasis, Mana’s World, Tool Shed, and Crossover. Around the corner, at Detroit and W. 32nd Street, was Club Cleveland, a gay bathhouse and gathering place, which existed in various buildings in the area for decades until it closed in 2009. Across Detroit Avenue, Union Station and Bounce Nightclub added to the critical mass of LGBT culture that centered around W. 29th Street.