Most everyone here has heard of the Stonewall Riots of 1969 and how they were the first salvo of the “Gay Revolution”. But how many are familiar with a similar incident called the Compton Cafeteria Riots of 1966?
Gene Compton’s Cafeteria was a chain of restaurants which had a branch in San Francisco which became in the mid 1960’S a gathering place where Transgender People, Drag Queens, Local Gays and others could meet and congregate without too much hassle from the local authorities, most of the time. In those days many of the Police were paid to “look the other way” but if the payment wasn’t made there would be hell to pay.
One particularly hot August night, when the police came around for their payment, one of the patrons announced that they were not going pay and a full scaled riot had begun. By the time the dust was settled scores were injured on both sides of the battle, many of the defiant were arrested, and the City of San Francisco had gone into damage control.
In the ensuing months and years, because nothing like this ever is resolved quickly, The Police Officials and City Social Services began a slow process of hang their attitudes to the Transgender community, the Gay Community in general, and in extension to all the marginalized in the San Francisco.
Although the Compton’s Cafeteria is no longer in existence, people still talk about and remember that Hot August Night in August,