Chicago Queer History Walking Tours: Police, Gangsters, and Gay Bars

The University of Chicago sociologist Ernest Burgess observed that the city contains “zones of transition” that sat between areas of the city with clearly defined purposes and which people often used for activities which society frown upon. These areas were often the places that fomented queer culture in the industrial city – but that required an interaction between queerness and other criminal behavior. Learn about the interaction between queerness, the state’s monopoly on legitimate violence, and organized crime as we investigate the delicate negotiations and compromises required to keep queer institutions open in the city in the 20th century.

The University of Illinois Chicago Gender and Sexuality Center presents a series of Chicago Queer History Walking Tours for Summer 2026. Tours are conducted by Daniel Williams, a political science professor who’s been bringing the details of Chicago’s queer past to life on social media.

Follow him on Instagram @Daniel.Edward.Williams
All walking tours are free, with tips gratefully accepted, but not expected.