The Bluff City is a point of pride for many people, with its history and inclusivity. And that pride extends to the LGBTQ+ community, which has many Memphians to thank for festivals, organizations, and trailblazing moments that have made this city what it is today. Here are some local LGBTQ+ figures who have shaped the 901 and made history for our community.
Vincent Astor
Chances are, if you’ve read any LGBTQ+ history about Memphis, Vincent Astor is the reason why. His efforts to preserve this city’s pride and history surrounding the gay community have shed light on various figures and organizations that have made this city more inclusive. You can read some of his work here.
Rev. Steve Montgomery, Jody Powers, William Carey, and Dr. Cathy Chapman
On October 1, 1989, Memphis reached a significant milestone with the launch of its first LGBTQ+ community hub, the Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center (MGLCC). The organization was established by a group of key individuals, including Rev. Steve Montgomery, Jody Powers, William Carey, and Dr. Cathy Chapman, who envisioned a welcoming and supportive space for LGBTQ+ individuals. From its earliest days, MGLCC offered vital resources, social services, and support groups tailored to the community’s needs. Over time, it became a leading voice for advocacy in Memphis and reintroduced itself as OUTMemphis in 2012. This moment signaled a shift in both visibility and grassroots organizing, helping ensure that LGBTQ+ Memphians would continue to have a dedicated space within their community. You can read about the organization’s work here.
Terrell Buckner
As the organizer of the first Memphis Black Gay Pride, Terrell Buckner created an event in the mid-90s meant to bring people together and give them somewhere they feel at home. This festival has grown exponentially through the years and is now known as Tri-State Black Pride.
Kayla Rena Gore and Illyahna C. Wattshall
These founders of My Sistah’s House aim to “bridge a gap in services for trans and queer people of color (TQPOC) in Memphis, TN” by providing safe, emergency housing, advocacy, and resource assistance through the building of tiny homes around the 901. You can visit their website to donate if you’d like to support their efforts.
Gwendolyn & davin Clemons
This mother-son duo turned shared purpose into a movement. Gwendolyn is a proud queer woman dedicated to empowering others in the LGBTQ+ community, and Davin blazed his own trail as one of the first openly gay officers in the Memphis Police Department. Together they co-founded Relationship Unleashed in 2014, a nonprofit focused on issues related to HIV/AIDS and transgender people across the Mid-South. You can visit their website to support their work.
Torrey Harris
In 2020, Torrey Harris made history as the first openly LGBTQ Black man elected to the Tennessee General Assembly, representing Memphis in the State House. His win marked a turning point for representation in Tennessee politics, proving that LGBTQ Memphians belong not just in the community’s story but in the rooms where decisions about that community get made.
Ray Rico
As publisher of Focus Mid-South, Ray Rico keeps the region’s LGBTQ stories in print and online, covering everything from local trailblazers to health resources and Pride celebrations. The magazine has become a vital record of queer life in Memphis, and it is also home to much of Vincent Astor’s historical writing, connecting the city’s past to its present.
