Two men in colorful pride fashions, including a sparkly kink-wear ensemble with hot pants. They appear to be standing on a Pride float adorned with rainbow balloons.
Two men in colorful pride fashions, including a sparkly kink-wear ensemble with hot pants. They appear to be standing on a Pride float adorned with rainbow balloons. Credit: Joseph Kohl, courtesy of the Maryland Center for History and Culture

These nearly 25-year-old photos, imbued with celebration, style, and joy, were taken in 2000 at the Baltimore Pride Parade on Charles Street in Mount Vernon. In them, you can see how much the neighborhood has changed. One photo, for instance, displays a float from Club Hippo, a beloved LGBTQ+ safe haven. Today, that same location is occupied by a CVS — a poignant example of the area’s evolution and the loss of vital LGBTQ+ spaces. Club Hippo’s legacy also extends today; it hosted the Miss Gay Maryland Pageant, a drag event still held annually across the state as a preliminary competition to Miss Gay America.

Drag queens show off personalities and talents in this trailblazing competition. From 1985 to 2015, Club Hippo hosted the Miss Gay Maryland Pageant, a drag event still held annually across the state as a preliminary competition to Miss Gay America.
Drag queens show off personalities and talents in this trailblazing competition. From 1985 to 2015, Club Hippo hosted the Miss Gay Maryland Pageant, a drag event still held annually across the state as a preliminary competition to Miss Gay America. Credit: Joseph Kohl, courtesy of the Maryland Center for History and Culture

The images were captured by photographer Joseph Kohl, who passed away from leukemia in 2002, just two years after this series was made. A UMBC grad, Kohl was a visual historian for the city’s counter-culture, shooting for publications like City Paper and Mid-Atlantic Gay Life. According to the Maryland Center for History and Culture, he was dedicated to capturing Baltimore’s underground scenes, including “the city’s erotic sub-communities, small-venue rock concerts, and queer nightlife.” His work provided a vital, validating record for communities often overlooked by the mainstream. 

A group of men walks with a banner for the Baltimore Gay Alliance at the Baltimore Pride Parade. From a series of images of the 2000 Baltimore Pride Parade by the photographer Joseph Kohl.
A group of men walks with a banner for the Baltimore Gay Alliance at the Baltimore Pride Parade. From a series of images of the 2000 Baltimore Pride Parade by the photographer Joseph Kohl. Credit: Joseph Kohl, courtesy of the Maryland Center for History and Culture

Decades after Baltimore’s first Pride demonstration in 1975, these images capture a pivotal chapter in our city’s ongoing story. Over the subsequent fifty years, celebrations have taken place across our city. Pride is still celebrated in Mount Vernon, but you will also find events across our city, including the Inner Harbor, Station North, and more.

These images by Joseph Kohl are from the Maryland Center for History and Culture’s “We Are… Proud” collection.

Scene from the Baltimore Pride Parade in 2000, on Charles street in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore City. A femme in drag sits atop a fluffy white parade float in a silky white robe, white umbrella, and flowers in her hair.
Scene from the Baltimore Pride Parade in 2000, on Charles street in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore City. A femme in drag sits atop a fluffy white parade float in a silky white robe, white umbrella, and flowers in her hair. Credit: Joseph Kohl, courtesy of the Maryland Center for History and Culture
Five participants standing on the Club Hippo float during the Pride Parade in Baltimore, Maryland.
Five participants standing on the Club Hippo float during the Pride Parade in Baltimore, Maryland. A nightlife hotspot, Club Hippo was a safe haven for members of Baltimore’s LGBTQ+ community for over 40 years. The first Baltimore Pride was held in 1975 and consisted of activists coming together in a peaceful demonstration. Throughout the decades, the Pride celebration has taken place throughout much of the city, primarily in the Mt. Vernon neighborhood and Druid Hill Park. Credit: Joseph Kohl, courtesy of the Maryland Center for History and Culture
Group portrait of three people dressed in drag captured by the photographer Joseph Kohl.
Group portrait of three people dressed in drag captured by the photographer Joseph Kohl. Credit: Joseph Kohl, courtesy of the Maryland Center for History and Culture
Two leather daddies wearing commemorative sashes sit in the back of a convertible during the Baltimore Pride Parade in 2000, which traverses north up Charles Street, through the Mount Vernon neighborhood.
Two leather daddies wearing commemorative sashes sit in the back of a convertible during the Baltimore Pride Parade in 2000, which traverses north up Charles Street, through the Mount Vernon neighborhood. Credit: Joseph Kohl, courtesy of the Maryland Center for History and Culture
Three femmes with paper flowers at the Pride Parade in Baltimore, Maryland.
Three femmes with paper flowers at the Pride Parade in Baltimore, Maryland. The first Baltimore Pride was held in 1975 and consisted of activists coming together in a peaceful demonstration. Credit: Joseph Kohl, courtesy of the Maryland Center for History and Culture
Portrait of a Trans-femme posed in front of an iron gate. The night scene features a full-length portrait of the subject, who playfully leans on the rungs of the gate. Her white socks glow from reflecting the flash, used by the photographer Joseph Kohl (1957-2002) to capture this nighttime scene.
Portrait of a Trans-femme posed in front of an iron gate. The night scene features a full-length portrait of the subject, who playfully leans on the rungs of the gate. Her white socks glow from reflecting the flash, used by the photographer Joseph Kohl (1957-2002) to capture this nighttime scene. Credit: Joseph Kohl, courtesy of the Maryland Center for History and Culture

Teri Henderson is the Arts and Culture Editor of Baltimore Beat. She is the author of the 2021 book Black Collagists. Previously, she was a staff writer for BmoreArt, gallery coordinator for Connect +...