Former State Senator Allan Spear Dies
Allan Spear
1937-2008
Former State Senator Allan Spear, one of the first openly gay elected state legislators in the country, has died. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Spear died of complications from surgery on Saturday, October 11th. Spear was a leader and icon of the GLBT community in Minnesota, including strong involvement with and support of OutFront Minnesota's work.
A public memorial service has been scheduled for Sunday, November 23rd, at Temple Israel, 2324 Emerson Avenue South, in Minneapolis. A reception will follow.
Spear served on OutFront Minnesota's Political Action Committee, OutFront Minnesota Action, including for the 2008 election cycle. He also served on OutFront Minnesota's Board of Directors.
He worked for many years for the amendment to the Minnesota Human Rights Act adding civil rights protections for GLBT people, which finally achieved passage in 1993.
View Senator Spear introducing the amendment on the floor of the senate on March 18th, 1993.
View other interviews with Senator Spear produced by the Minnesota Senate.
In 2007, while a guest speaker at OutFront Minnesota's justFair Lobby Day, the former senator recalled that this was his proudest moment in office. "When I retired from the legislature seven years ago, I was asked what was my fondest memory, and there was no doubt that it was that day in 1993 when, after 20 years of effort, we passed the GLBT rights bill. It was a great, great milestone."
According to press reports, Mr. Spear is listed by the Minnesota Historial Society as one of the state's 150 most influential Minnesotans.
Former Senator Spear was a revered member of the GLBT community. In addition to being a leader in the state legislature as Senate President, he came out in 1974 when being out of the closet as an elected official was virtually unheard of.
Our community is greatly saddened by the loss of this powerful and visionary leader.
Read reaction from other GLBT elected officials and leaders on Allan Spear's death.
Read the Minneapolis Star Tribune story on Allan Spear.