Larry Bagneris, Jr.

Lawrence "Larry" Bagneris Jr. (born September 15, 1946) is an American social and political activist from New Orleans, Louisiana. Bagneris’ career has focused on improving government relations with the African American and LGBT communities.

Early life and education Larry Bagneris is the son of Gloria Diaz Bagneris and Lawrence Bagneris Sr., who had four children. Bagneris' brother, Vernel Bagneris, is an actor, playwright and musician. His father was a postal clerk and a veteran who served during World War II. Bagneris’ mother was the manager of the Bagneris house.

Bagneris and his family initially resided in the Creole Seventh Ward neighborhood of New Orleans. Due to a U.S. Federal program of "Urban Renewal" of the 1960s, the Bagneris family relocated to the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans. The program was referred to as "The Negro Removal", which saw the creation of a highway overpass through the community that invited crime and drove down the property values of the Seventh Ward.

Bagneris and his brother attended St. Augustine High School in New Orleans. It was at St. Augustine that Larry began to become interested in political activism. Bagneris realized he was gay while at school, and was offered shock treatment as conversion therapy, which Bagneris rejected.

In 1969, Bagneris graduated from Xavier University of Louisiana with a bachelor's degree in political science.

Early activism Bagneris' first involvement in racial activism was at the age of 16. He participated in picketing Maison Blanche Department Stores in New Orleans for their usage of Jim Crow style policies. The pickets that Larry participated in eventually led to sit-in protests. Bagneris was arrested at sit-ins at FrosTop, Walgreens and Woolworth's. Because he was only sixteen when these events occurred, he was only held as a juvenile.

LGBT activism In June 1969, Bagneris visited New York City with a gay friend. While there, he encountered the diversity of the LGBT awakening and escaped a raid on the Stonewall Inn. This was an "awakening" for Bagneris, as he realized the necessity of joining the gay rights movement.

As a member of the Gay Political Caucus, Bagneris recruited African-American and Latino members. In 1979, he became the caucus's Vice President, and, later in 1982, its president. Bagneris also organized Houston's first pride parade in 1979, despite hostilities from the city's police chief during negotiations for permits. He continued to organize the annual parade until 1986, when he moved back to New Orleans with his partner, Jimmy Chavers Armstrong (d. 1990). when he retired. In 2004, he was appointed liaison to the New Orleans City Council. That same year, he served as the grand marshal of Houston's pride parade.