Plaque commemorating city’s first Gay Pride event unveiled at Willowbranch Park
Willowbranch Park visitors and passers-by strolling down Park Street will now see a new plaque installed near the park’s treeline facing the Riverside Community Garden, commemorating Jacksonville’s first Gay Pride event.
The AIDS Memorial Project of Northeast Florida (AMP) held an unveiling ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 9 for the historical marker. In attendance were members of several LGBTQ+ groups and neighborhood organizations, among them Stonewall Sports Jacksonville and Riverside Avondale Preservation. District 7 City Councilmember Jimmy Peluso attended as well.
The historic marker honors Jacksonville’s first Gay Pride, held at Willowbranch Park in June 1978, which was more subdued but no less impactful than Pride events today. It was a picnic, attended by 300 people.
“I want you to remember that where we are today, as a unified community with connections to elected officials, churches in the city as well as community groups,” said AMP President Richard Ceriello during the ceremony. “That’s something that those 300 people did not have. They were especially brave for that.”
The plaque was funded by The AIDS Memorial Project of Northeast Florida and installed by the City of Jacksonville’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department.
“This is one of the very important stories that we’re trying to tell because we’re trying to tell a story of people who just wanted to be themselves,” said Daniel Hutton, vice president of AMP of NEFL, following the ceremony.
The plaque installation comes just months after the City of Jacksonville recognized Pride Month for the first time in its history. Peluso said its these and other, similar acts are “small, yet meaningful steps” towards creating an inclusive community for everyone.
“This is just one more step, and a larger step, that we as a city are going to be taking to make sure, again, that the LGBTQ community, and everyone in the city, feels safe, recognized and see history will not be forgotten today,” Peluso said.
AMP has been a steadfast steward of Willowbranch Park over the years, spearheading several initiatives for the park’s beautification, among which is “Serenity,” the AIDS memorial mural on the Park Street bridge spanning the Willowbranch Creek, completed several years ago.
