A dark chapter of the city’s history is on display as several people gathered at the site of the deadly Upstairs Lounge arson attack.
A burnt rose lay motionless on a plaque, symbolizing the beauty that was stolen by flames.
52 years ago, Paul Villien was an intern at Charity Hospital and witnessed the aftermath of the upstairs lounge tragedy, saying being at the site of the incident brings back the horror of that night.
“A man walked in and he says, I’ve been burned. Then, with that, the doors opened and they just brought us patients,” said Villien.
June 24, 1973, stairs leading to the second-floor lounge were set on fire, engulfing the club and killing 32 people of the LGBTQ community and injuring 15 others.
Each year on the anniversary, a group of people, including Frank Perez with the LGBT Archives Project of Louisiana, gather to remember the lives lost while reading each name during a moment of silence.
“It was just a seminal moment in our city’s history,” Perez said.
Images from the lounge illustrate the horrific scene, with photos showing the bar charred, with others highlighting bodies that were burned and bruised.
“The survivors of the fire that are still around have various reactions. Some don’t want to talk about it at all,” said Perez.
Jimmy Gale with the Crescent City Leathermen said this year’s memorial was special after replacing and unveiling a new plaque that was stolen last year.
“It was a chilling reminder of what we had lost, the momentum we had lost,” said Gale.
Members of the queer community said, the tragic fire is more than a devastating chapter in history hoping it serves as a reminder of how far people have come and the beauty that blossoms like a burnt rose.
“I don’t want people to forget it, it’s very important,” said Villien.
READ MORE:LGBTQ community remembers lives lost during Upstairs Lounge fire
