Washington, D.C
Celebrating local pride heroes: Deacon Maccubbin — The Patriarch of DC Pride – WTOP News
Deacon Maccubbin organized the first DC Gay Pride Party all the way back in 1975. Now, he’s thinking back on the role he played in the creating an event that would one day bring hundreds of thousands of people to D.C. to celebrate who they are.
Every week, WTOP is celebrating a Pride Hero who has made a difference in the LGBTQ+ community in the D.C. area as part of our Pride Month coverage. Check back all throughout June as we share these stories on air and online.
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Celebrating local pride heroes: Deacon Maccubbin
A year after L. Page “Deacon” Maccubbin opened the gay bookstore, Lambda Rising, in 1974, he was talking to friends about going to a Pride celebration in New York City.
“Somebody said, ‘Why don’t we do something in Washington,’” said Maccubbin. “I thought ‘that’s a wonderful idea, let’s do it.’”
Maccubbin went to work instantly. He decided to hold a Gay Pride block party right in front of Lambda Rising on 1724 20th Street NW in D.C.’s Dupont Circle neighborhood.
One of the first things Maccubbin was required to do by the city was to check with his neighbors.
“We had the support of more than 51% of the people in the neighborhood to sign a petition allowing us to close the block off,” Maccubbin told WTOP.
Knowing he needed help to organize such a big event, Maccubbin hired his friend Bob Carpenter. They got the word out by putting flyers in all of the gay bars in D.C.
(Courtesy Rainbow History Project, Inc. )
Courtesy Rainbow History Project, Inc.
(Courtesy Rainbow History Project, Inc. )
Courtesy Rainbow History Project, Inc.
(WTOP/Jimmy Alexander)
WTOP/Jimmy Alexander
(WTOP/Jimmy Alexander)
WTOP/Jimmy Alexander
So, at 1 p.m., on June 22, 1975, the D.C. Gay Pride Party was set to begin. But, there was a problem.
“At 10 minutes to one, there was no one on the street,” Maccubbin said.
Carpenter was nervous and, according to Maccubbin, was ringing his hands, and said, “No one is going to show up.”
“I said ‘don’t worry Bob, they’ll be here. They are just on ‘gay time.” … Not long after, we had 2,000 people,” Maccubbin said.
Maccubbin shared these memories with WTOP from the steps of where his bookstore was once located, overlooking the location of D.C.’s first annual Pride event.
More Pride Month stories
“We had bands playing. Politicians stopping by to say hello. All the neighbors came out,” Maccubbin said. “It was an incredible experience.”
Also showing up that day was a local TV news crew.
Maccubbin made a deal with the reporters: They were only allowed to film on one side of the street. Everyone at the block party was told if they didn’t want to be on television, that they should stand on the other side of the street.
“There were some people that were concerned about their jobs or their family seeing them,” said Maccubbin.
Not everyone was pleased with the work Maccubbin was doing for the gay community. Not only did Maccubbin have to deal with a lot of harassment over the phone, the windows of his bookstore were broken and they received bomb threats.
Every time there was an incident, Maccubbin and his staff would head to the bookstore and keep going.
“We had to stand up and be counted. We weren’t going anywhere,” said Maccubbin’s husband, Jim Bennett. “More and more people stood up and said we’re not taking this crap anymore.”
The bad memories have now faded, and Maccubbin thinks more about the role he played in the creating an event that would one day bring hundreds of thousands of people to D.C. to celebrate who they are.
“There is rarely a week that goes by that I don’t hear from somebody that talks about coming out at Pride or coming out in our bookstore, Lambda Rising,” Maccubbin said. “Because it was the first place they felt welcome.”
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4 things to know about the weather:
- So Many Clouds
- Not Too Much Rain
- Milder For The Weekend
- Warmer Days Next Week
The dividing line between the 50s and the 70s is a cold front that has been wedged right down into our area by high pressure anchored over New England. East winds will bring our air off the ocean and Bay and both of those bodies of water are COLD this time of year.
Afternoon highs will stay in the 40s near the Bay, should reach the low/mid 50s near DC and could be near 60° west of Fredericksburg.
Very little sunshine today but not too much of a rain chance. Clouds, fog and 40s for all tonight.
Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.
A developing storm over the Ohio Valley will finally begin to push that high pressure away tomorrow. Our afternoon highs will be dependent on how soon our wind can turn around to the Southwest.
Plan for a cloudy and chilly Saturday morning with a big jump in temperatures by mid-afternoon. Northern and Northeastern Maryland will remain cooler, but the rest of the area should pop above 70° for the first time this year.
The aforementioned storm will send a front through our area Saturday night. That front will bring a round of showers along with it. Showers will be likely Saturday evening and night.
The majority of that rain chance will be ending before noon on Sunday and the return of a little sun on Sunday afternoon should warm most areas to near 70° once again.
The first few days of next week will feel more like May than March. Highs on Monday should be near 75° and both Tuesday and Wednesday could top 80°. That warm pattern won’t last long, but it sure will feel good.
