On 6-24, 1973, an arsonist set fire to the Upstairs Lounge, a popular gay bar and home to the Metropolitan Community Church in NO French Quarter. Pictured here is the trapped Rev. Bill Larson, an openly gay pastor who led the congregation and provided a safe sanctuary to worship.

1.0History Education Networkhttps://historyeducationnetwork.comaction-reactionhttps://historyeducationnetwork.com/index.php/archives/author/action-reactionOn 6-24, 1973, an arsonist set fire to the Upstairs Lounge, a popular gay bar and home to the Metropolitan Community Church in NO French Quarter. Pictured here is the trapped Rev. Bill Larson, an openly gay pastor who led the congregation and provided a safe sanctuary to worship. - History Education Networkrich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="biUSbsy1zw"><a href="https://historyeducationnetwork.com/index.php/archives/18562">On 6-24, 1973, an arsonist set fire to the Upstairs Lounge, a popular gay bar and home to the Metropolitan Community Church in NO French Quarter. Pictured here is the trapped Rev. Bill Larson, an openly gay pastor who led the congregation and provided a safe sanctuary to worship.</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://historyeducationnetwork.com/index.php/archives/18562/embed#?secret=biUSbsy1zw" width="600" height="338" title="“On 6-24, 1973, an arsonist set fire to the Upstairs Lounge, a popular gay bar and home to the Metropolitan Community Church in NO French Quarter. Pictured here is the trapped Rev. Bill Larson, an openly gay pastor who led the congregation and provided a safe sanctuary to worship.” — History Education Network" data-secret="biUSbsy1zw" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); //# sourceURL=https://historyeducationnetwork.com/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js </script> https://historyeducationnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/picture-79.jpg511391