Jewel Thais-Williams, LA Black LGBTQIA+ Club Founder, Dies at 86

Jewel Thais-Williams, founder of Los Angeles’ first Black-owned LGBTQIA+ nightclub Jewel’s Catch One, has died at age 86. Established in 1973, the club became a vital safe space for Black queer people and others during a time of widespread racism, homophobia, and police harassment, hosting legendary artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Madonna, and Whitney Houston. Beyond nightlife, Thais-Williams was a dedicated activist, co-founding the Minority AIDS Project, serving on the board of AIDS Project Los Angeles, and providing community health services. Her legacy is celebrated for fostering love, resilience, and unity, with the intersection outside the former club renamed Jewel Thais-Williams Square in her honor. She is remembered not only as a pioneering entrepreneur but also as a healer and mother figure to many in the LGBTQ+ community, survived by her wife of more than 40 years. Tributes highlight her courage in creating an inclusive sanctuary and her lasting impact on both nightlife and advocacy for marginalized communities.