The timeline below provides an overview of the history of Chicago's Mayoral Advisory Council on LGBTQ+ Affairs and the organizations that preceded it. This timeline was written by Kenneth Gunn, First Deputy Commissioner of the Chicago Commission on Human Relations on February 13, 2024.
1985: Mayor Harold Washington creates the city’s first Committee on Gay and Lesbian Issues. Mayor Washington also appoints the city’s first openly gay or lesbian staff director, the Coordinator of Gay and Lesbian Issues.
1989: After years of advocacy, led by leaders in the LGBT advocates (many of whom were part of the Committee on Gay and Lesbian Issues), community leaders, and elected officials, the Chicago Human Rights and Fair Housing Ordinances are amended. The ordinances give the Commission new legal powers to issue subpoenas, and hold administrative hearings where fines, damages, and injunctive relief can be assessed.
The new Chicago Human Rights Ordinance also include a major structural change for several constituent advisory committees and commissions, including the Committee on Gay and Lesbian Issues. The committees and commissions become Advisory Councils to the Commission on Human Relations and are merged with the department.
1991: The Gay and Lesbian Advisory Council create and host the First Annual Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame. It is the first ever municipally sponsored event of its kind. The Hall of Fame was created to recognize the significant contributions of gays and lesbians to the City of Chicago.
1993: President Clinton’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy implemented in response to continued discrimination and violence perpetrated against gay and lesbians in the military is denounced in a joint resolution by the Advisory Council on Gay and Lesbian Issues and the Veterans Advisory Council. The resolution was adopted by the Chicago City Council who issued its own resolution in opposition to the policy.
2001: Through the advocacy of the LGBT Advisory Council and community leaders, the Chicago Police Department creates the position of the LGBT Liaison. Officer Jose Rios of the 23rd District would serve in this role for many years.
2002: CCHR’s Advisory Council on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues (LGBT) help facilitate the passage of an amendment to the Human Rights Ordinance to expand its coverage to include gender identity. The amendment is passed by the Chicago City Council, November 6, 2002.
2011: The Advisory Council on LGBT Issues co-hosts the city’s first ever Civil Union Ceremony at Millennium Park during which 200 same sex couples exchange their vows.
2012: To bring communities together to work on common issues of discrimination, Mayor Rahm Emanuel restructures the Commission on Human Relations advisory councils by creating the Advisory Council on Equity (which includes representatives of the African, Arab, Asian, and Latino communities), and the Advisory Council on Women and LGBT Issues bringing together representatives of the women’s community with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community leaders. The revamped LGBT and Women’s Council was never brought to fruition.
2020: On February 3, 2020, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot introduces changes to the structure of the CCHR advisory councils. The changes create three new advisory councils; the Advisory Council on Women, the Advisory Council on New Americans, and the LGBTQ+ Advisory Council. The Advisory Council on Equity and the Advisory Council on Veterans were retained. Under the new structure, the councils work directly with the Mayor’s Office with the support of the CCHR.
LGBTQ+ Advisory Council Directors/Community Liaisons
Peggy Baker (served under Mayor Washington)
Jon Simmons (Simmons was tragically murdered while vacationing in Los Angeles)
Larry McKeon (went on to become an Illinois State Representative)
Mary Morten (Founder and CEO of the Morten Group)
William (Bill) Greaves (remains active with the LGBT Hall of Fame)
Chicago Proud Award Recipients
2021 (Facebook post)
TaskForce Prevention and Community Services for reducing health inequities in Chicago's South and West sides for three decades through mental health first aid training, HIV and STI screening, referrals to culturally-responsive medical care providers, COVID testing, vaccinations, and so much more.
Myles and Precious Brady-Davis for making history by convincing the state of Illinois to revise its birth certificate system to recognize the true gender identities of trans parents.
Jeffery Pub for serving as a safe haven for countless LGBTQ+ residents in and beyond the South Shore community since the 1960s as Chicago's only Black-and gay-owned bar.
Richard Pfeiffer (posthumously) for leading the coordination of Chicago's Pride Parade from 1974 up until 2019. Richard was truly a living example of the power of speaking out and fighting for what you know is right.
2022 (Facebook post)
Zahara Bassett of Life Is Work
Pride South Side
Howard Brown Health's Broadway Youth Center
David Moran of SoapBox Productions & Organizing
2023
The Affirm Program at Rush Hospital
Mona Noriega and Evette Cardona
Don Abram and Pride in the Pews
Jacqueline Boyd and The Care Plan
Women & Children First