Thomas E. Horn

Thomas Eugene Horn (born June 7, 1946) is President of the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center.[1][2][3]

Horn was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico the son of Lucille and H.B. Horn. His father co-founded the Horn Oil Co., a major oil and gas distributor. After serving in the New Mexico Air National Guard and graduating from UCLA School of Law, Horn served as legal director of the New Mexico Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.[4] In 1976, Horn moved to San Francisco.[5]

As a lawyer, Horn spent much of his practice in the 1970s representing gay clients. In his native New Mexico, he advocated for gay rights and sexual civil liberties as legal director of that state's ACLU. In that capacity, he challenged New Mexico's sodomy law. After moving to San Francisco in 1976, Horn would eventually go on to become active in local politics, working with the likes of slain gay Supervisor Harvey Milk, and was eventually one of the founders of Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALIF).[6]

In 2009, Horn was named by Albert II, Prince of Monaco as Honorary Consul of Monaco in San Francisco.[7][8]

Horn was publisher of the Bay Area Reporter from 2004 to 2013.[9]

Horn is President of the Bob A. Ross Foundation, which supports a diverse range of HIV-related, LGBT, cultural, and other nonprofit organizations.[10]

The Republic of France has decorated Horn for his contributions to the Franco-American relationship, including his services as chair of the San Francisco-Paris Sister City Committee:[11][12] Legion of Honor in 2021,[13] Chevalier de l'Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur in 2020,[14] the Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite in 2003 with a promotion to the rank of Commandeur in 2011, and the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1994.[15]

In 2022, Horn received the Nancy Pelosi Lifetime Achievement Award from the Shanti Project.[16]

In 2022, Horn was appointed the Chair of the San Francisco Host Committee, the non-profit arm of the Mayor's Office of Protocol, responsible for organizing and funding the local consular corps as well as the many heads of state and foreign dignitaries that visit San Francisco annually.[17]

In 2018, Horn married his partner of 35 years, Caesar Alexzander, in a ceremony officiated by then-Lieutenant Governor of California Gavin Newsom.[18]

References

  1. ↑ "San Francisco War Memorial | Trustees". sfwarmemorial.org.
  2. ↑ "Renovated War Memorial Veterans Building reopens with dedication ceremony". The San Francisco Examiner. 2015-09-17. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  3. ↑ "Mayor Lee Swears in New Appointments & Reappointments to City Boards & Commissions | Office of the Mayor". sfmayor.org. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  4. ↑ "'Memory Book' details history of 1970s-era LGBTQ attorneys in US". 29 September 2022.
  5. ↑ "Thomas Horn, San Francisco's 'French connection,' awarded Legion of Honor".
  6. ↑ "'Memory Book' details history of 1970s-era LGBTQ attorneys in US". 29 September 2022.
  7. ↑ "Embassy of the Principality of Monaco to the United States of America". monacodc.org.
  8. ↑ "B.A.R. Publisher becomes Monaco honorary consul - NLGJA". Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  9. ↑ "Publisher reflects on new role". The Bay Area Reporter / B.A.R. Inc. Retrieved 2021-05-02.
  10. ↑ "Foundation continues Ross's legacy". The Bay Area Reporter / B.A.R. Inc. Retrieved 2021-05-02.
  11. ↑ Vega, Cecilia M. (April 20, 2006). "SAN FRANCISCO / Gay mayor of gay Paris visits gay San Francisco / Bertrand Delanoë on first Bay Area sister-city junket". SFGate.
  12. ↑ "Gay Paris mayor visits SF". The Bay Area Reporter / B.A.R. Inc. Retrieved 2021-05-02.
  13. ↑ Bravo, Tony (June 2, 2021). "Thomas Horn, San Francisco's 'French connection,' awarded Legion of Honor". Datebook | San Francisco Arts & Entertainment Guide. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  14. ↑ "News Briefs: Former B.A.R. publisher receives honor from France". The Bay Area Reporter / B.A.R. Inc. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
  15. ↑ "Bay Area Reporter :: Search". The Bay Area Reporter / B.A.R. Inc. Retrieved 2021-05-02.
  16. ↑ "Page B16". nobhillgazette.com. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
  17. ↑ "San Francisco LGBTQ leaders provide Dutch queen a royal welcome". Seattle Gay News. Retrieved 2022-09-08.
  18. ↑ "Thomas Horn, San Francisco's 'French connection,' awarded Legion of Honor".
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