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NOTE: Today's discussion involves some gruesome descriptions of what happened on the night of Sunday, June 24, 1973. You may wish to listen to this one when your little ones are not around. On June 24, 1973 an arsonist set fire to a gay bar in New Orleans called the Up Stairs Lounge. Within moments fire engulfed the bar, and ultimately claimed the lives of 32 people. It was the largest massacre of LGBTQ individuals in the United States until the Pulse Nightclub shooting in 2016. My guests today are Robert “Bobby” Fieseler, and Clayton Delery. Bobby authored a new book about the fire entitled, Tinderbox, the Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation. Clayton Delery is a native of Metairie, LA just outside of New Orleans. Clayton's 2015 book about the fire, The Upstairs Lounge Arson: 32 Deaths in a Gay Bar, was recognized by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities with a Book of the Year Award. Join us as we talk about the fire, about life in New Orleans during that time, and about the impact of the fire on New Orleans and its citizens in the 45 years since. Resources Tinderbox, the Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation, by Robert Fieseler, is available on Amazon and at local bookstores, including Garden District Book Shop and Octavia Books. You can also follow Robert Fieseler on Twitter (@wordbobby). The Upstairs Lounge Arson: 32 Deaths in a Gay Bar, by Clayton Delery is available on Amazon. Johnny Townsend's book Let the Faggots Burn was the first book published about the Up Stairs Lounge fire. His book is a great source of information about the men (and women) who lost their lives in this tragedy. You can purchase Johnny's book at Amazon. Robert Camina produced an award-winning and moving documentary about the fire called Upstairs Inferno. You can purchase it directly from his website. Thank You I first learned about the Up Stairs Lounge massacre many years ago. Its been on my list of topics for the Beyond Bourbon Street podcast since we launched in December 2016, but I hesitated to tackle it. I wanted to make sure I had the interview skills to do it justice. I also wanted to find the right person or people to talk to. Thanks to my friend James Tardie I connected with Robert, and through Robert, with Clayton. Words cannot express how appreciative I am to Robert Fieseler and to Clayton Delery for opening up to me. While I understand they have books to promote, it is obvious how personal the story is to both of them. Our discussion was difficult, but I hope it conveys to you the listener at least a sense of the tragedy itself, as well as the times. I am also hopeful by sharing this story, it helps us all be mindful of the work we still have to do in today's world to ensure everyone is treated as equals. I also owe a word of thanks to John Price and the Old 77 Hotel. When John heard about this topic, he quickly offered a space for us to record. The Old 77 actively supports all members of our community, and I am honored to have them as a partner. Sponsor: The Old 77 Hotel and Chandlery When you're ready to make your plans to visit New Orleans, you'll need a place to stay. The Old 77 is ideally situated in the Warehouse District, just three blocks from the French Quarter. It features a variety of pet-friendly rooms, the award-winning Compere Lapin restaurant, and more. You'll love the location, the rooms, and the food, but the details and the service are what you'll fall in love with! To book your room, click here or use code BBOLD77 to save 25% off their regular rates. Subscribe to the Podcast If you enjoy the show, please subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play Music or wherever you get your podcasts. If you do enjoy listening, please share Beyond Bourbon Street with someone who shares our love of New Orleans. Join Us on Facebook We have a free Facebook group where you can ask questions, share your New Orleans experiences and engage with others who love all things New Orleans! It is also where you can get Marie's advice and see the articles she shares about fun things to do in the Crescent City. Join us by going to beyondbourbonst.com/facebook. Contact Us Got an idea for an episode, have some feedback or just want to say hi? Leave us a message at 504-475-7632 or send an email to mark@beyondbourbonst.com Thanks for listening! Mark
Scoot talks to Robert Fieseler, author of "Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation," about the forgotten victims of one of America's worst anti-LGBTQ hate crimes
On Sunday June 24, 1973 one of the largest attacks on the gay community before the Pulse Nightclub shooting occurred at the Up Stairs Lounge in New Orleans, Louisiana. Join Sara and Ashley as well as our special guests, Preston and Roy as we discuss this horrific event.
