Out in Evansville: An LGBTQ+ History of River City

by Kelley Matthew Coures

From arrests and ostracization to public festivals and drag shows, the LGBTQ+ people of Evansville have walked a twisting path to their current existence. In the early days of the city, local newspapers harassed and bullied members of this group, even going so far as to encourage them to commit suicide. A series of murders in the 1950s and 1960s left Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender population of Evansville without justice and validation. The AIDS epidemic of the 1980s did the same. Happily, things have changed. Today, the city's LGBTQ community is out and proud, and thousands attend the annual Pride parade down Main Street. Looking back on more than a century of uneven progress, Kelley Coures unfolds this often tragic yet at times hopeful story.

144 pages, Paperback

Published April 24, 2023

Reviews

[Paige Danks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being local to the Evansville, IN area, I have had the privilege of attending a lecture given by author, Kelley Matthew Coures. This was years prior to stumbling upon his book, Out in Evansville, An LGBTQ+ History of River City, in a local bookstore. The cover, and impression its author left on me years ago, had me sold, and by page one - a fan for life.

Kelley Coures’ historical knowledge of the town of Evansville is unmatched. He also possesses a remarkable talent for imparting sensitive historical facts in an honest and respectable manner, while simultaneously keeping his audience rapt.

Out in Evansville follows the history of Evansville, IN, focusing particularly on attitudes throughout time on sexuality and gender. Locals will be hard pressed not to come across a location or person’s name they recognize. I was disturbed to read of accounts which should be common knowledge in our town. It was painful to find no historical markers exist in the places where the many cruel, brutal, and fatal atrocities detailed occurred. The way these stories found their way into depraved “schoolchild” chants, yet the victims, if anything, were mere footnotes in the papers, or worse - vilified themselves - speaks volumes of the need for history to be preserved and shared widely. I commend the author for doing so.

My favorite parts were reading about times of progress, support systems, and love. It brought me joy reading about being out becoming less dangerous and more celebrated, and the ways in which people showed up for one another during times of sadness and times of joy. Because that is what we do. Society may have taken away community, but we continue to show up and make our OWN.

As difficult as compiling such a work of painful history must have been for
Kelley, I hope, too, it brought many joyful memories. I hope he also knows it is
a heroic feat. In all times of injustice, we must speak out. Far too long have our
LGBTQ+ family, friends, and community been treated unjustly and with great
depravity.

This book, which I recommend to everyone who knows me, which is notated in its every margin in my handwriting, and is constantly on loan to friends, humbled me. I am grateful to the author for his preservation of history, and giving of himself to the project. May our heroes help us to stay teachable.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this a few weeks ago and had to sit with the review part for a bit because the author is a friend. I realized that I missed actually hearing these stories from Kelley. He is a great storyteller and because I have heard him speak and have heard some of this content first hand, the written form was somehow less for me. As reflected in the title, these stories and histories are about Kelley’s hometown of Evansville; while I live here now I was not raised here. Kelley lived a lot of this and, as a historian, is well versed through research the eras he does not know first hand.

[jasonbateman · Rating 4 out of 5]

such an important book! mr coures doing the work to keep these stories from being forgotten.

[Shazza Maddog · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting overview of the LGBTQ+ history in Evansville, Indiana.