The Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame, now entering its 30th year, announced today that it has teamed up with Shirts Illustrated, to produce a line of clothing bearing the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame logo. All items may be ordered from https://shop.shirtsillustrated.com/lgbt_hall_of_fame/shop/home and picked up at Shirts Illustrated, 1340 W. Belmont in Chicago, or shipped. The Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame receives 25% of all sales. Shirts Illustrated is a women-owned Chicago based company that offers embroidery and printing services and have been in business for 32 years and is a long-time supporter of Chicago’s LGBT community.
The Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame was the first city-sponsored hall of fame dedicated to LGBT people, organizations, businesses, and community in the United States. From its founding in 1991 until 2016 the Gay & Lesbian Hall of Fame relied on support from the City of Chicago. The city ceased funding the Gay & Lesbian Hall of Fame in 2016 as part of then-mayor Rahm Emmanuel’s cost-cutting programs. At that time, it was rechristened the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame and has since been supported and maintained by the Friends of the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization, with approval from the City of Chicago.
The first Chicago Gay & Lesbian Hall of Fame ceremony took place during Pride Week and was held at Chicago City Hall. Mayor Richard M. Daley hosted the ceremony and afterward, photos of the inductees were displayed in City Hall. The Hall of Fame has no physical facility but maintains a website, which allows anyone to visit the Hall of Fame at any time. Traditionally, the City of Chicago has displayed the Hall of Fame materials at the Harold Washington Library during induction periods, Pride and in October, Gay & Lesbian History Month.
For more information, visit the organization’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/groups/56108152083/.