In this episode Kati and Kelsey discuss the genre of true crime in media, its popularity, and its impact on society. FOLLOW US: Kati - @shelfmadewoman on Instagram The Podcast - @booksandboobspod on Instagram and @books_boobspod on Twitter BOOKS WE COVERED: “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” by Michelle McNamara “Extreme Killing: Understanding Serial and Mass Murder” by James Alan Fox, Jack Levin, & Emma Fridel “Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation” by Robert W. Fieseler “The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia” by Emma Copley Eisenberg “Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York” by Elon Green ALSO MENTIONED: “Miracle Creek” by Angie Kim “No Exit” by Taylor Adams
An essential work of American civil rights history, Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation (Liveright, 2018) mesmerizingly reconstructs the 1973 fire that devastated New Orleans’ subterranean gay community. Buried for decades, the Up Stairs Lounge tragedy has only recently emerged as a catalyzing event of the gay liberation movement. In revelatory detail, Robert W. Fieseler chronicles the tragic event that claimed the lives of thirty-one men and one woman on June 24, 1973, at a New Orleans bar, the largest mass murder of gays until 2016. Relying on unprecedented access to survivors and archives, Fieseler creates an indelible portrait of a closeted, blue- collar gay world that flourished before an arsonist ignited an inferno that destroyed an entire community. The aftermath was no less traumatic—families ashamed to claim loved ones, the Catholic Church refusing proper burial rights, the city impervious to the survivors’ needs—revealing a world of toxic prejudice that thrived well past Stonewall. Yet the impassioned activism that followed proved essential to the emergence of a fledgling gay movement. Tinderbox restores honor to a forgotten generation of civil-rights martyrs. Robert W. Fieseler is the 2019 National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association "Journalist of the Year" and the acclaimed debut author of Tinderbox-- winner of the Edgar Award and the Louisiana Literary Award, shortlisted for the Saroyan International Prize for Writing. Queer literary icon Andrew Holleran reviewed Tinderbox as "far more than just a history of gay rights," and Michael Cunningham praised it as "essential reading at any time." Fieseler graduated co-valedictorian from the Columbia Journalism School and is a recipient of the Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship. Born and raised in Chicago, Fieseler now lives with his husband and dog in New Orleans. Morris Ardoin is the author of Stone Motel - Memoirs of a Cajun Boy, published in April 2020 by the University Press of Mississippi. His blog, "Parenthetically Speaking," about the food and culture of Louisiana and his life as a New Yorker, can be found at morrisardoin.com. John Marszalek III is author of Coming Out of the Magnolia Closet: Same-Sex Couples in Mississippi (2020, University Press of Mississippi). He is clinical faculty of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Southern New Hampshire University. Website: Johnmarszalek3.com Twitter: @marsjf3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
An essential work of American civil rights history, Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation (Liveright, 2018) mesmerizingly reconstructs the 1973 fire that devastated New Orleans’ subterranean gay community. Buried for decades, the Up Stairs Lounge tragedy has only recently emerged as a catalyzing event of the gay liberation movement. In revelatory detail, Robert W. Fieseler chronicles the tragic event that claimed the lives of thirty-one men and one woman on June 24, 1973, at a New Orleans bar, the largest mass murder of gays until 2016. Relying on unprecedented access to survivors and archives, Fieseler creates an indelible portrait of a closeted, blue- collar gay world that flourished before an arsonist ignited an inferno that destroyed an entire community. The aftermath was no less traumatic—families ashamed to claim loved ones, the Catholic Church refusing proper burial rights, the city impervious to the survivors’ needs—revealing a world of toxic prejudice that thrived well past Stonewall. Yet the impassioned activism that followed proved essential to the emergence of a fledgling gay movement. Tinderbox restores honor to a forgotten generation of civil-rights martyrs. Robert W. Fieseler is the 2019 National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association "Journalist of the Year" and the acclaimed debut author of Tinderbox-- winner of the Edgar Award and the Louisiana Literary Award, shortlisted for the Saroyan International Prize for Writing. Queer literary icon Andrew Holleran reviewed Tinderbox as "far more than just a history of gay rights," and Michael Cunningham praised it as "essential reading at any time." Fieseler graduated co-valedictorian from the Columbia Journalism School and is a recipient of the Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship. Born and raised in Chicago, Fieseler now lives with his husband and dog in New Orleans. Morris Ardoin is the author of Stone Motel - Memoirs of a Cajun Boy, published in April 2020 by the University Press of Mississippi. His blog, "Parenthetically Speaking," about the food and culture of Louisiana and his life as a New Yorker, can be found at morrisardoin.com. John Marszalek III is author of Coming Out of the Magnolia Closet: Same-Sex Couples in Mississippi (2020, University Press of Mississippi). He is clinical faculty of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Southern New Hampshire University. Website: Johnmarszalek3.com Twitter: @marsjf3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
