On a stretch of the narrow sidewalks that line Halsted Street in Boystown, there are familiar rainbow pylons that signify the Chicago neighborhood’s roots as a gay community. But if you look closer at those pylons, you’ll notice a series of plaques honoring 40 LGBTQ artists, activists, writers, and events throughout history.
It’s called the Legacy Walk, and its goal is to acknowledge the cultural and historical contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
The seed for the Legacy Walk was first planted on October 11, 1987 at the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. It was also the first time National Coming Out Day was officially recognized, and the first time the AIDS Memorial Quilt was on display.