The community is invited to a Celebration of Life honoring LGBTQ+ historian and activist Dave Hayward on Saturday, April 11.
The service runs from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at First Existentialist Congregation of Atlanta at 470 Candler Park Drive NE. Afterward, guests will continue sharing memories at Manuel's Tavern from 1 to 3 p.m.
Hayward arrived in Atlanta in 1971 and became a dedicated chronicler of the city's queer history. He participated in Atlanta's first sanctioned Pride march in 1972 and co-founded the nonprofit Touching Up Our Roots, the LGBTQ+ story project and self-guided audio tour featuring sites important to queer Atlanta.
A lover of history and storytelling, Hayward spent decades befriending and documenting the people who shaped Atlanta's gay rights movement during its earliest years. He died in November after suffering a heart attack at home.
Attendees are encouraged to bring stories, memories, and reflections to share during the service.