Larry Bagneris
Executive Director
Larry Bagneris began his Civil Rights activities at the age of 16 as a student at St. Augustine High School in New Orleans. He took part in pickets in front of Maison Blanche protesting the Jim Crow policies of the department store. He participated in sit-ins at Walgreen’s in Gentilly Woods and other New Orleans mainstays such as the FrosTop on Canal Street. He was arrested and taken to the Juvenile Center because he was too young to be booked into Central Lockup with the adult population. Larry took part in many mass rallies including a nighttime march from A L Davis Park to City Hall. In 1963, he attended the National Conference for International Justice in Memphis, Tennessee with other students and priests from St. Augustine High School. He challenged the Monsignor of the Diocese of New Orleans to explain why Catholic Schools were still segregated. Several years later, when Archbishop Rummel was to receive an honor from the Vatican, Larry led a protest out side the hotel where the accolades were presented. Larry served as President of the Negro Betterment Council of St. Augustine and worked with Chink Henry and the Longshoreman’s Union during the Johnson-Humphrey bid for the Presidency. While demonstrating for the Voter Rights Act he was confronted by opposing, angry demonstrators and was taunted with the Confederate flag. In 1967 he was the first Black elected to serve as Vice-chair of the Young Democrats of New Orleans.
As an openly gay man, Larry experienced homophobia during a raid at the Stonewall Bar in New York in 1969. It was perhaps this incident that altered his course in the Civil Rights movement from emphasis on the rights of racial minorities to that of the gay community. It was also during this time that Larry worked as a volunteer for the 1st Annual Women’s Conference in Houston, TX. He was a member of the board organized to ‘Stop the Briggs Initiative’ in California aimed at firing gay teachers. He served on the board of the first and second March on Washington, D.C. for Lesbian and Gay Rights. Larry was a two term President of the Gay Political Caucus of Houston and was the Chairperson of Gay Pride Week. He was the Founder of the Gay Pride Parade. He served on the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Larry was the first openly gay person elected as a delegate to the National Democratic Convention in NYC in 1980. The 1990's found Larry immersed in the confusion, turmoil and grief as the Gay community responded to HIV/AIDS. Accepting a job as a lobbyist for New Orleans, NO AIDS Task Force, Larry’s network of representatives met with every Senator and member of the House of Representatives in Louisiana seeking to educate and illuminate political leaders and the public.
Larry is now the head of the Human Relations Commission and is responsible for receiving and mediating complaints of discrimination in Housing, Public Accommodations, and Employment. Most recently Larry was elected to the Board of Directors of the International Conference for Gay and Lesbian Elected Officials. He secured New Orleans, LA as the meeting place for the International Conference held in 2004.
In addition to his political activism, Larry founded the a Christmas Joy and Toy Giving Program for the children of the B. W. Cooper and St. Thomas Housing Developments. For twelve years this project donated clothing, toys and school supplies to those in need.
He is one of four children of the late Mr. Lawrence G. Bagneris, Sr. and the late Mrs. Gloria (Diaz) Bagneris. As a resident of the French Quarter, he as been a long time member of the Vieux Carre Residential and Business Association. He has sought the office of Representative to the House of Representatives on three occasions. He serves on the Mayor’s Advisory Council for GLBT Issues and is a Board member of N. O. Alliance of PRIDE. Larry received the Human Rights Campaign Award in 2003. He is Mayor Nagin’s liaison to the New Orleans City Council. Recently he was awarded the Forum for Equality Public Service Award and has recently been named to the Board of French Quarter Festivals.
In the aftermath of Katrina, Harvard University invited Larry to participate in one of the most prestigious honors of his career. Since that time, he has contributed to seminars and studies as required by Harvard on behalf of the citizens of New Orleans.
Larry recently presented the findings of the HRC’s ‘Conversations with the HRC’ to the City Council and produced a series of works describing the conversations held with diverse groups of people throughout the Greater New Orleans area.