Aristide Laurent
Encyclopedia
Aristide "A.J." Laurent was an American publisher and LGBT civil rights advocate. He co-founded The Los Angeles Advocate (now known as The Advocate
) in 1967 with Sam Allen, Bill Rau, and Richard Mitch.
He was born in Alabama to Duval “Buck” Laurent, a farm hand, and Elizabeth “Betty” Weeks, and was of Louisiana Creole ancestry. Joining the Air Force in 1960, serving for four years as a instructor (at Keesler Air Force Base
in Mississippi) and signals intelligence operator in Karamursel
, Turkey
, and being discharged, he moved to California and came out.
Between 1964 and 1967, he worked for KABC
in Los Angeles. He allegedly participated in the 1966 Compton's Cafeteria riot
in San Francisco, and participated in the riots following the police raid on Black Cat Tavern
in Los Angeles. In the wake of the two incidents, he joined Steve Ginsberg's PRIDE
organization and co-founded The Los Angeles Advocate. While helping to publish the early editions of the paper, he wrote a nightlife column (“Mariposas de la Noche”) under the pseudonym “P. Nutz.”
In 1975, Laurent was one of 40 arrested after a police raid on the Mark IV Gay Bathhouse following a mistaken tip that the charity "slave auction" being held at the locale to benefit was an actual, illegal slave auction. That same year, when The Advocate was sold and relocated to the Bay Area, he relocated to the Bay Area for a short time before returning to Los Angeles to establish NewsWest (1975-1977) to fill the void left by The Advocate.
In the 1980s, Laurent bought a printing company and participated in ACT UP demonstrations to advocate for AIDS/HIV patients. He also participated in the 1993 March on Washington. In 1996, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and was given two years to live, but managed to outlive the expectation. In his latter years, he spent more time as an amateur genealogist who focused on Louisiana Creole ancestry.
He died on October 26, 2011, in Los Angeles after a long struggle with prostate cancer.
The Advocate
The Advocate is an American LGBT-interest magazine, printed monthly and available by subscription. The Advocate brand also includes a web site. Both magazine and web site have an editorial focus on news, politics, opinion, and arts and entertainment of interest to LGBT people...
) in 1967 with Sam Allen, Bill Rau, and Richard Mitch.
He was born in Alabama to Duval “Buck” Laurent, a farm hand, and Elizabeth “Betty” Weeks, and was of Louisiana Creole ancestry. Joining the Air Force in 1960, serving for four years as a instructor (at Keesler Air Force Base
Keesler Air Force Base
Keesler Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Biloxi, a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. The base is named in honor of aviator 2d Lt Samuel Reeves Keesler, Jr., a Mississippi native killed in France in First World War.-Units:The base is home of...
in Mississippi) and signals intelligence operator in Karamursel
Karamürsel
Karamürsel is a town and district located in northwestern Turkey, in the province of Kocaeli. The mayor is İsmail Yıldırım .Karamürsel is on the coast of Izmit Bay and has beautiful shores. It has a famous basket known as Karamürsel basket, which is mainly used in collecting fruit like cherries, etc....
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and being discharged, he moved to California and came out.
Between 1964 and 1967, he worked for KABC
KABC
KABC may refer to:* KABC , a radio station licensed to Los Angeles, California, United States* KABC-TV, a television station licensed to Los Angeles, California...
in Los Angeles. He allegedly participated in the 1966 Compton's Cafeteria riot
Compton's cafeteria riot
The Compton's Cafeteria Riot occurred in August 1966 in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco. This incident was one of the first recorded transgender riots in United States history, preceding the more famous 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City.A smaller-scale riot broke out in 1959 in Los...
in San Francisco, and participated in the riots following the police raid on Black Cat Tavern
Black Cat Tavern
The Black Cat Tavern was an LGBT bar formerly located at 3909 W. Sunset Blvd. in the Silverlake section of Los Angeles, California.-History:The bar was established in November of 1966. Two months later, on the night of New Year's 1967, several plain-clothes police officers infiltrated the Black Cat...
in Los Angeles. In the wake of the two incidents, he joined Steve Ginsberg's PRIDE
Personal Rights in Defense and Education
Personal Rights in Defense and Education or PRIDE was a gay political organization. Established in 1966 as a radical gay political organization that from its origination set a new tone for gay political groups like the Gay Liberation Front , ACT UP and the Radical Faeries...
organization and co-founded The Los Angeles Advocate. While helping to publish the early editions of the paper, he wrote a nightlife column (“Mariposas de la Noche”) under the pseudonym “P. Nutz.”
In 1975, Laurent was one of 40 arrested after a police raid on the Mark IV Gay Bathhouse following a mistaken tip that the charity "slave auction" being held at the locale to benefit was an actual, illegal slave auction. That same year, when The Advocate was sold and relocated to the Bay Area, he relocated to the Bay Area for a short time before returning to Los Angeles to establish NewsWest (1975-1977) to fill the void left by The Advocate.
In the 1980s, Laurent bought a printing company and participated in ACT UP demonstrations to advocate for AIDS/HIV patients. He also participated in the 1993 March on Washington. In 1996, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and was given two years to live, but managed to outlive the expectation. In his latter years, he spent more time as an amateur genealogist who focused on Louisiana Creole ancestry.
He died on October 26, 2011, in Los Angeles after a long struggle with prostate cancer.