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Last Call South Florida: A History of 1001 LGBTQ-Friendly Taverns, Haunts & Hangouts
Rick Karlin & Fred Fejes
A captivating chronicle of South Florida gay life from raids to acceptance.”
— Edison Farrow, Florida LGBTQ Club Promoter
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Description
From Raids to Rainbows
“Last Call South Florida provides a wealth of information chronicling the history of the LGBT community through the decades in South Florida.
It provides a fascinating history lesson with detailed information about the bars, nightclubs, events, performers, and the progression of the gay community through the years. From the early days of underground parties, raids, and arrests to a more accepting time that we now live in, Last Call South Florida takes us along a tumultuous journey through time.
This detailed information brings back so many magnificent memories through the decades in south Florida gay life and phenomenal times that we lived through.” —Edison Farrow, Florida LGBTQ Club Promoter
“Last Call Chicago restores to life the vast world of bars that have been so vital to the queer community. It will release for readers a flood of memories and it provides future researchers a wealth of information.” —Julio Capó, Jr., History Professor and author of Welcome to Fairyland: Queer Miami before 1940
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Last Call South Florida sweeps aside the glitter and glamour of the Sunshine State’s LGBTQ nightlife scene to reveal the vibrant tapestry of real people who thrived on both sides of the bar. From the harrowing days of bar raids and police arrests to the triumphs of hard-won rights, this book dives deep into the lives of those who made history.
Meet the investors and entrepreneurs who built the foundation, the entertainers, bartenders, go-go boys, drag performers, and “bar celebrities” who brought life to the stage, and the customers who found solace and community in these havens. This isn’t just a nightlife chronicle; it’s a celebration of a resilient community that emerged stronger from every challenge.
What makes South Florida’s LGBTQ bar scene unique is its dazzling blend of glamour, diversity, and unyielding spirit. Historians Fred Fejes and Rick Karlin have meticulously researched this distinctive community, covering an era from Prohibition to the present day. Focusing from Palm Beach to Broward, and Miami-Dade to Key West, they capture the essence of a community that has withstood the test of time and adversity.
Fejes and Karlin’s journey unearthed countless personal stories and experiences, bringing the history of South Florida’s LGBTQ bar community to life. Their extensive archival research and interviews have culminated in a captivating book that informs and entertains.
Last Call South Florida presents a rich tapestry of recollections, memories, histories, and artifacts. It’s not just a book; it’s a vital contribution to LGBTQ history, preserving the legacy of a community that shaped the cultural landscape of South Florida. Dive into this fascinating chronicle and celebrate the vibrant, resilient spirit of South Florida’s LGBTQ bar community.
About the Author
Fred Fejes
Rick Karlin is a playwright (“Witches Among Us,” “Spin Cycle”, “As Time Goes By” and “Seuss on the Loose”), novelist (Show Biz Kids, Tales of the Second City, Death on the Rocks), free-lance journalist (Chicago Free Press, Bay Area Reporter, Windy City Times, Chicago Tribune’s Metromix and OutTraveler.com) and was the Entertainment Editor for Gay Chicago Magazine for 10 years.
A community activist, he was inducted into the City of Chicago’s LGBT Hall of Fame in 1997. He founded the popular charity fundraisers, “Night of 100 Drag Queens” and Gay Chicago Magazine’s “After Dark Awards.” In his stage personae, Charity Case and Helen Highwater, he is renowned for his quick wit and snappy repartee as a performer and emcee for charity events and shows,
He was also an award-winning teacher. Rick is the proud father of his adult son, Adam and lives in Fort Lauderdale with his husband, the award-winning poet and writer, Gregg Shapiro, and their dog Coco.
Fred Fejes moved to South Florida in 1986 from the Midwest, where he received his PhD in Communication Studies from the Institute of Communication Research at the University of Illinois. He is an LGBT community activist and professor emeritus in the School of Communication and Media Studies at Florida Atlantic University, where from 1986- 2016, he taught courses on LGBT Studies. He is known for his work on sexuality, media, and the history of the LGBTQ movement in America. From 2018 to 2019, he was a Fulbright-Palacky Distinguished Chair at Palacky University (Czech Republic). Fejes is the author of Gay Rights and Moral Panic: The Origins of America’s Debate on Homosexuality, an account of the 1977 Anita Bryant campaign against gay rights in Dade County, Florida, and Imperialism, Media and the Good Neighbor: New Deal Foreign Policy and United States Shortwave Broadcasting to Latin America. In 2013, he received the Roy F. Aarons Award for “contributions to education and research on issues affecting the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered communities.” He is a Research Scholar at the Stonewall Library and lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
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Praise
“Last Call South Florida restores the world of vital queer bars… a restoration of a world that was meant to be secret.”
“A captivating chronicle of South Florida gay life from raids to acceptance. Meticulously researched and a backstage pass to decades of history, love, and celebration.”
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