Henry Gerber was among the earliest gay rights activists in America.
He founded the nation’s first gay organisation and its first gay publication.
Born Joseph Henry Dittmer in Bavaria, Germany, Gerber moved to Chicago in 1913. From 1920 to 1923, he served in the U.S. Army during the occupation of Germany.
While in Germany, Gerber was exposed to the homosexual emancipation movement. He subscribed to existing gay publications and was inspired by Magnus Hirschfeld, founder of the Scientific Humanitarian Committee, a German homosexual science advocacy organisation, and of the League For Sexual Reform.
(TransNote: The Scientific Humanitarian Committee is considered the first organisation advocating for gay and transgender rights)
After returning to Chicago, Gerber founded the Society for Human Rights, which advocated for gay and lesbian rights. He published the organization’s newsletter, “Friends and Freedom.” Gerber limited membership to the Society for Human Rights to gay men.
Unbeknown to him, its vice president, Al Weininger, was married with children. In 1925, Weininger’s wife reported the organisation’s activities and it was consequently shut down for moral turpitude. The Chicago police arrested Gerber and took him to trial three times.
Although Gerber was found not guilty, the legal fees cost him his life savings and his job. Gerber moved to New York City and reenlisted in the Army, where he served for 18 years.
He led a correspondence club called Connections, which became a national network for gay men. Under a pen-name, he wrote articles for various publications, arguing the case for gay rights.
At 80, Gerber died in the U.S. Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home in Washington, D.C.
In 1992, this pioneer of LGBT Rights was inducted posthumously into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame. In 2001, the Henry Gerber House was designated a Chicago landmark
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