Charlie Howard just wanted to live openly and authentically. But one fateful night in 1984, as he walked arm in arm with his boyfriend across a bridge in Bangor, Maine, a group of teenagers began hurling homophobic slurs. What followed would leave a scar on the community, spark outrage, and forever change how Maine confronted hate and intolerance.
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Sources:
The Bangor Daily News, 9 July, 1984 – “Trio Held in Bangor Drowning”
The Bangor Daily News, 10 July, 1984 – “200 Attend Vigil for Slaying Victim”
The Bangor Daily News, 10 July, 1984 – “3 Charged in Slaying”
Morning Sentinel, 10 July, 1984 – “Teens Charged in Murder of Bangor Gay”
The Fresno Bee, 11 July, 1984 – “Slaying of Gay Triggers Charges of Persecution”
The Bangor Daily News, 13 July, 1984 – “Service Held for Charles Howard”
The Boston Globe, 13 July, 1984 – “A Clash in Lifestyle, A Death in Bangor”
The Monitor, 16 July, 1984 – “Murder of Gay Man Adding Impetus”
The Bangor Daily News, 18 July, 1984 – “3 Plead Innocent in Bangor Slaying”
The Miami Herald, 27 July, 1984 – “Gays Fear Court Will go Easy”
The Province, 1 August, 1984 – “Judge Frees Trio”
Journal Tribune, 1 August, 1984 – “Gay Groups Scrutinize Bangor Murder”
The Ottawa Citizen, 21 August, 1984 – “3 Youths Admit on Tapes”
The Republican, 15 September, 1984 – “3 Accused Treated as Juveniles”
Reno Gazette-Journal, 2 October, 1984 – “3 Teens Plead Guilty”
Tyler Morning Telegraph, 2 October, 1984 – “Teenagers Plead Guilty”
The Miami Herald, 6 October, 1984 – “3 Teen Killers of Gay Man Sent to Youth Centre”
The Bangor Daily News, 6 October, 1984 – “Bangor Teens Sentenced”
The Odessa American, 6 October, 1984 – “Youths Sentenced”
The Philadelphia News, 20 August, 1984 – “Girls Describe Killing”
Bangor Daily News, 3 May, 1993 – “Good Prank”
Bangor Daily News, 7 July, 2009 – “The Legacy of Charlie Howard”
Bangor Daily News, 12 July, 2009 – “Where Are Charlie Howard’s Killers?”
LGBTQ Nation, 31 January, 2019 – “He Killed a Gay Man”
