“Did you know that these steps beneath our feet have a name and a powerful story?” These are the Mattachine Steps. They are more than just a way to get from the upper to the lower part of Cove Avenue. The Mattachine Steps are a monument to a pivotal moment in LGBT history.
In 2012, this outdoor staircase in Silver Lake got its official name. Before 2012, people simply called them the Cove Avenue stairway. This name honors the Mattachine Society. This society was one of the nation’s earliest gay rights organizations.
Harry Hay cofounded the Mattachine Society. He lived near these very steps. His home was at 2328 Cove Avenue. In 1948, he started a group called Bachelors Anonymous right here. Two years later, that group evolved into the Mattachine Society.
Other key figures helped Hay. Bob Hull, Chuck Rowland, Dale Jennings, James Gruber, Konrad Stevens, and Rudi Gernreich were among the founders. They sought to protect and improve the rights of gay men. The Mattachine Society played a key role in the fight for equality.
The name “Mattachine” itself has an interesting history. It comes from medieval French societies. These masked men could criticize ruling monarchs without fear. Similarly, the Mattachine Society aimed to challenge societal norms. They wanted to create change for gay people in the 1950s.
Hay was a communist and an English immigrant. In 1942, he came to Silver Lake. The FBI investigated the Mattachine Foundation in 1953. The founding members resigned because of it. More conservative leaders then took over. The organization became the Mattachine Society.
In 1955, the society began publishing The Mattachine Review. Mattachine chapters appeared in several states. Around 1957, the National Mattachine Society moved from Los Angeles to San Francisco. By 1967, the San Francisco Mattachine dissolved.
The Mattachine Society left a lasting legacy. It paved the way for future activism. In July 1966, a radical gay rights group formed. It was called P.R.I.D.E. or Personal Rights in Defense and Education. In February 1967, P.R.I.D.E. protested police brutality. The protest took place outside Silver Lake’s Black Cat Tavern. The first permitted Pride Parade in Los Angeles happened on June 28, 1970.
So, as you climb or descend these steps, remember their name. Remember the courage of those who fought for equality. The Mattachine Steps are a reminder of how far we’ve come. It is also a reminder of the work that still needs to be done.