Bangor Pride holds Charlie Howard Memorial and Rainbow celebration

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - 37 years ago Wednesday, a Bangor man was killed because he was gay.

Charlie Howard was just 23 years old when he was killed by a group of teenagers.

He was thrown into the Kenduskeag Stream and drowned.

Wednesday, on the anniversary of his death community members gathered to honor his memory.

The group, sporting rainbow colors, started the event in West Market Square.

The group then made their way to the Charlie Howard Memorial on State Street.

They concluded the memorial by floating an arrangement of flowers down the Kenduskeag Stream.

Organizers say Charlie was a trailblazer for the LGBTQ+ community, particularly here in Bangor.

“It matters so much to generations across the board,” said Orion Tucker of Health Equity Alliance. “I feel like this is an excellent opportunity for us to honor him and celebrate his life, and celebrate ourselves for being out and open and living unapologetically.”

“We didn’t spare his life, but at the same time, it’s doing so much good of raising awareness in our community and for others all over the United States. To be year after year celebrating and to have crowds come out to his memorial and in his honor is a wonderful thing,” said Jennifer Thompson of Health Equity Alliance.

On Sunday, the Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor will hold their annual Charlie Howard Memorial Service.

Thompson from Health Equity Alliance will be this years guest speaker.

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