Henry Gerber House, Illinois Ozarks Travel Guide

Located in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood, the Henry Gerber House stands as a monument to the early gay rights movement in the United States. Built in 1885, this unassuming brick row house at 1704 N Crilly Ct was home to Henry Gerber, a German immigrant and pioneering activist. In 1924, Gerber founded the Society for Human Rights here, the first chartered organization in the U.S. dedicated to advocating for the rights of homosexuals.Inspired by the gay rights movement in Germany, Gerber sought to create a similar organization in the United States. The Society for Human Rights aimed to combat prejudice and discrimination against homosexuals through education and advocacy. Gerber also published 'Friendship and Freedom' from the house, one of the first gay civil rights publications in the country. The organization was short-lived; it was disbanded in 1925 after a police raid on the house and the arrest of Gerber and several other members.Despite its brief existence, the Society for Human Rights marked a turning point in the history of LGBTQ+ rights in the U.S.. The Henry Gerber House serves as a reminder of the courage and vision of early activists like Gerber, who paved the way for future generations of LGBTQ+ rights advocates. Today, the house is a designated National Historic Landmark and a Chicago Landmark, recognized for its significance in American history. While the house is a private residence and not open for tours, a historical marker is embedded in the sidewalk in front of the house.