In the 1970s and 1980s, Rodney recalled, gay bars were among the least hospitable places in San Francisco for black people such as himself. Arched over the scene was a pink neon sign with the words 'Eagle Creek.'Īs the music quieted, Sadie Barnette and her father Rodney sat on stools beneath the neon, and explained why this art space, usually known as the Lab, looked and felt like a nightclub. Diffuse blue and fuchsia lights shone on white patent leather sofas, and a DJ played vinyl-mostly throwback funk and disco beating with a steady pulse. One Saturday evening last month, dozens of people hovered around a horseshoe-shaped bar in the Mission District of San Francisco. Editor's Note: This article is part of KQED Arts' story series Pride as Protest, which chronicles the past and present of LGBTQ+ activism in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. Learn more about the series here.
