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CHALLENGE
The Newsletter of the Gay Activist Alliance in Morris County Serving New Jersey’s GLBTI Communities Since 1972 Volume 42, Issue 9, November 2016
President’s Letter The End of An Era by Mickey Suiter Last month marked the end of an era in the LGBT commu- time to Somerset, where Dick’s son, Peter, took charge. nity of New Jersey. The Den in Somerset, New Jersey’s oldest gay bar, had its final last call and closed its doors The first time I visited Manny’s Den was in 1972 at its origfor the last time. inal location. As a Rutgers student I had walked past the place for a couple of years, not knowing it was a gay bar. Many gay bars have gone out of business in recent years. On one of my early visits, once I found out, I was with the The Cage in Hoboken and Switch in Boonton are a couple other founders of GAAMC (John, Jeff, and Jenny), shortly of examples. Maybe that’s a sign that we as a community before GAAMC’s first meeting. We were sitting at a table have succeeded in our quest to join society at large as and John had his arm around my shoulders. Dick Mack equals and we no longer need separate places to be our- came out from behind the bar and asked John to take his selves. Maybe not. I really don’t know for sure. arm away. As he went back to the bar he turned and told us we could hold hands under the table if we liked. Even But The Den is different because it was a part of our com- five years after winning their court case it still wasn’t cool munity’s history for so long and played an important role to be too obvious. John would have made a fuss about it in it. The Den began as Manny’s Den on Albany Street in but we reminded him that Jenny and I were under age so New Brunswick in 1944. It was across the street from a we had to watch ourselves. beauty school and many of the students began to hang out there. A large nuber of those students (surprise, surprise) Over the year I visited the bar many times at all of its lowere gay. The owner of the bar, Manny Mack, welcomed cations. In 2004, I attended a Democratic party fundraisthem all. At the time it was against the law for gay peo- er. Rue McClanahan was the hostess. Shortly after that ple to congregate in public places, especially bars which was my last visit to the bar. My bowling league held its were licensed by the state. season-end banquet at Sophie’s Bistro, the restaurant also owned by the Mack family in front of the bar. Afterward When the state tried to close the bar in 1963, Manny’s Den we all partied at The Den. joined with Murphy’s in Newark and Val’s Bar in Atlantic City to bring suit against the Alcohol beverage Commis- For over 70 years The Den was a gathering place for memsion. The result was a landmark 1967 State Supreme Court bers of our community. The Mack family’s courage in decision that legalized gay bars in New Jersey, two years fighting for what was right at a time when no one was dobefore Stonewall in New York. GAAMC’s very own David ing that gave us the right to congregate in public places. Morris assisted on that case. It is hard to imagine a time Inside Challenge when something as simple Challenge Information .......................... page 2 The bar underwent many and basic as that was not changes in subsequent years. allowed. GAAMC Events for October .................. page 2 Manny’s son Dick took over GAAMC Excursions............................... page 2 management. In the midThank you, Mack family. We Gleanings ................................................ page 3 seventies the bar had to will miss The Den, but we Q-munity Calendar for November ......... page 5 move to a new location on will always remember how Bulletin Board ........................................ page 7 Hiram Street in New Brunsyou fought for us and will wick due to redevelopment treasure our memories. GAAMC Board Minutes ........................ page 7 of the downtown area. Later GAAMC Information ............................. page 8 it had to move again, this