Henry D. Messer
Henry Davis Messer neurosurgeon | |
---|---|
Years active | 1953–2013 |
Organization | Equality Michigan |
Movement | LGBT rights, human rights |
Partner | Carl House |
Military career | |
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service/ | United States Army Air Forces |
Years of service | c.1950-1953 |
Rank | Captain |
Wars | Korean War |
Henry Davis Messer (September 22, 1927 – February 18, 2014) was an American
Personal life
Messer was born in Madison, Florida on September 22, 1927, to Henry Messer, owner of a Chevrolet dealership, and Sarah Messer, a housewife. He moved to Durham, North Carolina to study premedicine at Duke University and went to Duke University School of Medicine.[2][3]
Messer met his life partner, Carl House, while serving as a captain in the United States Army Air Forces. House was a corporal in the United States Army when they met in 1951 after a night out with a group of gay servicemen.[2] In 1953, after resigning from the Army Air Force, Messer and House moved to New York City's Greenwich Village. They moved to Dearborn Heights, Michigan in 1976.[1][4]
He was shot while volunteering at the Triangle Foundation's office in Detroit on June 28, 1995. The incident received national attention as a possible anti-gay hate crime.[1][2]
Messer died at approximately 5:00am on February 18, 2014, at his home in Dearborn Heights after a struggle with cancer.[2][5][6]
Professional work
During the Korean War, he entered the United States Air Force as a first lieutenant. During the war, he was stationed at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, and began his specialization in neurosurgery under orders from his commanding officer.[2]
Messer was forced to resign his commission as a
After resigning from the Air Force, Messer completed his residency and then practiced neurosurgery at
LGBT rights activism
Messer's LGBT political advocacy focused on police entrapment and improving the climate for LGBT youth, especially young people in the medical field.[1]
Shortly after moving to New York City in the early 1950s, Messer joined the Mattachine Society. His participation as a neurosurgeon was especially notable as he did not participate in the group under a pseudonym, which was the most common practice for members of the organization at that time.[1] Messer also participated in the Stonewall riots of 1969.[5][6]
Around 1970, Messer and House hosted a meeting with Mattachine members and New York City Councilman Eldon R. Clingan, where the members of the organization shared their firsthand accounts of discrimination with the city leader. Clingan and Councilman Carter Burden introduced a bill in 1971, which Messer helped author, that would have prohibited discrimination in employment and housing on the basis of sexual orientation in New York City. The bill was unsuccessful and such a bill would not pass in New York City until 1986.[1][2]
In 1974, he wrote a chapter entitled "The Homosexual as Physician" for Human Sexuality: A Health Practitioner's Text by Richard Green. It was the first account of gay doctors to be included in a medical textbook.[2]
After moving to Michigan in 1976, he became involved with the Association of Suburban People (ASP) as a board member and public face of the organization. In 1977, he appeared with Wes Rogalski, president of ASP, on "Gayly Speaking", a WDET-FM program. He also helped organize the first "Developing a Positive Gay-Lesbian Identity" conference in 1980, and was profiled in Metra magazine in 1982. Messer later became involved with the Michigan Organization for Human Rights (MOHR) as a board member and proponent of lobbying elected officials and holding them accountable to their LGBT constituents.[2]
Messer was arrested in January 1985 by an undercover police officer at the Irving Art Theater for alleged indecent behavior. He was convicted of the crime, fined, and placed on one year's probation. New York State rescinded his medical license because of his conviction. While his Michigan license was not in danger of being rescinded, he decided to retire at age 60. Messer recounted his experiences in MOHR's newsletter.[2]
He co-founded Triangle Foundation in 1991, at age 63.[1][4] The organization merged with Michigan Equality in 2010 to form Equality Michigan.[5][6][7] Following his death in 2014, Messer's estate donated approximately US$2,000,000 to the organization's endowment and approximately US$1,000,000, spread over four years, to support the organization's work.[8][9][10]
Acknowledgements
Equality Michigan has annually awarded a Henry D. Messer Youth Activist Award since 2000 to recipients such as State Representative Jon Hoadley.[11]
Messer received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual Southeast Michigan LGBT Pride Banquet on June 15, 1995.[1][2]
Representative
Representative Hansen Clarke made remarks commemorating the couple's 60th anniversary at an anniversary party and benefit for Equality Michigan in 2012.[2]
The National LGBTQ Task Force dedicated its 2015 National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change to Messer.[12]
See also
- Equality Michigan
- Michigan Organization for Human Rights
- LGBT rights in Michigan
- LGBT rights in New York
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Dunlap, David W. (July 9, 1995). "Honor for Life's Work Buoys Gay Advocate". New York Times. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Jason A. Michael; Tim Retzloff (February 18, 2014). "LGBT Civil Rights Pioneer Dr. Henry Davis Messer Dies". Between The Lines. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
- ^ a b "Records & Briefs New York State Appellate Division". Google Books. September 5, 1958. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
- ^ ISBN 9780160760747. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
- ^ a b c "Equality Michigan co-founder dies". washingtonblade.com. Washington Blade. February 19, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
- ^ a b c "Equality Michigan mourns loss of Dearborn Heights resident, one of its founders". Press and Guide. February 22, 2014. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
- ^ Carreras, Jessica (May 20, 2010). "Equality Michigan steps out". Between The Lines. Archived from the original on October 25, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
- ^ Joseph Patrick McCormick (October 23, 2014). "US: Gay rights group receives $3 million donation". PinkNews. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
- ^ "Michigan gay rights group gets $3 million donation". WNDU. Associated Press. October 22, 2014. Archived from the original on April 4, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
- ^ "Equality Michigan Recipient of Substantial Gifts From Co-Founder" (Press release). Equality Michigan. October 21, 2014. Archived from the original on April 4, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
- ^ "Catalyst Awards". Equality Michigan. Archived from the original on April 4, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
- ^ "National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change 2015 program book" (PDF). creatingchange.org. National LGBTQ Task Force. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 22, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.