An essential work of American civil rights history, Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation (Liveright, 2018) mesmerizingly reconstructs the 1973 fire that devastated New Orleans’ subterranean gay community. Buried for decades, the Up Stairs Lounge tragedy has only recently emerged as a catalyzing event of the gay liberation movement. In revelatory detail, Robert W. Fieseler chronicles the tragic event that claimed the lives of thirty-one men and one woman on June 24, 1973, at a New Orleans bar, the largest mass murder of gays until 2016. Relying on unprecedented access to survivors and archives, Fieseler creates an indelible portrait of a closeted, blue- collar gay world that flourished before an arsonist ignited an inferno that destroyed an entire community. The aftermath was no less traumatic—families ashamed to claim loved ones, the Catholic Church refusing proper burial rights, the city impervious to the survivors’ needs—revealing a world of toxic prejudice that thrived well past Stonewall. Yet the impassioned activism that followed proved essential to the emergence of a fledgling gay movement. Tinderbox restores honor to a forgotten generation of civil-rights martyrs. Robert W. Fieseler is the 2019 National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association "Journalist of the Year" and the acclaimed debut author of Tinderbox-- winner of the Edgar Award and the Louisiana Literary Award, shortlisted for the Saroyan International Prize for Writing. Queer literary icon Andrew Holleran reviewed Tinderbox as "far more than just a history of gay rights," and Michael Cunningham praised it as "essential reading at any time." Fieseler graduated co-valedictorian from the Columbia Journalism School and is a recipient of the Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship. Born and raised in Chicago, Fieseler now lives with his husband and dog in New Orleans. Morris Ardoin is the author of Stone Motel - Memoirs of a Cajun Boy, published in April 2020 by the University Press of Mississippi. His blog, "Parenthetically Speaking," about the food and culture of Louisiana and his life as a New Yorker, can be found at morrisardoin.com. John Marszalek III is author of Coming Out of the Magnolia Closet: Same-Sex Couples in Mississippi (2020, University Press of Mississippi). He is clinical faculty of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Southern New Hampshire University. Website: Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/lgbtq-studies
An essential work of American civil rights history, Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation (Liveright, 2018) mesmerizingly reconstructs the 1973 fire that devastated New Orleans’ subterranean gay community. Buried for decades, the Up Stairs Lounge tragedy has only recently emerged as a catalyzing event of the gay liberation movement. In revelatory detail, Robert W. Fieseler chronicles the tragic event that claimed the lives of thirty-one men and one woman on June 24, 1973, at a New Orleans bar, the largest mass murder of gays until 2016. Relying on unprecedented access to survivors and archives, Fieseler creates an indelible portrait of a closeted, blue- collar gay world that flourished before an arsonist ignited an inferno that destroyed an entire community. The aftermath was no less traumatic—families ashamed to claim loved ones, the Catholic Church refusing proper burial rights, the city impervious to the survivors’ needs—revealing a world of toxic prejudice that thrived well past Stonewall. Yet the impassioned activism that followed proved essential to the emergence of a fledgling gay movement. Tinderbox restores honor to a forgotten generation of civil-rights martyrs. Robert W. Fieseler is the 2019 National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association "Journalist of the Year" and the acclaimed debut author of Tinderbox-- winner of the Edgar Award and the Louisiana Literary Award, shortlisted for the Saroyan International Prize for Writing. Queer literary icon Andrew Holleran reviewed Tinderbox as "far more than just a history of gay rights," and Michael Cunningham praised it as "essential reading at any time." Fieseler graduated co-valedictorian from the Columbia Journalism School and is a recipient of the Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship. Born and raised in Chicago, Fieseler now lives with his husband and dog in New Orleans. Morris Ardoin is the author of Stone Motel - Memoirs of a Cajun Boy, published in April 2020 by the University Press of Mississippi. His blog, "Parenthetically Speaking," about the food and culture of Louisiana and his life as a New Yorker, can be found at morrisardoin.com. John Marszalek III is author of Coming Out of the Magnolia Closet: Same-Sex Couples in Mississippi (2020, University Press of Mississippi). He is clinical faculty of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Southern New Hampshire University. Website: Johnmarszalek3.com Twitter: @marsjf3