QuickCast
TODAY:
Mostly Cloudy
Coolest Along, East Of I-95
Isolated Showers
Wind: East 5-15 mph
Chance of Rain: 20%
HIGHS: 48° to 62°
TONIGHT:
Cloudy And Damp
Isolated Showers
Areas Of Fog
Wind: East 5-10 mph
Chance Of Rain: 20%
LOWS: 40° to 45°
SATURDAY:
Partly To Mostly Cloudy
Breezy And Warmer
Isolated Showers
Wind: Southwest 10-20 mph
Chance of Rain: 20%
HIGHS: 65° to 75°
SUNDAY:
Partly Sunny
AM: Showers Likely
PM: Dry For Most
Wind: Northwest 5-15 mph
Chance of Rain: 40%
HIGHS: 64° to 72°
MONDAY:
Sun And Clouds
Nice And Mild
Light Breeze
Wind: Variable 5 mph
Chance of Rain: 0%
HIGHS: 66° to 72°
Sunrise: 6:33 Sunset: 6:06
Average High: 53° Average Low: 36°
Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.
4 things to know about the weather:
- Grab the umbrella
- Big temperature ranges
- Thunder possible Thursday night
- Warmer days on the way
Heads up commuters! For Thursday morning, there will be some thick fog in spots with some rain possible, especially around the Mason-Dixon line. The fog should clear out by 10 a.m.
Throughout the day, some sunshine should develop with highs warming into the low 60s. Those in Northern Maryland could see some showers throughout the day but those near the D.C. area will stay relatively dry except for a stray shower or two.
Some rain and evening storms by 8 p.m. will impact the area Thursday night. Although it’s a bit unusual for this time of year, don’t be surprised if you hear thunder Thursday evening.
Warmer temperatures coming this weekend
These next few days will come with some major forecast challenges.
Much, much warmer air is just to our south and cold, high pressure is moving into New England. The front separating the 40s from the 70s will be laying right across our region for the next two to three days.
So keep in mind, when you’re looking at the forecast highs in the text below, that it will be warmest in Fredericksburg, VA and coolest in northern Maryland.
Friday’s weather will be similar as a front system remains just over the area, separating chilly air to the north and warmer air to the south. There might be a stray shower or two, too.
For the weekend, Saturday looks to be the warmer of the two days with highs in the low to mid 70s. Some rain overnight Saturday will lead to cooler temperatures on Sunday.
Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.
QuickCast
THURSDAY:
Mostly Cloudy
Stray Shower Possible
Big Temperature Range
Wind: Southeast 5 mph
Chance of Rain: 40%
HIGHS: 62° to 72°
THURSDAY NIGHT:
Cloudy And Chilly
Rain Likely
Some Thunder Possible
Wind: Northeast 5 mph
Chance Of Rain: 70%
LOWS: 44° to 54°
FRIDAY:
Mostly Cloudy
Cooler For Most
Isolated Shower Or Two
Wind: East 5-15 mph
Chance of Rain: 20%
HIGHS: 52° to 68°
SATURDAY:
Partly Sunny
Breezy And Warmer
Isolated Shower
Wind: Southwest 10-20 mph
Chance of Rain: 20%
HIGHS: 66° to 78°
SUNDAY:
Mostly Cloudy
Cooler
Few Showers Possible
Wind: Northwest 5-15 mph
Chance of Rain: 20%
HIGHS: 64° to 72°
Sunrise: 6:35 Sunset: 6:05
Average High: 53° Average Low: 36°
Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.
WASHINGTON (7News) — D.C. taxpayers may be confused by back-and-forth between the D.C. City Council and Congress over taxprovision. The city’s financial officer sent a letter to Mayor Muriel Bowser and D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson, that said the District’s tax laws will not change, despite recent actions by Congress.
7News spoke to director of Tax Policy at the Center for American Progress Corey Husak to explain the complicated tax policy.
“The short answer is, nothing changes. Filing Season can continue as it has been, continue as planned, and according to the laws as we understood them in January,” said Husak.
“If you’ve already filed your taxes, you don’t have to change anything. And if you want to file your taxes, the rules are still the same as they were on the books before,” said Husak.
RELATED | DC Council Chairman talks taxes, budget, bodycams, federal surge
Chief Financial Officer Glen Lee’s revenue estimate issued Friday does not include an estimated $180 million expected this fiscal year from the city’s decoupling law, “due to the uncertainty of the associated revenue as a result of Joint Resolution 142,” according to a released letter.
“The CFO was in a tough spot here. If he agreed with Congress, then businesses and overtime workers will get bigger refunds. But if he agreed with the Mayor and the Attorney General, then families with children and lower income workers would get bigger tax cuts,” said Husak.
SEE MORE | Development of new Commanders stadium scrutinized at DC oversight hearing
“We as District residents can’t control, you know what happens in the courts, what happens in, you know, what Congress does in the future,” said Husak. “But for now, the CFO has said, you know this is, this is a law as it stands, and the law that I’m going to enforce so, you know, file your legally obligated taxes, and maybe in the future, there’ll be a surprise.”
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW
7News spoke to director of Tax Policy at the Center for American Progress Corey Husak to explain the complicated tax policy (7News).{ }
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