Fred Burkhart , 1942 - 2014

End of August and my memories roll around to Fred. Fred Burkhart legendary artist and photographer, and, most importantly FRIEND died August 30, 2014. Wow, Fred has it been 3 years?

I wonder what Fred would be thinking these days. You see he was a pioneer, taking photos (not taking he’d say, the subject gave him their images, their permission) of the early Gay Pride parades in New Town now Boys Town. He also did a photo series on the Ku Klux Klan.

He was able to draw them in, never saying he believed what they did, but in general, being a curious, open guy. They invited him into their homes. He had photos of a KKK member and his kids eating breakfast, he had pics of the kids dressed up in dad’s KKK outfit, saluting a Nazi flag. They were incriminating, astoundingly honest photos.

photo credit: Fred Burkhart

Until a member asked, “When are you going to join us, bro?”

“I'd join the Girl Scouts before I joined you clowns,” Burkhart replied.

That led to a beating that, he said, “nearly left me dead in a hotel room.”

I’m not sure what’s happening with Fred’s archives. He has some amazing photos of Chicago’s gritty underground community.

From a piece Rick Kogan wrotefor the Chicago Tribune:

“In every community I could find a kindred spirit," he said. "If you get past the politics, religion or sexual orientation, you will discover that the people in any group love their families and they love their ideas, even though they may hate everyone else.”

I wish you were here today Fred to maybe help me make sense of all the senselessness, all the divisions, all the hate. Rest in peace, my friend.