Founded by Henry Gerber, The Society of Human Rights was granted an official State of Illinois Charter on December 24, 1924. The organization was based in Chicago Illinois. Gerber had used experiences from when he was stationed in Colbenz, Germany, as well as the U.S. Declaration of Independence to create a society of law and order, with the main goal being to promote a person’s right to the pursuit of happiness. Although The Society of Human Rights was the first organization in the United States to publicly advocate for LGBTQ rights, it was disbanded in 1925 after Gerber and other members of the society had been arrested on “obscenity” charges (one of the members’ wives tipped off the police).
