Silver Lake in Los Angeles in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Black Cat Tavern
Photographed by Craig Baker, October 1, 2023
1. Black Cat Tavern Marker
At midnight on January 1, 1967, undercover LAPD officers raided the Black Cat Tavern in Silver Lake. 14 men were beaten, dragged outside, and arrested. Six men were charged with lewd conduct for same-sex kissing. Outrage over the raid spurred two new California gay rights groups to organize hundreds of protestors to demonstrate against police entrapment and arbitrary arrest. The peaceful demonstration that took place outside the Black Cat Tavern on February 11, 1967 was Southern California's first public protest for gay rights.
Events like the Black Cat Tavern protest, and earlier demonstrations at Compton's Cafeteria in San Francisco, were critical milestones in California's LGBTQ+ history, opening the floodgates for new civil rights strategies within the LGBTQ+ community that led to the repeal of discriminatory laws in California.
California Registered Historical Landmark No. 1063.
Plaque placed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation in cooperation with The Black Cat, the California Landmark Foundation, and the Bill Beaver Project, October 1, 2023.
Erected 2023 by California Dept of Parks & Rec; The Black Cat; the California Landmark Foundation; and the Bill Beaver Project. (Marker Number 1063.)
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Location. 34° 5.514′ N, 118° 16.778′ W. Marker is in Los Angeles, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in Silver Lake. It is at the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Hyperion Avenue, on the right when traveling west on Sunset Boulevard. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3909 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90029, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in California’s Transverse Ranges. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexicos Alta California.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Black Cat (within shouting distance of this marker); El Pueblo de Los Angeles (approx. half a mile away); Canfield-Moreno Estate (approx. half a mile away); KCET Studios (approx. half a mile away); Cahuenga Branch Library (approx. half a mile away); Hooray for Hollywood (approx. 0.6 miles away); Paul Lauritz House (approx. 0.6 miles away); The Music Box Steps (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Los Angeles.
Also see . . . California Landmark Foundation.
Photographed by Craig Baker, October 1, 2023
2. Black Cat Tavern Marker Unveiling
Additional keywords. lgbt, lgbtq
Photographed by Craig Baker, October 1, 2023
3. Black Cat Tavern Marker
Photographed by Craig Baker
4. Black Cat Tavern
Photographed by Craig Baker
5. Black Cat Tavern
Credits. This page was last revised on February 9, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 1, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 1,822 times since then and 45 times this year. It was the Marker of the Week February 9, 2025. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on October 1, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
