Henry Gerber (1892 - 1972)

Wed Jun 29, 1892

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Henry Gerber, born on this day in 1892, was a German-American queer rights activist who, in 1924, founded the first American pro-homosexual organization, known as the “Society for Human Rights” (SHR).

Gerber was in Passau, Bavaria, moving to the United States in 1913. In 1917, Gerber was briefly committed to a mental institution because of his homosexuality.

When the U.S. declared war on Germany, Gerber was forced to choose between becoming interned as an enemy alien or enlist in the Army. Gerber chose the latter and served in the Army for approximately three years.

During his time in Germany, Gerber learned about the sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld’s advocacy to decriminalize and normalize homosexuality. He also traveled to Berlin, which had a thriving gay subculture.

Inspired by Hirschfeld’s work, on December 10th, 1924, Gerber founded the Society for Human Rights, the first pro-gay organization in the United States. A black clergyman named John T. Graves signed on as the organization’s first president while Gerber and six others were listed as directors.

Gerber set out to expand the Society’s membership beyond the original seven, but had difficulty interesting anyone other than working class queer people in joining. More affluent members of Chicago’s gay community refused to join his society, not wanting to ruin their reputations by being associated with homosexuality.

The Society was only a chartered organization for a few months before police arrested Gerber and several other members. Gerber was subjected to three highly publicized trials, and his defense, while ultimately successful, cost him his life savings.

Unable to continue funding the Society, the group dismantled, and Gerber left for New York City, embittered that the more affluent gays of Chicago had not come to his aid for a cause he believed was designed to advance the common good.

“Is not the psychiatrist again putting the cart before the horse in saying that homosexuality is a symptom of the neurotic style of life? Would it not sound more natural to say that the homosexual is made neurotic because his style of life is beset by thousands of dangers?”

- Henry Gerber