Rev. Will Self

On June 26, 1976, Mayor Maynard Jackson proclaimed Gay Pride Day.

“There was a big outcry against that… from a group of conservative individuals and businesses. They banded together and formed a group called “Citizens for a Decent Atlanta,” and took out a full-page ad in the Journal Constitution, calling on the mayor to repent and rescind the proclamation or to resign.

One of the leaders of it was Reverend William of Self Wieuca Road Baptist Church. Shortly after the ad came out in the paper a group of us picketed the church on Sunday morning, which just wasn’t done in Atlanta at the time. It’s the first time we’d picketed a church. The good Baptists were quite taken aback by our presence on the sidewalk yelling and screaming at them on the way in.”
Maria Helena Dolan and Gil Robison, From Stonewall to the Millennium Panel, June 2000

“There was the picket going on outside and then some of us dressed as conservatively as we could possibly stand, and went in to worship with them – a contingent of six of us. It was interesting because we sat there, and all eyes were upon us. I mean, the entire church was staring at us. We were all waiting to see what he was going to say about these demons in their midst, and the demons marching outside. Never mentioned anything. Never mentioned anything about it at all.”
Dave Hayward