An essential work of American civil rights history, Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation (Liveright, 2018) mesmerizingly reconstructs the 1973 fire that devastated New Orleans’ subterranean gay community. Buried for decades, the Up Stairs Lounge tragedy has only recently emerged as a catalyzing event of the gay liberation movement. In revelatory detail, Robert W. Fieseler chronicles the tragic event that claimed the lives of thirty-one men and one woman on June 24, 1973, at a New Orleans bar, the largest mass murder of gays until 2016. Relying on unprecedented access to survivors and archives, Fieseler creates an indelible portrait of a closeted, blue- collar gay world that flourished before an arsonist ignited an inferno that destroyed an entire community. The aftermath was no less traumatic—families ashamed to claim loved ones, the Catholic Church refusing proper burial rights, the city impervious to the survivors’ needs—revealing a world of toxic prejudice that thrived well past Stonewall. Yet the impassioned activism that followed proved essential to the emergence of a fledgling gay movement. Tinderbox restores honor to a forgotten generation of civil-rights martyrs. Robert W. Fieseler is the 2019 National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association "Journalist of the Year" and the acclaimed debut author of Tinderbox-- winner of the Edgar Award and the Louisiana Literary Award, shortlisted for the Saroyan International Prize for Writing. Queer literary icon Andrew Holleran reviewed Tinderbox as "far more than just a history of gay rights," and Michael Cunningham praised it as "essential reading at any time." Fieseler graduated co-valedictorian from the Columbia Journalism School and is a recipient of the Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship. Born and raised in Chicago, Fieseler now lives with his husband and dog in New Orleans. Morris Ardoin is the author of Stone Motel - Memoirs of a Cajun Boy, published in April 2020 by the University Press of Mississippi. His blog, "Parenthetically Speaking," about the food and culture of Louisiana and his life as a New Yorker, can be found at morrisardoin.com. John Marszalek III is author of Coming Out of the Magnolia Closet: Same-Sex Couples in Mississippi (2020, University Press of Mississippi). He is clinical faculty of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Southern New Hampshire University. Website: Johnmarszalek3.com Twitter: @marsjf3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
An essential work of American civil rights history, Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation (Liveright, 2018) mesmerizingly reconstructs the 1973 fire that devastated New Orleans’ subterranean gay community. Buried for decades, the Up Stairs Lounge tragedy has only recently emerged as a catalyzing event of the gay liberation movement. In revelatory detail, Robert W. Fieseler chronicles the tragic event that claimed the lives of thirty-one men and one woman on June 24, 1973, at a New Orleans bar, the largest mass murder of gays until 2016. Relying on unprecedented access to survivors and archives, Fieseler creates an indelible portrait of a closeted, blue- collar gay world that flourished before an arsonist ignited an inferno that destroyed an entire community. The aftermath was no less traumatic—families ashamed to claim loved ones, the Catholic Church refusing proper burial rights, the city impervious to the survivors’ needs—revealing a world of toxic prejudice that thrived well past Stonewall. Yet the impassioned activism that followed proved essential to the emergence of a fledgling gay movement. Tinderbox restores honor to a forgotten generation of civil-rights martyrs. Robert W. Fieseler is the 2019 National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association "Journalist of the Year" and the acclaimed debut author of Tinderbox-- winner of the Edgar Award and the Louisiana Literary Award, shortlisted for the Saroyan International Prize for Writing. Queer literary icon Andrew Holleran reviewed Tinderbox as "far more than just a history of gay rights," and Michael Cunningham praised it as "essential reading at any time." Fieseler graduated co-valedictorian from the Columbia Journalism School and is a recipient of the Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship. Born and raised in Chicago, Fieseler now lives with his husband and dog in New Orleans. Morris Ardoin is the author of Stone Motel - Memoirs of a Cajun Boy, published in April 2020 by the University Press of Mississippi. His blog, "Parenthetically Speaking," about the food and culture of Louisiana and his life as a New Yorker, can be found at morrisardoin.com. John Marszalek III is author of Coming Out of the Magnolia Closet: Same-Sex Couples in Mississippi (2020, University Press of Mississippi). He is clinical faculty of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Southern New Hampshire University. Website: Johnmarszalek3.com Twitter: @marsjf3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Intellect and Inspiration Local Voices series seeks to engage and motivate the listener during these challenging times through the thought-provoking work of a local author. This week, for a special edition of the series in honor of Pride Month, Local Voices manager Miesha Headen hosts as author and professor Ken Schneck interviews journalist Robert Fieseler. Robert W. Fieseler is the winner of the 2020 