Grovites gathered on the Cherry Grove dock, early in the evening of Flag Day, June 14, to remember artist and activist Gilbert Baker, creator of the iconic rainbow flag. Gilbert was born in Chanute, Kansas on June 2, 1951 and passed away in New York City on March 31, 2017.
Those attending were encouraged to bring and/or wear rainbows in Gilbert’s memory and Joan Van Ness and Lorraine Michels brought rainbow flags, a rainbow windsock, American flags, and Lorraine’s framed photo of Gilbert, our own Betsy Ross, in his drag persona as Busty Ross.
Photographer Warren Boyd Wexler spoke about the mile-long, 30-foot-wide rainbow flag that Gilbert, who “assembled a team of 16 seamstresses” to assist, made in 1994 for New York City’s LGBT Pride March, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion, considered the birth of Gay Liberation locally. Warren said, “Gilbert created the universally-recognized symbol of the Gay Rights Movement. We all owe him a big ‘Thank you, Gilbert!’”
Roland Michely told us about the signed, numbered rainbow flag that Gilbert had made and given to him, which Roland recently donated to the Cherry Grove Archives. Other speakers included Ruth Freedner, Eric Coyne, and this writer.
Brant aka Porsche and I closed the memorial by inviting the assembled to join us in singing “Over the Rainbow” to honor Gilbert.