black cat café bar san_francisco california originally opened closed opened operated years second run operation beats time began attracting gay gay people bar nascent movement center legal fight earliest court cases establish legal gay people united_states despite victory continued pressure law enforcement agencies eventually forced bar closure original opened shortly san_francisco earthquake early years bar located basement san_francisco neighborhood building stands today entrepreneur acquired bar turned style acts years came increased police scrutiny possible center prostitution bar lost dance permit closed beats repeal prohibition opened montgomery street bought bar 1940s early years ownership center bohemian beat crowd known frequent establishment seminal beat novel road set bar growing gay beats continued black cat 1950s years following world war gay people began varied crowds mixed gay beat poet described best gay bar america totally open bohemian san_francisco everybody went homosexual gay screaming queens come gray suit types poets went bar placed list establishments military personnel forbidden enter bar featured live best known began wore drag entertained crowd singing parodies popular torch songs eventually performed shows night regular sunday afternoon performing specialty working opera set modern day san_francisco popular cruising area union square audience vice squad escape encouraged patrons open honest possible wrong gay crime getting caught united stand divided catch closing time lead patrons singing god save queens tune god save queen crowd outside sing final verse men street jail arrested raids earlier night speaking ritual film word gay journalist said sounds silly lived time oppression coming police department society turn able arms gay men able stand sing god save queens saying god save queens saying rights openly gay candidate united_states run public office running seat won default day candidates file petitions city officials realized fewer candidates running open seats assured seat end day candidates filed garnered votes shocking political setting motion idea gay voting real power city politics day ran san_francisco knocking door gay community police harassment response increasing homosexual began campaign harassment bar patrons bar owner charged crimes keeping house suspended bar liquor license indefinitely response principle took state court reilly ruled order establish good cause suspension license shown patrons restaurant bar meeting place earliest legal rights gay people united_states court qualified opinion stating abc close gay bars proof commission illegal immoral acts premises response legal victory based illegal immoral acts language opinion state passed constitutional amendment creating abc passed law authorizing broad powers abc shut resort sexual black cat shut authority number establishments test case involving oakland bar struck new law unconstitutional decision complete victory court noted abc based reports women dancing women women kissing women upheld law won right assemble agreed touch police city officials responded increasing visibility gay bars city success court increasingly cracking staging frequent raids mass arrests favorite tactic arrest drag queens member opposite sex time crime responded passing labels drag queens wear reading boy claimed women closure following years pressure police abc decided longer able financially sustain fight cost long legal battle tried enlist owners city gay bars help pay legal bills offered assistance abc lifted bar liquor license night annual halloween party final defiant halloween celebration non alcoholic served attempt survive food soft drink sales closed good february site location style restaurant december plaque commemorating place san_francisco history placed site
Black Cat Bar