Columbia Journalism School First Decade Award, the 2019 NLGJA (National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association) Journalist of the Year and a debut nonfiction author. He currently lives with his husband and dog in New Orleans. He graduated co-valedictorian from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and is a recipient of the Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship and the Lynton Fellowship in Book Writing. He is the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association "Journalist of the Year" and the acclaimed debut author of Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation, winner of the Edgar Award in Best Fact Crime and the Louisiana Literary Award. Ken Schneck is an author, radio host, and professor at Baldwin Wallace University, where he teaches courses on antiracism, ethical leadership, and creating community-based change. He authored LGBTQ Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati and Seriously . . . What am I Doing Here? Most recently, he founded "The Buckeye Flame," a new online magazine for LGBTQ+ Ohioans. Loganberry elsewhere: Website: loganberrybooks.com; Online store: store.loganberrybooks.com; Bookshop.org affiliate page: bookshop.org/shop/loganberrybooks; Hummingbird Digital Media affiliate page for eBooks: loganberry.papertrell.com; Libro.fm audiobooks: Libro.fm; Facebook: @loganberrybooks; Twitter: @loganberrybooks; Instagram: @loganberrybooks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/loganberrybooks/support
About This Episode Today’s episode is devoted to books about New Orleans. If you’re caught up on Netflix and want to spend some time reading instead, this one’s for you. I recorded this in April 2020. Even if you are listening years from now, this will help you get to know the city better whether you are planning a trip or just wanting to stay connected with New Orleans. We’ve done 110 episodes. Talked to many authors. What (I don’t think I’ve done) is give you book recommendations. That’s what I’ll do today. Here’s what this is not. It is not a top 10 list. It’s not a comprehensive list. It’s just a list of very good books about New Orleans, across several categories. For some reason, this topic makes me nervous. Mostly because I am not good about retention and I know a lot of authors! Let’s see how it goes. This might be a recurring sub-series or it might be a one and done! Resources New Orleans bookstores: Octavia Books Garden District Bookshop Blue Cypress Books Reading List Founding of New Orleans The World That Made New Orleans: From Spanish Silver to Congo Square, by Ned Sublette Bienville's Dilemma: A Historical Geography of New Orleans, by Richard Campanella The Accidental City: Improvising New Orleans, by Lawrence N. Powell Myth Busting Bourbon Street: A History, by Richard Campanella Death in New Orleans Stories From the St. Louis Cemeteries of New Orleans, by Sally Asher Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation, by Robert W. Fieseler Mardi Gras Indians The House of Dance and Feathers: A Museum by Ronald W Lewis Novels We Cast a Shadow, by Maurice Carlos Ruffin The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, by Ernest Gaines Fiction Series Dave Robicheaux Series, starting with Neon Rain, by James Lee Burke Books for Children Happy Jazz Fest - Cornell P. Landry Goodnight NOLA - Cornell P. Landry Cookbook The New Orleans Cookbook - Richard and Rima Collin Previous Episodes Mentioned Bienville's Dilemma - #53 Bourbon Street, a History - #36 Stories From the St. Louis Cemeteries of New Orleans #22 Fire at the UpStairs Lounge - #66 Mardi Gras Indians - #13 Slavery in Louisiana - a Visit to Whitney Plantation - #54 Beyond Bourbon Street Sponsors Liz Wood Realty The most frequent questions I get are about moving to New Orleans. If you are ready to make the move, you need a good realtor. Liz makes the process fun and easy. Uptown? Downtown? Midcity? The 9th ward? – Liz can help you sort it out. Reach out to Liz and make your dream of living in New Orleans a reality. Several members of our community have done just that and are thrilled with their new homes. You will be, too. LizWoodRealty.com Please keep the Old No. 77 Hotel and 2 Chicks Walking Tours in your plans we get through this. And know that, as bad as it is, we will get through this. When we do these businesses will be here to help you once again enjoy New Orleans. Beyond Bourbon Street Preferred Partners NOLA T-Shirt of the Month Club- use code BEYOND25 and save 25% off your purchase. Coast Roast Coffee - use code BEYOND to save 15%. Subscribe to the Podcast If you enjoy the show, please subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you do enjoy listening, please share Beyond Bourbon Street with someone who shares our love of New Orleans. Support Us on Patreon Would you like to help us continue to create the content you love? If so, join the Super Krewe by becoming a financial supporter. Your monthly support will help us grow, and will provide you with exclusive content, access, and more. If you would like to join the Super Krewe, check out our Patreon page at patreon.com/beyondbourbonst. Join the Facebook Krewe If you want to submit questions for future episodes or get advice from others, join our free Facebook group http://beyondbourbonst.com/facebook. Thank You Thanks to Joel Sharpton from Pro Podcasting Services for being the intro voice of the podcast. Thanks also to Scott McCrossen for the artwork, logo, and branding that makes Beyond Bourbon Street stand out. Contact Us Got an idea for an episode, have some feedback, or just want to say hi? Leave us a message at 504-475-7632 or send an email to mark@beyondbourbonst.com. Thanks for listening! Mark
