In the 1970s, the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore was the center of a vibrant LGTBQ+ community. The Washington Monument in the heart of Mount Vernon saw rallies for gay rights in the 1970s and ‘80s, and in 1975 the first gay Pride rally was held near the foot of the monument.

Mount Vernon is also where one of the first support groups for people with AIDS formed in April 1983. The group met in the First & Franklin Presbyterian Church, a unique pillar of a growing LGTBQ community.

John McLucas is a long-time member and Church Elder at First & Franklin. He joins the show to talk about the history of the congregation, the social justice mission at the heart of the church's faith and how today's worshippers wrestle with sexuality and religious creed.

Then, the Maryland Center for History and Culture hosts an array of books, pamphlets, artifacts, photographs and more reflecting local LGTBQ+ life.

Abby Doran, an education programs specialist, and Sandra Glascock, a special collections archivist, talk about the collection. What can we learn from the center’s LGBTQ+ items and the history they preserve?

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472