Almost 30 years after this interview was conducted Saturday, March 1st, 1997, in the Century Cable Public Access Television Studio in Santa Monica, California, I am honored to broadcast again, for the first time anywhere, the restored and preserved version, just ahead the use of some of this footage in a new documentary, MORRIS KIGHT: A CALL FOR JUSTICE, being made “To remember, to honor, and to continue the revolution.”
Congrats to the docs producer/director team, Nancy Cohen and Billy Clift, who will on the show in the future to discuss Morris, his legacy, and the doc.
“Morris Kight was a foundational figure in the U.S. gay rights movement. From grassroots organizing and direct action to creating enduring institutions, he helped shape a community during times of crisis and transformation. Dubbed the “grandfather” of LA’s LGBTQ movement—and even compared to Harvey Milk—Kight’s legacy carries on in the organizations he founded, the policies he influenced, and the people he inspired.” …ChatGPT
Early Life & Background
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Born November 19, 1919 in rural Comanche County (Proctor), Texas, Morris Kight grew up feeling “alienated”—a sentiment that shaped his future activism Los Angeles Public LibraryWikipedia.
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He earned a degree in personnel and public administration from Texas Christian University in 1941, where he founded one of the first openly gay student clubs, the Oscar Wilde study group Los Angeles Public LibraryWikipedia.
Activism Roots
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After college, Kight waged campaigns in labor organizing—such as with the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union—and anti-war efforts, including founding the Dow Action Committee to protest Agent Orange production during the Vietnam War WikipediaBay Area Reporter.
Gay Rights Leadership in Los Angeles
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In 1958, Kight settled in Los Angeles, where he became a full-time activist and laid the foundation for what would become the local LGBTQ movement Los Angeles Public LibraryWikipedia.
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Key Organizations He Co-Founded:
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Committee for Homosexual Freedom (1969), later renamed the Gay Liberation Front (GLF)—this was only the third GLF in the U.S. Wikipedia.
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Christopher Street West, the first permitted gay pride parade worldwide, held down Hollywood Boulevard on June 28 1970 Los Angeles Public LibraryWikipediaMaking Gay HistoryLos Angeles Times.
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Gay Community Services Center (1971), now known as the Los Angeles LGBT Center—today the world’s largest LGBTQ service provider Los Angeles Public LibraryMaking Gay HistoryWikipedia.
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Stonewall Democratic Club (1975) and others including the Van Ness Recovery House and a Coalition in the California Democratic Party morriskight.comBay Area ReporterWikipedia.
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Beyond organizational work, Kight’s activism was deeply personal—he hosted the burgeoning GLF in his Westlake home, offered informal counseling, bail support, and even operated an underground STD clinic (“the clap shack”) at 1822 West Fourth Street long before officially formalized community services existed Los Angeles Public LibraryLAistmorriskight.com.
Iconic Protests & Legacy
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One of his most famous actions was a weeks-long sit-in and boycott at Barney’s Beanery in West Hollywood, protesting a sign reading “Faggots Stay Out.” The protest ultimately led to the sign’s removal (and years later, he preserved a framed copy in his home) Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Public Libraryqueerhistory.blogspot.comWikipedia.
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He also led a national Coors beer boycott in 1977, exposing the brewery’s financial support for anti-gay candidates and union-busting policies—even protesting Outfest when it took Coors funding WikipediaBay Area Reporterqueerhistory.blogspot.com.
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Kight served on the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission for over two decades, giving the LGBTQ community representation in civic affairs Making Gay HistoryLos Angeles Public LibraryLos Angeles Times.
Final Years & Honors
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Despite health challenges late in life—including multiple strokes—Kight remained active until his passing on January 19, 2003, at age 83 Los Angeles TimesWikipedia.
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Funeral tributes noted his unparalleled role in shaping gay activism in Southern California: “Morris invented a great deal of what we think of as the gay community in Southern California” Los Angeles Times.
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His Morris Kight Square—at the corner of Hollywood Blvd and McCadden Place—was dedicated after his death, marking the launch point of the first Christopher Street West parade queerhistory.blogspot.comLos Angeles Public Library.
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More recently, his Westlake residence was designated a Historic Cultural Monument by the City of Los Angeles, ensuring preservation of a key site in LGBTQ history LAist+2LAist+2MyNewsLA.com.
The above, from Chat GPT, includes appropriate attributions and links.
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