TQC took a week off, but we're back with some personal and podcast updates! This week we're also joined by new friend of the pod Clayton for our very first "Millennial Moment" segment, where we discuss queer topics with someone younger (and smarter) than Jonah and Renessa (because let's face it, they're barely getting by). The topic this week is the term Latinx—Where did it come from and how/where is it used? Clayton shares his Latin roots and helps break it down. Our creative guest interview is Daniel Djuro-Goiricelaya. Daniel is not only a deep friend of the pod, he's also a Venezuelan-born, NYC-based interdisciplinary artist, and co-founder of El Patio De Mi Casa, an artist project and pop-up exhibition space for emerging artists. We talk art, design, materials, color (and reclaiming colors), culture, the importance of community, activism, meditation, and balancing work/life and a relationship. Jonah and Daniel also bond over preparing to run the NYC Marathon this weekend for the first time!INTERVIEW STARTS AT 46:07Show notes and links:Follow Daniel on Instagram: @ddjuroFollow Daniel’s available works: @bodegacolorEl Patio de Mi Casa: @lptdmcsDaniel’s website: www.ddgart.comTrevor Project LGBTQ+ History QuizFollow Clayton on Instagram: @amerikanichezigeuneLatinx comic by Terry BlasWhen Brooklyn Was QueerTinderbox: The Rise of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay LiberationPansy BoyJulie Goldman and Kamala Harris on CNN LGBTQ Town Hall Debate“Pimpin” track by Megan Thee Stallion“Saunter” track by Acra (a queer Venezuelan electronic music artist)
The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation. Todays conversation centered around racial differences in the Queer community at the time of the inferno at the Upstairs Lounge.
TQC talks with Robert Fieseler, an award-winning journalist and nonfiction author. His debut book, Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation, delves into the 1973 fire that killed 32 people and devastated the gay community of New Orleans and beyond. It was the largest mass murder of gays until 2016, was buried for decades, and only recently emerged as a catalyzing event of the gay liberation movement. Fieseler’s Tinderbox won the 2019 Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime. Show Links:Robert Fieseler’s websiteFollow Robert on Twitter Follow Robert on InstagramRobert’s husband, artist Ryan LeitnerEast End BooksSpikey van DykeyWorld Pride NYC
Today on The Stacks we're discussing Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation by Robert W. Fieseler. Author (Elizabeth Taylor, A Life for Passion ) and former book publicist Joseph Papa, is our guest and he helps us break down this book. We discuss the use of the acronym LGBTQIA+, how society criminalizes human beings, and some of the most incredible ten pages of writing we've ever read. There are no spoilers on this episdoe. You can find links to everything we talk about on today's episode on The Stacks Website: www.thestackspodcast.com/2019/06/05/ep-62-tinderbox Connect with Joseph: Instagram | Twitter Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | The Stacks Website | Facebook | Apple Podcasts | Patreon | Goodreads SUPPORT THE STACKS Audible - Get your free 30 day trial and free audiobbook download at audibletrial.com/thestacks Amazon - Shop through this link for all the books discussed on today's show and help keep the podcast free.
Author and journalist Robert W. Fieseler helps us kick off LGBTQ Pride Month! He chats with us about his Edgar Award-winning book, Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation, his emotional writing process, and the current issues facing the LGBTQ community. To learn more about Robert W. Fieseler, visit his official website and follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Today’s episode is sponsored by Libro.fm and OneRoom.
May 2, 2019 at the Boston Athenæum. An essential work of American civil rights history, Tinderbox mesmerizingly reconstructs the 1973 fire that devastated New Orleans’ subterranean gay community. Buried for decades, the Up Stairs Lounge tragedy has only recently emerged as a catalyzing event of the gay liberation movement. In revelatory detail, Robert W. Fieseler chronicles the tragic event that claimed the lives of thirty-one men and one woman on June 24, 1973, at a New Orleans bar, the largest mass murder of gays until 2016. Relying on unprecedented access to survivors and archives, Fieseler creates an indelible portrait of a closeted, blue-collar gay world that flourished before an arsonist ignited an inferno that destroyed an entire community. The aftermath was no less traumatic—families ashamed to claim loved ones, the Catholic Church refusing proper burial rights, the city impervious to the survivors’ needs—revealing a world of toxic prejudice that thrived well past Stonewall. Yet the impassioned activism that followed proved essential to the emergence of a fledgling gay movement. Tinderbox restores honor to a forgotten generation of civil-rights martyrs. Robert W. Fiesler will be joined in conversation with Jeremy Hobson of WBUR.
On this episode Figure of Speech, we welcome author Robert Fieseler with a show around the theme of SHUT OUT-- featuring the work of Srikanth Reddy, Marcel Proust, and a segment from Fieseler's latest book "Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation." Originally aired on March 23rd 2019.
SO MUCH HAPPENS WITH THIS EPISODE Y'ALL!!! This week Patrice & Marleah celebrate Mardi Gras by telling New Orleans stories of famous horrible people and events! Patrice tries unsuccessfully to pronounce the French names that surround the infamous,
SO MUCH HAPPENS WITH THIS EPISODE Y'ALL!!! This week Patrice & Marleah celebrate Mardi Gras by telling New Orleans stories of famous horrible people and events! Patrice tries unsuccessfully to pronounce the French names that surround the infamous,
As 2018 wraps up, Dewey Decibel revisits favorite interviews conducted at American Library Association conferences during the past year. In Episode 33, American Libraries’ editors speak with an array of people about the inspirations behind their new books and the importance of libraries in their lives, including actor Sally Field (In Pieces), Bill Nye the Science Guy (Jack and the Geniuses), poet Elizabeth Acevedo (Poet X), journalists Jonathan Eig (Ali: A Life) and Robert W. Fieseler (Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation), and activists Marley Dias (Marley Dias Gets It Done—and So Can You) and Patrisse Cullors (When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir).
Before the Pulse Nightclub shooting in 2016, there was The Up Stairs Lounge fire. Author Robert Fieseler sets the largely overlooked tragedy of the Up Stairs Lounge arson that killed 32 people in its rightful historical place with "Tinderbox:The Untold Story of The Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation." The 1973 mass murder dragged a closeted, blue-collar gay community into the national public eye, that shortly after was forgotten—until now. Fieseler discussed how he discovered this story, his research in New Orleans, and other findings in his book with Eric Marcus, creator and host of the award-winning book and podcast "Making Gay History."
This week, Alice and Kim talk Revolutionary War history, Persian empresses, and the tragic fire that society buried. While you're here, don’t forget Book Riot’s YA giveaway! Go here to win $500 of the year’s best YA fiction and nonfiction. bookriot.com/500yagiveaway NEW BOOKS Don't You Ever by Mary Carter Bishop Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire by Robert E. Fiesler Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan by Ruby Lal No One Tells You This: A Memoir by Glynnis MacNicol From the Corner of the Oval by Rebecca Dorey-Stein WEEKLY THEME: Revolutionary History Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation by Cokie Roberts Ladies of Liberty: The Women Who Shaped Our Nation by Cokie Roberts The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell Lafayette in the Somewhat United States by Sarah Vowell Jefferson’s Daughters: Three Sisters, White and Black, in a Young America by Catherine Kerrison Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis Never Caught: The Washingtons’ Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge by Erica Armstrong Dunbar SEGMENT THREE: Fiction/Nonfiction The Ensemble by Aja Gabel Gone by Min Kym The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World by Steve Brusatte How to Build a Dinosaur: The New Science of Reverse Evolution by Jack Horner and James Gorman READING NOW Stalking God by Anjali Kumar Drinking in America: A History by Mark Edward Lender OTHER Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell Age of Jackson Podcast
NOTE: Today’s discussion involves some gruesome descriptions of what happened on the night of Sunday, June 24, 1973. You may wish to listen to this one when your little ones are not around. On June 24, 1973 an arsonist set fire to a gay bar in New Orleans called the Up Stairs Lounge. Within moments fire engulfed the bar, and ultimately claimed the lives of 32 people. It was the largest massacre of LGBTQ individuals in the United States until the Pulse Nightclub shooting in 2016. My guests today are Robert “Bobby” Fieseler, and Clayton Delery. Bobby authored a new book about the fire entitled, Tinderbox, the Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation. Clayton Delery is a native of Metairie, LA just outside of New Orleans. Clayton’s 2015 book about the fire, The Upstairs Lounge Arson: 32 Deaths in a Gay Bar, was recognized by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities with a Book of the Year Award. Join us as we talk about the fire, about life in New Orleans during that time, and about the impact of the fire on New Orleans and its citizens in the 45 years since. Resources Tinderbox, the Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation, by Robert Fieseler, is available on Amazon and at local bookstores, including Garden District Book Shop and Octavia Books. You can also follow Robert Fieseler on Twitter (@wordbobby). The Upstairs Lounge Arson: 32 Deaths in a Gay Bar, by Clayton Delery is available on Amazon. Johnny Townsend's book Let the Faggots Burn was the first book published about the Up Stairs Lounge fire. His book is a great source of information about the men (and women) who lost their lives in this tragedy. You can purchase Johnny's book at Amazon. Robert Camina produced an award-winning and moving documentary about the fire called Upstairs Inferno. You can purchase it directly from his website. Thank You I first learned about the Up Stairs Lounge massacre many years ago. Its been on my list of topics for the Beyond Bourbon Street podcast since we launched in December 2016, but I hesitated to tackle it. I wanted to make sure I had the interview skills to do it justice. I also wanted to find the right person or people to talk to. Thanks to my friend James Tardie I connected with Robert, and through Robert, with Clayton. Words cannot express how appreciative I am to Robert Fieseler and to Clayton Delery for opening up to me. While I understand they have books to promote, it is obvious how personal the story is to both of them. Our discussion was difficult, but I hope it conveys to you the listener at least a sense of the tragedy itself, as well as the times. I am also hopeful by sharing this story, it helps us all be mindful of the work we still have to do in today's world to ensure everyone is treated as equals. I also owe a word of thanks to John Price and the Old 77 Hotel. When John heard about this topic, he quickly offered a space for us to record. The Old 77 actively supports all members of our community, and I am honored to have them as a partner. Sponsor: The Old 77 Hotel and Chandlery When you're ready to make your plans to visit New Orleans, you'll need a place to stay. The Old 77 is ideally situated in the Warehouse District, just three blocks from the French Quarter. It features a variety of pet-friendly rooms, the award-winning Compere Lapin restaurant, and more. You'll love the location, the rooms, and the food, but the details and the service are what you'll fall in love with! To book your room, click here or use code BBOLD77 to save 25% off their regular rates. You'll also get a bit of lagniappe, a little something extra. In this case, you'll receive a $10 credit to be used at Tout La in the hotel lobby - your stop for coffee and a quick bite to eat as you head out to explore New Orleans. Lagniappe, part II - email a copy of your reservation to mark@beyondbourbonst.com and I'll send you my pdf guide of what to eat, see and do in the Warehouse District. Want to Make Your Trip to New Orleans the Best Ever? Of course you do! If you’re planning a trip to New Orleans and want to cut through all the research we’re here to help. We offer a personalized travel consult. Here’s how it works: You complete a brief questionnaire to help us get to know you and the experience you want to have in New Orleans. Next, we set up a 20-30 minute phone or video call. During the call, we get to know you a little better. We can clarify any questions and bounce a few ideas off of you to make sure we ‘re on the right track. Finally, we prepare and deliver a pdf document with our recommendations for your trip. Depending on your needs the report will contain specific places to stay, eat and drink. It will also offer suggestions on things to do and see, all based on your budget and interests. Sound good? Just go to beyondbourbonst.com/travel for all the details and a link to order the service. Subscribe to the Podcast If you enjoy the show, please subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play Music or wherever you get your podcasts. If you do enjoy listening, please share Beyond Bourbon Street with someone who shares our love of New Orleans. Join Us on Facebook We have a free Facebook group where you can ask questions, share your New Orleans experiences and engage with others who love all things New Orleans! It is also where you can get Marie's advice and see the articles she shares about fun things to do in the Crescent City. Join us by going to beyondbourbonst.com/facebook. Contact Us Got an idea for an episode, have some feedback or just want to say hi? Leave us a message at 504-475-7632 or send an email to mark@beyondbourbonst.com Thanks for listening! Mark
On the last day of Pride in 1973, the Up Stairs Lounge in New Orleans felt like it always did. The Sunday beer bust was in full swing, patrons were discussing an upcoming charity event, and the gay bar repeatedly busted out their anthem, "United We Stand." When the downstairs buzzer rang, one of the regulars went to open the door to the stairwell to see who it was. It wasn't a person, though. It was an inferno.